USADA announced today that Amanda Geving, of Largo, Fla., a national-level athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a 12-month sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.
Geving, 28, tested positive for acetazolamide as the result of an out-of-competition urine sample she provided on January 18, 2017. Acetazolamide is a Specified Substance in the class of Diuretics and Masking Agents and prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Cycling Union (UCI) Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
As a Specified Substance, the sanction for a violation resulting from the use of acetazolamide can be reduced from the standard two-year period of ineligibility depending on an athlete’s degree of fault. Here, USADA has accepted Geving’s explanation that the prohibited substance detected in her sample was from a medication she took to prevent altitude sickness.
After a thorough review of the case, USADA confirmed that the athlete used the medication for a short period while traveling to a high-altitude location and that she had experienced altitude sickness symptoms in the past. However, Geving did not have or apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), which is required in order to authorize the use of a prohibited substance in sport. Under the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE) and the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate in advance of using a prohibited substance that the use is medically legitimate, will not create a performance enhancing advantage, and there are no appropriate permitted alternatives.
Geving’s 12-month period of ineligibility began on January 18, 2017, the date her positive sample was collected. In addition, Geving has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to January 18, 2017, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes. USA Cycling will impose this sanction.
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.
For more information or media inquiries, click here.