Basketballer receives sanction

Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges that Basketball Australia has imposed a one-month period of Ineligibility on athlete Xavier Cooks for the Presence of a Prohibited Substance, namely THC.

Mr Cooks returned an Adverse Analytical Finding from an In-Competition doping control test on 27 March 2026.

Mr Cooks’ sample was analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, part of the National Measurement Institute, and the presence of THC metabolite: Carboxy-THC (11 nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid) was detected.

The substance THC is listed under Class S8 (Cannabinoids) of the World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Prohibited List 2026 (2026 Prohibited List).

THC is prohibited In-Competition only and is a Specified Substance. THC is also classified as a ‘Substance of Abuse’ under the 2026 Prohibited List.

Under Article 10.2.4.1 of the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy 2021 (ANADP), if the Athlete can establish that any ingestion or Use of the substance occurred Out-of-Competition and was unrelated to sport performance, then the period of Ineligibility shall be three months.

In addition, the Athlete’s period of Ineligibility calculated under Article 10.2.4.1 of the ANADP may be further reduced to one month if the Athlete satisfactorily completes a Substance of Abuse treatment program approved by SIA.

In Mr Cooks’ case, all requirements for a reduction in the period of Ineligibility under Article 10.2.4.1 of the ANADP were satisfied.

This is Mr Cooks’ second Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). Mr Cooks’ previous ADRV in 2025 was also sanctioned under the Substance of Abuse provisions in Article 10.2.4.1 of the ANADP.

As such, this ADRV is not considered a second violation for the purpose of sanction under the multiple violation provisions in Article 10.9 of the ANADP and a reduction under the Substance of Abuse provisions apply.

Accordingly, Basketball Australia has imposed a one-month period of Ineligibility on Mr Cooks which commenced on 4 June 2026 (being the date that he voluntarily accepted a Provisional Suspension).

Mr Cooks was ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy until 11:59pm on 3 July 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.

Mr Cooks’ matter is published on the SIA Violations List in accordance with section 19A of the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 (Cth) and Article 14.3 of the ANADP.
 

Additional information on the Prohibited Substance

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 prohibited substance cannabis is reported to cause the below health effects:
 

Recreational / acute use effects:

• nausea and vomiting
• hallucinations
• memory impairment
• coordination impairment
• delusions and;
• 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
• 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.

• Click the link for more information on the health impacts of Cannabis use in sport.