USADA announced today that the independent American Arbitration Association/Court of Arbitration for Sport (AAA/CAS) has issued a written decision that Jessica Cosby, an athlete in the sport of track and field, committed a doping violation and will receive a four-month suspension for the offense.
Cosby, 27, of Mission Hills, California, provided a sample on August 28, 2009, during an out-of-competition test. The sample resulted in an adverse analytical finding for hydrochlorothiazide and chlorothiazide, which are in the class of Diuretics and Other Masking Agents, and are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (“IAAF”), both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Diuretics are listed as Specified Substances, and use of those substances may result in a reduction of the otherwise standard two-year period of ineligibility.
Cosby’s four month period of ineligibility began September 21, 2009, the day she accepted a provisional suspension. As a result of the doping violation, Cosby has also been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to the date her sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes.
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 psychoactive 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.
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