The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) performed 1,124 doping control tests during the fourth quarter of 2001, USADA Chief Executive Officer Terry Madden announced Tuesday. The 1,124 doping control tests covered 37 sports.
Four hundred and ninety-six tests were out-of-competition (OOC) tests done between October and December 2001, and 37 short notice out-of-competition tests were completed during the fourth quarter. Short notice testing is when an athlete knows testing will occur no more than 24 hours prior to the testing. An example of short notice testing would be a test conducted during a training camp.
In addition, the remaining 591 tests were conducted in an event-testing situation completed during that aforementioned three-month period at 43 competitions. USADA has performed 4,716 tests (1,383 out-of-competition, 308 short notice and 3,025 event tests) during 2001.
“We continue to increase the number of out-of-competition tests, and we maintain our goal to deter doping in sport. More than 36 percent of our tests were out-of-competition,” said Madden.
Among the 15 adverse laboratory findings received during the fourth quarter, 13 cases were for samples for which the athlete had prior notification records on file for the use of a restricted substance (salbutamol). The test results are thus reported as negative with respect to a doping offense. The remaining case involves the use of anabolic steroids (testosterone to epitestosterone [T/E] ratio) for a U.S. athlete. In addition, under a reciprocal agreement, one case for detection of an anabolic steroid in an international athlete has been referred to the responsible international federation.
One case, which was referred to USADA from the UCI, completed the USADA adjudication process, and a sanction was issued.
One case from the first quarter of 2001 is completing the adjudication process. Additionally, investigation continues on two adverse findings from the second quarter of 2001 and two other cases have been referred to the American Arbitration Association (AAA)/Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing process. Three cases with adverse findings from the third quarter are under investigation, while a pair of other cases has been referred to AAA/CAS hearing. The AAA/CAS hearing process begins after USADA has determined there is a doping offense, and the athlete has elected not to accept the sanction presented by USADA.
In fourth quarter 2001, five athletes were sanctioned in cases that involved six adverse findings. One of the athletes – Jeff Laynes – had two adverse findings that were ruled as one doping offense, in addition to a sanction for the manipulation of doping control forms. Additionally, one case from the fourth quarter of 2000 was dismissed after it was determined there was no doping offense subsequent to follow-up testing.
The initial step of the USADA adjudication process involves review of all documentation by an independent panel of experts selected from the members of the USADA Anti-Doping Review Board. The review panel recommends whether there is sufficient evidence of a doping offense according to the rules to proceed with a sanction or appeal hearing.
The detection of a banned substance may or may not be ruled a doping violation.
During 2001, USADA performed 31 tests for the Drug-Free Sports Consortium (DFSC), as well as 19 tests for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) through a bilateral agreement. The DFSC manages testing for the World Anti-Doping Agency. The CCES performed 11 tests for USADA in 2001. Additionally, USADA reported 209 missed tests during 2001. A missed test consists of an athlete being unavailable at the locations specified on the athlete’s USADA Athlete Location Form, or failing to timely submit an accurate and complete quarterly USADA Athlete Location Form. Three missed tests during a rolling 18-month period may result in a sanction equal to that of a positive test result.
USADA is the independent anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States, and is responsible for managing the testing and adjudication process for U.S. Olympic, Pan Am, and Paralympic athletes. USADA is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
The breakdown of tests can be found following this release. USADA announces its test findings four times annually. The 2002 first quarter findings will be announced in mid-April 2002.
FOURTH QUARTER, 2001 U.S. ANTI-DOPING AGENCY TEST RECORDS (October – December 2001)
Type of Testing 4th Qtr 2001
Sport OOC1 OOC2 Event Total Total
Archery 1 0 0 1 34
Badminton 0 0 0 0 15
Baseball 0 0 20 20 44
Basketball 0 0 0 0 115
Biathlon 17 12 0 29 120
Bobsled/Skeleton 55 0 65 120 237
Bowling 1 0 16 17 34
Boxing 6 11 24 41 103
Canoe/Kayak 8 0 0 8 56
Curling 1 0 20 21 37
Cycling 22 0 6 28 219
Disabled Sports 0 0 14 14 60
Diving 1 0 0 1 35
Equestrian 0 0 0 0 15
Fencing 1 0 0 1 62
Field Hockey 1 0 0 1 59
Figure Skating 16 0 0 16 77
Gymnastics 7 0 0 7 52
Ice Hockey 25 0 0 25 74
Judo 1 0 16 17 92
Karate 2 0 0 2 13
Luge 15 14 0 29 62
Modern Pentathlon 3 0 0 3 19
Racquetball 0 0 6 6 13
Roller Sports 1 0 12 13 45
Rowing 30 0 0 30 164
Sailing 0 0 0 0 15
Shooting 2 0 51 53 125
Skiing/Snowboarding 45 0 65 110 317
Soccer 0 0 0 0 50
Softball 4 0 0 4 4
Speed skating 52 0 101 155 257
Squash 0 0 0 0 7
Swimming 44 0 71 115 358
Synchronized Swimming 0 0 0 0 23
Table Tennis 1 0 6 7 14
Taekwondo 3 0 0 3 42
Team Handball 1 0 0 1 2
Track and Field 71 0 70 141 1,092
Triathlon 13 0 18 31 95
Volleyball 4 0 0 4 46
Water Polo 2 0 0 2 5
Water Skiing 0 0 0 0 14
Weightlifting 29 0 32 61 321
Wrestling 11 0 0 11 64
4th Quarter Total 496 37 591 1,124 4,716
2001 Total 1,383 308 3,025 — 4,716*
* USADA performed 94 tests for international federations. Those test numbers are not included among the list above.
KEY:
OOC1: Out-of-Competition Testing (no-advance notice)
OOC2: Out-of-Competition Testing (short notice)
Event: Event Testing
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