Quebec trainer banned in taekwondo doping case

A Quebec trainer has been suspended from sport for five years for giving a banned drug to a teenage athlete.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announced on Tuesday the five-year ban for Jimmy Gariépy after the trainer admitted he provided a diuretic to taekwondo athlete Caroline Pyzik, who was 16 at the time.

CCES president Paul Melia told CBC Sports's Teddy Katz that the organization wanted to send a strong message to others who are in a position of trust with athletes.

"This won’t be tolerated for any support personnel that is involved in aiding, assisting, counselling or administering banned substances to young athletes," Melia said.

According to details of the case released along with Tuesday's ruling, Pyzik spoke with Gariépy in the weeks leading up to the Canadian championships in January 2011 about an over-the counter-drug to control her weight that wouldn’t fall under the banned substance list.

Gariépy gave her a half-portion of an unpackaged orange pill, and Pyzik later tested positive for a banned diuretic, leading to a two-year suspension from her sport.

Melia said the trainer violated a special responsibility in dealing with a minor who looks up to him.

"There is a special duty of care on the part of the athlete support personnel, and to violate that should be met with a very severe sanction."