USADA Announces 2nd Quarter 2008 Program Stats

In serving its mission to preserve the well being of Olympic sport and the integrity of competition, as well as ensure the health of all athletes, USADA works proactively through multiple programs, including education; out-of-competition, no-advance notice testing; in-competition testing; collaboration with law enforcement agencies, and worldwide networking with anti-doping entities, to identify and adjudicate those who would attempt to undermine clean sport.

During the second quarter of 2008, USADA’s Education programming reached out to more than 1,500 individual senior athletes, junior athletes, athlete support, and NGB staff, in thirteen (13) cities across ten (10) states, representing more than thirteen (13) sports. These programs encompassed club events, athletic summits, symposiums, training camps, development camps, and coach’s conferences.

Calls to the Drug Reference Line were 1,480 for the quarter, with approximately the same call volume to the TUE phone line. 28,257 documented inquiries were made to the Drug Reference Online service.

USADA performed a total of 2,725 doping control tests in the second quarter (April 1 – June 30) of 2008, including 2,549 domestic tests. Out-of-Competition (OOC) testing comprised 56 percent (1,429) of USADA’s second-quarter domestic tests. The 1,120 In-Competition (IC) tests accounted for 44 percent of USADA’s domestic numbers.

OOC testing typically occurs at the athlete’s home, training facility or other location and is performed with no advance notice to the athlete; however, some OOC tests are coordinated during team training camps. Of the 1,429 OOC tests in the second quarter of 2008, 122 were carried out at camps.

In total, USADA conducted 1,207 IC tests at 78 competitions in the United States, including 13 events for which USADA was contracted to provide doping-control services. In the second quarter, USADA administered 176 tests on U.S. and non-U.S. athletes in the United States on behalf of other anti-doping and sports organizations. During the same period USADA enlisted the assistance of international agencies to perform twelve (12) tests on U.S. athletes living or training abroad.

USADA announced ten (10) anti-doping rules violations in the second quarter of 2008, including two (2) non-analytical positives, leading to the return of an Olympic Gold medal, one (1) suspension for exogenous testosterone, three (3) public warnings for triamcinolone acetonide, salbutamol, and salmeterol respectively, two (2) suspensions for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC – a metabolite of cannabis), one (1) suspension for chlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide, and one (1) suspension for carboxy finasteride.

USADA announces its testing numbers quarterly. Individual cases of alleged doping violations are announced at the time of the resolution. For the testing history of individual athletes, visit the USADA Web site at www.usantidoping.org.

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