Canadian forward Budd was handed a two-year ban after testing positive for methylecgonine – otherwise known as cocaine – following a match in the German third tier league on November 19 2017.

The IIHF oversaw results management due to the player no longer living in Germany, after he was sacked by Hannover Scorpions following the positive test.

Budd confirmed that he continued to play and coach in recreational hockey after being notified of the positive test, claiming he had assumed that the period of ineligibility only applied to his career as an active professional player.

The IIHF deemed, based on the player’s explanation, that he did establish that the prohibited substance was used out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance.

The governing body determined the rule violation was not considered intentional, but said Budd did not establish that a further reduction of the period of ineligibility is warranted based on the significance and the degree of his fault in this case.

Having viewed Budd to have deliberately ignored the positive test result and failure to admit promptly to the charge, the IIHF said it deemed the two-year sanction to be appropriate.

Budd was provisionally suspended on December 5 2019, with his sanction due to run until the same date in 2021.

Dyakov received a 15-month suspension after testing positive for benzoylecgonine – the main metabolite of cocaine – on November 2 2019.

The test was conducted following Admiral Vladivostok’s Kontinental Hockey League match at Spartak Moscow.

The IIHF ruled the banned substance had been used out-of-competition and in a context unrelated to sport performance, therefore deeming the positive test not to be considered intentional.

Timely admission to the charge saw the IIHF hand Dyakov a 15-month sanction, which runs from December 9 2019 to February 2 2021.

A 15-month ban was also given to Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Nikiforov, after the 19-year-old tested positive for meldonium – a heart attack drug – on November 8.

The banned substance was detected in an out-of-competition test, conducted due to Nikiforov being part of the IIHF team whereabouts pool as a member of the Kazakhstan Under-20 national team.

Nikiforov told the IIHF that during medical treatment in summer he was prescribed a certain treatment by the doctor at the clinic, which included the use of meldonium.

He admitted that he did not disclose to the responsible medical personnel that he is an ice hockey player, which meant the clinic did not take into account any restrictions in treatment based on the WADA Prohibited List.

Nikiforov claimed he had no intention to consume any prohibited substance.

The IIHF ruled the violation was not committed intentionally, before highlighting his age and that the prescription from a doctor was part of a treatment.

The IIHF said he should have informed the doctor that he is an ice hockey player, with the final decision being a 15-month sanction.

The ban runs from November 8 to February 8 2021.