USADA announced today that a three-member panel of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) has reached a decision in the case of cycling athlete, Tony Blazejack, of Seattle, Wash., and has determined that Blazejack should receive a four-year sanction after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Blazejack, 35, tested positive for clenbuterol as the result of an in-competition urine sample he provided on August 9, 2016, at the USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships. Clenbuterol is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Cycling Union Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
Blazejack’s four-year period of ineligibility began on September 2, 2016, the date he accepted a provisional suspension. In addition, Blazejack has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on August 9, 2016, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. As such, Blazejack’s first place result at the USA Cycling Masters Track National Championships on August 9, 2016, has been disqualified. However, the independent AAA panel decided that Blazejack’s results between August 10, 2016, and September 1, 2016, should not be disqualified.
This decision, as well as other arbitral decisions, can be found here.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as all 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 proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference documentation.
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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