Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges that the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) has imposed a one-month period of Ineligibility on athlete Benjamin Mathiou for the Presence of a Metabolite of a Prohibited Substance.
Mr Mathiou returned an Adverse Analytical Finding from an In-Competition doping control test on 17 May 2025 while competing in the final of the French Elite Two rugby XIII league match between Palau XIII Broncos and Villegailhenc Aragon RL.
Mr Mathiou’s sample was analysed at the French Anti-Doping Laboratory and the presence of Carboxy-THC a Metabolite of Cannabis was detected.
Cannabis and its Metabolites are listed under Class S8 (Cannabinoids) of the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2025 (2025 Prohibited List).
THC is prohibited In-Competition only and is a Specified Substance. Cannabis is also classified as a ‘Substance of Abuse’ under the 2025 Prohibited List.
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Mr Mathiou was notified by the AFLD of the alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) on 13 June 2025, in accordance with the French Sports Code.
In accordance with article L. 232-23-3-3 of the French Sports Code, the AFLD imposed a one-month period of Ineligibility on Mr Mathiou commencing on 18 December 2026.
Mr Mathiou was ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy between 18 December 2025 and 18 January 2026.
He was also not permitted to compete in a non-signatory professional league, or event organised by a non-signatory International or National level event organisation.
Additional information on the Substance of Abuse
The psychoactive chemicals derived from cannabis, such as THC, and their synthetic counterparts, called cannabinoids, are listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as Prohibited In-Competition under the ‘S8 Cannabinoid’ substance class.
These substances are also included under the Substances of Abuse category, as a drug which is prohibited for use ‘In-Competition’.
All prohibited substances are added to the Prohibited List because they meet at least two of the three following criteria:
- The substance has the potential to enhance or enhances performance;
- The substance represents an actual or potential health risk to the Athlete; and
- The substance violates the spirit of sport.
The Substances of Abuse category was introduced as part of the 2021 Prohibited List and 2021 World Anti-Doping Code.
This category was introduced in consultation with global regulatory bodies such as Sport Integrity Australia, to allow more flexibility in how athletes are sanctioned if the positive test is related to substance abuse, as opposed to an attempt to enhance performance.
The Prohibited List is approved by WADA’s Executive Committee in September of each year and published three months before it comes into effect on 1 January.
We promote the updated Prohibited List to Australian sports and athletes each year.
The reported health impacts of using cannabis are:
Recreational / acute use effects:
- nausea and vomiting
- hallucinations
- memory impairment
- coordination impairment and delusions
- paranoia or psychosis at high doses.
Importantly for athletes, there is an increase in heart rate following marijuana use (first 3 hours). This could put increased strain on an athlete’s heart and has the potential to lead to an irregular heartbeat.
Chronic use effects:
- bronchitis (from smoke irritation on the respiratory tract)
- mood disorders and psychosis
- Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (persistent vomiting) with secondary dehydration.
Importantly for athletes, chronic marijuana use can be associated with a decrease in cardiovascular response to exercise (due to reduced sympathetic and increased parasympathetic activity), which has the potential to impair athletic performance.