USADA announced today that Todd Hickman, of Byhalia, Miss., an athlete in the sport of cycling, has tested positive for prohibited substances and accepted a four-year suspension for his doping offense.
Hickman, 49, tested positive for stanozolol and methylphenidate as the result of an in-competition urine sample collected on September 6, 2015 at the Age-Graded Road Championships in Saint Francisville, La. Stanozolol is a substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and methylphenidate is a substance in the class of Stimulants on the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) Prohibited List. Both substances are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the International Cycling Union (“UCI”) Anti‐Doping Rules, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the WADA Prohibited List.
Hickman’s four-year period of ineligibility began on September 6, 2015, the date his sample was collected. As a result of the violation, Hickman has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to September 6, 2015, 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 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.
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