The athlete was tested immediately after her appearance at the IAWA (Irish Amateur Wrestling Association) Irish Open on November 2nd of last year. She provided a sample which tested positive for three banned substances: epi-stanozolol glucuronide (stanozolol), 4-methylhexan-2-amine (methylhexaneamine), and 5-methylhexan-2-amine (1,4-dimethylpentylamine).

The first of those is listed as an anabolic agent, the other two are classed as stimulants.

An Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary panel heard the case, found that Farrelly had committed an anti-doping violation, and declared itself comfortable that she had not “discharged the burden” of proving that any of them had been intentional.

The athlete did not request that her B sample be analysed and there was no objection to a provisional ban which began on December 4th. Sport Ireland sought a four-year ban, which was the most severe possible.

The hearing was held remotely due to the coronavirus outbreak though there was no appearance made by, or on behalf of, the athlete despite the fact that she was advised to do so.

The panel itself comprised of Dr Rachel Cullivan-Elliott, Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom, and Mrs Justice Fidelma Macken SC who acted as chair.

A 31-year-old amateur wrestler at the time of the infraction, Farrelly had only been competing in the sport for a short period of time and she has now been requested to hand back any medals and physical awards she gained at the event in question seven months ago.

She is listed in the Irish Amateur Wrestling Association's online results section as finishing first in both the senior female 60kg and 80kg categories. The event took place at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown.

Deutrom made reference prior to the panel's decision of a statement made by the athlete by email in which she explained that she completed a WADA online course after receiving the results of her positive test and that she was now educated on anti-doping.

In another email, Farrelly mentioned how, “I jumped into the competition a couple of days beforehand. I'm not a wrestler – I only did a few classes for fun...”

Daniel Kennedy, representing the IAWA as an observer, explained that the pool of female wrestlers competing in Ireland is quite small and that Farrelly, who is believed to have switched from a weightlifting sport, had entered a smaller competition prior to the Irish Open a month previously where there was no anti-doping testing.

Kennedy also explained that, prior to this anti-doping violation, Irish wrestling did not have a compulsory scheme of anti-doping in operation but that it has since become compulsory for all wrestlers competing in events under their banner to undertake an e-learning programme.