USADA announced today that a three-member panel of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) has concluded the case of wrestling athlete Daton Fix, of Stillwater, Okla., determining, with agreement of Fix and USADA via a consent award, that Fix should receive a one-year sanction after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Fix, 22, tested positive for ostarine as a result of an out-of-competition drug test conducted on January 22, 2020. Ostarine is a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the United World Wrestling Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
The panel found that Fix ingested ostarine by drinking from a water bottle, which contained a supplement mixture as well as ostarine that his father had prepared for himself but left in the family’s refrigerator. Fix explained he was unaware that his father had added ostarine to the supplement mixture.
Under the Code, an athlete’s period of ineligibility for using a prohibited substance may be reduced if the athlete’s anti-doping rule violation was unintentional and the athlete lacks significant fault for the violation. Given the circumstances, the panel agreed with Fix and USADA that Fix did not intend to enhance his athletic performance by ingesting ostarine and his degree of fault was low. The panel further agreed that a three-year reduction to the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility was appropriate.
Fix’s one-year period of ineligibility began on February 10, 2020, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Fix has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on January 22, 2020 through the date of provisional suspension, February 10, 2020, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
The panel’s award, as well as other arbitral decisions, may be found here.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.
In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as an easy-reference wallet card with examples of prohibited and permitted substances, a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, an athlete handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
Along with education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers. USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by email at playclean@usada.org, by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
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