A drug test at the CFL Combine has sidelined a former Queen’s football standout.
On March 19, former Queen’s Men’s Football defensive lineman, Darien Newell, ArtSci ’25, was selected for random drug testing while taking part in the CFL Combine. According to a press release published by the CFL, Newell’s sample tested positive for nine banned substances, including GW501516, Ibutamoren, SARM Ostarine (S-22), SARM LGD-4033, Testosterone, Nandrolone, Drostanolone, Norclostebol, and Oxandrolone.
Newell was deemed ineligible to sign a CFL contract for one year under the CFL and Canadian Football League Players Association(CFLPA) joint drug policy. He appealed the impending suspension but withdrew the appeal on April 30, triggering an immediate one-year suspension.
He released the following statement through the Elks organization following the draft: “I’m incredibly grateful to have been drafted by the Edmonton Elks and given this opportunity to continue chasing my dream at the highest level. During my preparation for the CFL Draft, I was notified by the league that I had tested positive for banned substances.”
“I believe that the substances in question came from products I took while attending my pro day in Buffalo, where I didn’t have access to my usual supplements. I didn’t knowingly or intentionally use a product that violated the league’s substance policy. Still, as an athlete, I must take full accountability for everything I put in my body.”
Newell said the experience taught him the importance of diligence, and he’s committed to learning from it, upholding professionalism, accepting the league’s decision, and moving forward to earn future opportunities.
Months after Newell’s drug policy violation was first announced, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) issued a media statement on Sept. 11 stating that Newell has “received a six-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP).” The CCES noted that while the standard CADP sanction is four years, Newell received a six-year ban due to the presence of multiple prohibited substances.
The decision was based on the fact that “the athlete failed to dispute the violation within the specified timelines, the violation and the sanction were confirmed by way of a deemed waiver,” the statement reads. “Because a provisional suspension was imposed on the athlete, the sanction ends on June 22, 2031,” meaning that Newell will be barred from U Sports or any sport governed under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) or World Anti-Doping Code (WADC).
During the sanction period, Newell is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the CADP or the CADC, including training with teammates. According to a TSN article, “it was determined that Newell was also subject to its anti-doping program as he was a U Sports athlete at the time of the infractions.”
Selected 10th overall in the second round during the 2025 CFL Draft, the new ruling against Newell doesn’t “alter or enhance that punishment, as the CFL isn’t a signatory to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) or the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC),” according to a 3Down article.
The Journal requested a statement from Men’s Football Head Coach, Steve Snyder, but instead the University responded with a statement, which read: “Queen’s supports the decision of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. We’re committed to upholding sport doping regulations and ensuring our student-athletes follow established guidelines for behaviour.”
Since 2010, Queen’s athletes have been subject to the University’s Athletics and Recreation Non-Academic Discipline Judicial Process (Discipline Policy), which “establishes that Student-Athletes are bound by the rules and provisions of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) as administered by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).”
The clause also reads that “if an individual or team is deemed to have committed an anti-doping rule violation, and a sanction is imposed as per the rules of the CADP, that sanction will be honoured and can’t be appealed under this policy. All imposed sanctions for an anti-doping rule violation will be referred to the Panel for review to determine if further sanctions and/or penalties should be imposed.”
Without the suspension from the CCES, Newell would’ve been eligible for a final year with the Tricolour. U Sports policy grants each player five years of eligibility, and since Newell joined Queen’s in 2020, the organization ruled that the cancelled 2020-21 season due to COVID wouldn’t count against an athlete’s eligibility. With sanctions from both the CCES and the CFL, the earliest that Newell can suit up in Canada will be with the Elks next summer.
According to a statement on The Elks webpage by Edmonton Elks Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager, Ed Hervey, “the Edmonton Elks organization was aware of Darien Newell’s impending suspension before selecting him on Tuesday night. Throughout the draft process, we completed our due diligence on Darien and came away satisfied with both the person and the player. The organization is committed to supporting Darien throughout this process, and we look forward to when he can join the Green and Gold.”
Newell told The Journal via e-mail that he had no further comments beyond the CFL press release. The Journal had inquired about the specifics of testing during his time at Queen’s, and whether his career had been affected by testing positive for the nine banned substances. The Journal additionally requested a statement from the Elks in May, but was directed back to the press release on their webpage.
Tags
CFL, CFLPA, Darien Newell, draft, drugs, Football
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.