Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport gives Elks prospect six-year doping ban
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OTTAWA – Edmonton Elks draft pick Darien Newell has been given a six-year sanction by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport for a rule violation under its Canadian Anti-Doping Program.
The announcement Thursday from CCES comes after Newell was given a year-long ban by the CFL for a series of doping infractions.
The CFL ban was levied on April 30, shortly after Newell was selected in the second round of the league’s draft out of Queen’s University.
The CCES said that 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.
During the sanction period, Newell is ineligible to participate in any capacity with any sport signatory to the CADP or the World Anti-Doping Code, including training with teammates. The CFL is not a signatory to either entity.
All nine CFL teams were made aware of Newell’s situation before this year’s draft and that he had a hearing pending with an arbitrator on the matter.
The six-foot-two, 289-pound Newell, from Brampton, Ont., was regarded as a blue-chip CFL prospect and was the top-ranked U Sports player on the CFL scouting bureau’s top-20 list heading into the draft.
According to the CFL, Newell was selected for a random test March 19 while participating in the league’s national combine. His sample tested positive for nine banned substances, including Boldenone, Nandrolone, Drostanolone and Norclostebol, all forms of steroids.
Newell had appealed the positive test, and the case was passed on to an independent arbitrator. Newell withdrew his appeal on Wednesday, incurring an anti-doping rule violation and a one-year sanction.
Last season, Newell had 33 tackles (17 solo, eight for loss), five sacks and a forced fumble. He was a perennial All-Canadian, registering 92 tackles (56 solo, 27.5 for loss), 17 sacks and a forced fumble at Queen’s.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2025.