Sports

Alex Hupe's junior football career is over.

Hupe, 21, who joined the Okanagan Sun in August from Winnipeg has been handed a two year suspension for an anti-doping rule violation.

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Alex Hupe, 51, has been suspended two years after failing a doping test at the end of last season.

The ban was announced Wednesday by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.

"The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) announced today that Alexander Hupe, a Canadian Junior Football League player, has received a two-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation. The athlete’s urine sample, collected during in-competition doping control on October 13, 2012, revealed the presence of testosterone, mesterolone and nandrolone, all prohibited anabolic agents.

Mr. Hupe chose not to engage in the results management process. Based on the evidence provided by the CCES, Arbitrator Hugh Fraser imposed a sanction of two years ineligibility from sport, terminating November 2, 2014. The athlete, who resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), including training with teammates."

Hupe and teammate Bobby Davis were both randomly selected for testing following the Sun final regular season game October 13.

Davis's tests came back negative.

According to the ruled issued by CCES, Hupe was informed his "A" sample had resulted in a positive test but waived testing of the "B" sample.

He chose not to appear at a hearing into the matter and accepted the two year ban.

Sun GM, Jay Christensen, says Hupe was remorseful but also did not dispute the results.

"Whatever it was had been taken prior to him coming out to play for the team - he didn't think he was going to play football," says Christensen.

"it wasn't like he tried to circumvent a rule or a procedure. It was obviously not the best choice at the time, no matter what."

Christensen says Hupe handled the situation like a true gentleman.

"He said I did it, I'm sorry. He didn't try and hide behind a bad sample or any technicality," says Christensen.

Hupe still had one year of junior football eligibility left, however, Christensen says it was not clear whether Hupe had planned on playing out his eligibility.

That decision has been made for him.

Despite the positive test, Christensen says he believes the team and the CJFL are both doing a good job in educating players about banned substances.

"We know we do everything we can to prevent this and, like I say, we had an athlete that made a bad decision and stepped up and admitted it," says Christensen.

"There are always the unfortunate one off's and this is certainly one of them. I don't think it's going to strike fear in the hearts of junior football players or junior athletes across the country because it's not a rampant problem.

Hupe is the third member of the team to test positive for banned substances since the inception of the franchise back in 1981

Read the full five page decision by the CCES here.