USADA announced today that Obenson Blanc of College Park, Md., an athlete in the sport of Wrestling, has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted a two-year suspension for his anti-doping rule violation.
Blanc, 28, tested positive for Ostarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), as the result of an in-competition urine sample collected on June 22, 2013 at the U.S. World Team Trials in Stillwater, Okla. SARMs are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (“FILA”) Anti-Doping Rules, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Blanc’s two-year period of ineligibility began on June 22, 2013, the date his sample was collected. As a result of the violation, Blanc has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to June 22, 2013, 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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