USADA announced today that RaVaughn Perkins, of Omaha, Neb., an athlete in the sport of wrestling, has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted a six-month suspension for his doping offense.
Perkins, 22, provided an in-competition urine sample on June 13, 2014 at the Greco-Roman World Team Trials held in Daytona Beach, Fla. that resulted in an adverse analytical finding for Furosemide. Furosemide is a substance in the class of diuretics and other masking agents prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and theInternational Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) Anti-Doping Regulations, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Furosemide is classified as a Specified Substance, and therefore a sanction resulting from the presence of the substance in an athlete’s sample can range from a public warning up to a maximum two-year suspension, depending on whether the use of the substance was intended to enhance performance and the athlete’s degree of fault for the violation.
Perkins’ six-month period of ineligibility began on July 3, 2014, the day he accepted a provisional suspension. In addition, Perkins has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to June 13, 2014, the date his 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 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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