USADA announced today that Ray Williams, 40, of Mechanicsville, Va., an athlete in the sport of powerlifting, has accepted a 16-month sanction after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
“Powerlifting America has made it clear that clean sport is important by committing to an independent and robust anti-doping program,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “This program is incredibly important to the sport, and we’re honored to be able to collaborate with Powerlifting America to help protect the well-being of all athletes and the fairness of competition.”
Williams tested positive for heptaminol as the result of an in-competition sample collection at the 2025 Powerlifting America Classic Open Nationals on April 6, 2025. Heptaminol is classified as a Specified Substance in the class of Stimulants and is prohibited in-competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Powerlifting Federation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Following an investigation into the circumstances of his case, USADA accepted Williams’s explanation that his positive test was caused by his use of a dietary supplement, which listed 2-Aminoisoheptane as an ingredient on the product label. While 2-Aminoisoheptane is not explicitly named on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List, it is another name for octodrine (also known as dimethylhexylamine (DMHA)), which is named in the Prohibited List. Following ingestion, DMHA is rapidly metabolized into heptaminol. USADA determined that Williams’s fault was reduced due to the increased difficulty in identifying the prohibited substance in the supplement he consumed even after having reviewed the label.
The FDA has issued past warnings about DMHA in dietary supplements. Athletes and other sport stakeholders are reminded that, unlike medications, dietary supplements sold in the U.S. do not receive any pre-market safety or efficacy reviews by government authorities. The use of supplements greatly increases the risk of a positive anti-doping test and/or an adverse health event.
Williams’s 16-month period of ineligibility began on April 23, 2025, the date he was provisionally suspended. In addition, Williams has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to April 6, 2025, the date of his positive test, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents, coaches, and medical professionals 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.
For more information or media inquiries, email media@usada.org.