Norwegian club Vålerenga have called for changes to anti-doping regulations after a player from their women's team tested positive for a banned stimulant due to exposure from rubber crumb on an artificial pitch. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) chose not to appeal the decision by Anti-Doping Norway (Adno) that the player was faultless, concluding a seven-month investigation.
The case began on 22 April when routine drug tests after a match against LSK Kvinner found four players from each team had traces of 1,3-dimethylbutylamine (DMBA), a prohibited stimulant. One Vålerenga player's sample exceeded the reporting threshold. An investigation found no common factors in food or supplements, but environmental testing in July revealed the source: shredded tyre granulate on the pitch contained DMBA, which was transferred to players during the game.
The affected player, who remains anonymous, described the ordeal as 'terrible' and 'upsetting'. She said: 'I've always known I did nothing wrong... Still, the process and outcome feel somewhat arbitrary.' This is the first known case in elite sport where environmental exposure caused a perceived doping violation.
Vålerenga CEO Harriet Rudd urged anti-doping bodies to consider environmental factors. 'It's about having a holistic overview of what in the environment you risk finding in a doping test,' she said. The Norwegian Football Federation has recommended moving indoor matches outdoors, and from 2031, rubber crumb infill will be banned in the EU. No international standard exists to ensure turf materials are free of banned substances.
