USADA announced today that Gregory Flood of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Frank Petrucci, of Warwick, N.Y., athletes in the sport of rowing, have both tested positive for a prohibited substance and have accepted a public warning and a loss of results due to the presence of a prohibited substance in their urine samples.
Flood, 24, and Petrucci, 24, tested positive for Glycerol as the result of in-competition urine samples collected on August 7, 2013 at the Senior World Championship Trials in Princeton Junction, N.J. Glycerol is a prohibited plasma expander under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the rules of the International Federation of Rowing Associations (FISA), both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
After a thorough review of these athletes’ cases, USADA found that the athletes had in good faith attempted to ensure that the substance they were taking did not violate the rules and that immediately upon discovering that they might have ingested a prohibited substance, both Flood and Petrucci voluntarily contacted USADA and explained that they believed they had ingested a prohibited substance which they did not understand was prohibited at the time of use.
Taking into consideration the mitigating circumstances in their cases, Flood and Petrucci both accepted a public warning and a loss of their results obtained on August 7, 2013 at the Senior World Championship Trials.
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, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, 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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