USADA announced today that Scott Glasgow, 55, of Provo, Utah, a coach in the sport of weightlifting, has accepted a four-year ban for assisting and encouraging prohibited doping conduct.
In addition to education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips (Play Clean Tip Line) and whistleblowers. USADA investigations can uncover participation by coaches, athletes, and support personnel in instigating, facilitating, or encouraging doping. In this case, USADA obtained specific and credible evidence including interviews with numerous individuals and documents which revealed an anti-doping rule violation by Glasgow in 2017. In particular, Glasgow encouraged multiple athletes that he coached to use prohibited substances, including oxandrolone.
“Like all coaches, Glasgow was entrusted to assist and guide athletes, but instead of using his position of influence to protect the wellbeing of athletes, his actions endangered their health and safety and the integrity of sport” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart.
Oxandrolone is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Policy, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. And assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, conspiring, or covering up prohibited conduct is a violation of Article 2.9 of the Code, which prohibits complicity in anti-doping rule violations.
Glasgow’s four-year period of ineligibility began on August 10, 2019, the date he accepted a provisional suspension. There are currently 14 athlete support personnel serving a period of ineligibility from USADA, including eight serving lifetime bans.
After further investigation in the circumstances of Glasgow’s complicity, one athlete also received an anti-doping rule violation and two other athletes were determined not to have committed anti-doping rule violations.
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, as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. If athletes choose to use supplements despite the known risks, USADA has always recommended that athletes use only dietary supplements that have been certified by a third-party program that tests for substances prohibited in sport. USADA currently recognizes NSF Certified for Sport® as the program best suited for athletes to reduce the risk from supplements.
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, a nutrition 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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