Abby Raymond was just 14 years old when she was offered a protein powder and a pre-workout supplement from a family friend, who explained that his company’s products were plant-based, vegan, and made from all-natural ingredients. While excited about her first sponsorship offer, Abby’s father pointed out that Abby was subject to anti-doping rules as a standout athlete competing in sanctioned weightlifting events…a concern that was met with assurances by the company owner that his supplements were safe. After just weeks of using the supplements, Abby had an anti-doping test…and soon learned that there are no guarantees when it comes to the safety of supplements.
See Abby tell her story about how a contaminated supplement put her hard work, reputation, and goals in jeopardy.
Video Transcript
My name is Abby Raymond, and I’m a 15-year-old US Olympic weightlifter. I used to be a gymnast, so when I stopped doing that, I got into CrossFit, and then CrossFit is what took me to weightlifting. I really wanted to pursue weightlifting at an elite level because I just loved everything about it, and I had that gut feeling that it was what I was supposed to be doing.
When I started competing at the elite level, supplements were a part of my nutrition plan. I took a protein powder and a pre-workout. I got in touch with a family friend because they had just started their own supplement company, and they introduced me to their products and asked if I wanted to try it, and me and my dad even explained to them that I was randomly drug-tested by USADA, and they kind of laughed and just shook it off and said I would have nothing to worry about with their products.
At the time, I knew that there was always a risk with using supplements, but because I was guaranteed that I wouldn’t have a problem with their products, I thought it would be okay to use. About three weeks after I started using the products, I was drug-tested for the first time. USADA came to my house after I got done working out, and I was kind of excited but a little nervous too because I didn’t really know what to expect. But then again, I felt kind of honored that they even wanted to test me.
And then I just went on training for a couple weeks after because I was training for the American Open, and I ended up going there and I had a really good meet. I think I went five for six and broke two American records, so I was pretty excited, and I took second overall.
But then the day after I competed, I got a call from USADA saying that I tested positive for a drug called Ostarine. And I was really, really confused when I first heard that, and I didn’t really know what I should have been feeling.
And my family was really confused too. It was just a whole bunch of, like, chaos, I guess. I don’t know because we didn’t know where we should go from here, and I remember I just cried that whole night because I couldn’t believe that this had happened, and I didn’t know how it had happened. I just kept asking the questions over and over again, like how and why.
And then we got the products I was taking tested, and when they came back positive, it was really difficult to hear that. We called the owners right away; even the owners, they didn’t know it was where it was being made, where it happened.
So I think it was just—I think it was just an accident for everybody. Knowing that the supplement that was contaminated came from somebody that I trusted, it showed me that even if you trust the person, you can’t always trust the product. I started to accept the situation more, and I made peace with it almost. Like, it happened, and I’m a strong believer that things happen for a reason, and I didn’t know the reason at the time. I think this is the reason now, so I can help other people and help them not to make the same mistake I did.
