The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced today that Danielle Rante, of Dayton, Ohio, an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, is entitled to a reduction in her suspension due to a change in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s applicable rules. Rante has served more than two years of her original four-year period of ineligibility that began on March 4, 2020.
Rante accepted her four-year period of ineligibility under the then applicable rules after testing positive for 19-norandrosterone (19-NA), the main urinary metabolite of nandrolone (19-nortestosterone), and other 19-norsteroids as a result of an out-of-competition drug test conducted on March 4, 2020.
Rante’s sanction was imposed prior to the implementation of the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code (the Code), which is the uniform set of anti‐doping rules that have now been adopted by anti-doping organizations worldwide, including USADA and the International Weightlifting Federation. To account for policy changes in the 2021 Code, athletes may apply for a reduced sanction if they are serving lengthier sanctions than they would under the 2021 Code.
Under the 2021 Code, an athlete who faces an anti-doping rule violation that carries a period of ineligibility of four or more years may receive a one-year sanction reduction if the athlete admits the violation and accepts the asserted sanction within 20 days of notification of the alleged anti-doping rule violation charge. Per this rule, Rante applied for and qualified for a one-year reduction to the otherwise applicable four-year period of ineligibility.
Rante will serve the remainder of her three-year period of ineligibility from the original start date of March 4, 2020.
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 file and update athlete Whereabouts, 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 a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
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 text at 87232 (“USADA”), 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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