USADA Releases First Quarter 2010 Doping Statistics

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the national organization charged with keeping the country’s sports clean of performance-enhancing drugs, recently released its report on testing and doping violations for the first quarter of 2010. The 1,868 doping control tests, across all sports, turned up seven infractions – three nonanalytical positives (proof of doping not derived from testing), one violation for an anabolic agent, one for a stimulant, one for an anabolic agent and stimulant, and one for marijuana.

The majority of those caught come from the world of track & field, with David Clinger the lone cyclist in the mix. Clinger received a two-year ban after testing positive for synthetic testosterone and modafinil. One violation was by Masters track (running) athlete Val Barnwell Masters, an additional indication after cyclist Kenny Williams was famously caught at last year’s Masters Track (cycling) Nationals,  that testing shouldn’t be limited to the Elite ranks.

Although cyclocross has remained relatively untainted by the specter of doping, the high-profile case of the U23 Szczepaniak brothers at the 2010 World Championships certainly brought those concerns to the forefront. It’s interesting to see, in the chart below, which sports tend to experience the most testing. Note that the “mainstream sports” like baseball and basketball both got big goose eggs, and football received a whopping four tests for the quarter. Major League Baseball, the NBA and NFL each has its own (seemingly ineffective) system in place.

More info on specific violations as well as the testing history of individual athletes are available on the USADA website.

From USADA:
In serving its mission to protect the integrity of competition, inspire a commitment to the core principles of true sport, and preserve the rights of U.S. athletes to compete healthy and clean, USADA works proactively through multiple programs, including: athlete and outreach education; out-of-competition, no-advance notice testing; in-competition testing; collaboration with law enforcement agencies; and worldwide cooperation with anti-doping authorities, to support clean athletes in their pursuit of level playing fields. Toward that end, USADA is pleased to share the following statistics and specific highlights for the first quarter of 2010.

USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic, Paralympic and Pan American Movements and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Testing Numbers First Quarter 2010

2010 Testing

Q1 TOTAL

USADA Tests:

OOC 1,432                                                   1,432

IC 436                                                       436

Total USADA Tests            1,868                                   1,868

KEY

OOC: Out-of-Competition Testing (no advance notice)

IC: In-Competition Testing