The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Friday that James Hamilton of Imperial, Pa., an athlete in the sport of track and field, tested positive at the 2002 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Marathon on May 5, 2002 for pseudoephedrine, a prohibited substance under the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) rules. The IAAF is the international federation for the sport of track and field.
Pseudoephedrine is in a special category of prohibited substances in that it is commonly found in over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines.
Hamilton, 33, accepted the maximum sanction in accordance with the IAAF rules for a first offense involving the prohibited use of pseudoephedrine. He was issued a public warning and will be disqualified from his 10th-place finish at the Pittsburgh Marathon.
“I want to let all athletes know to be careful with any medications that they take because they may unknowingly take a prohibited substance, and cost themselves in the long run,” said Hamilton.
This is the 20th announcement issued by USADA in 2002. USADA became the independent anti-doping agency for U.S. Olympic, Pan Am and Paralympic athletes on Oct. 2, 2000.
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.
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