USADA announced today that Michel Carrillo, of Miami, Fla., an athlete in the sport of cycling, has received a four-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.
In addition to its Olympic and Paralympic anti-doping programs, USADA works with National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in sport to execute anti-doping initiatives like the RaceClean Program that are funded by the NGB. Carrillo, 42, was subject to testing due to his membership in USA Cycling, which maintains the RaceClean Program that works to fight doping in the sport of cycling. The goal of the RaceClean Program is to increase testing and education to provide greater doping deterrence and is maintained through member funding, donations, and local association partnerships.
“All athletes deserve a level playing field so that hard work and talent alone determine the outcome at every level of competition,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “USA Cycling’s RaceClean initiative and others like it help ensure that athletes know how to compete clean and that those who choose to use powerful performance-enhancing substances to gain an advantage are held accountable.”
Carrillo tested positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO), androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS), 19‐norandrosterone (19‐NA) and the clostebol metabolite 4-chloro-4-androstan-3a-ol-17-one and testosterone metabolites as the result of an in-competition urine sample he provided on July 29, 2018, at Vuelta a Miami. His urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test that differentiates between AAS naturally produced by the body and prohibited anabolic agents of external origin.
Clostebol, 19-norsteroids, and AAS and their metabolites are non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents, while EPO is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics. These substances are 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 Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the WADA Prohibited List.
Anabolic agents and blood-boosting substances, such as EPO, have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and have been demonstrated to give athletes an unfair advantage over fellow competitors. Sensitive laboratory analyses are routinely performed to detect these substances in urine and blood samples.
Carrillo’s four-year period of ineligibility began on September 5, 2018, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Carrillo has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on and subsequent to July 29, 2018, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as 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 (www.Supplement411.org) as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as an easy-reference wallet card with examples of prohibited and permitted substances, a supplement guide, an athlete handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
Along with education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers. USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by email at playclean@usada.org, by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail.
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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