Track and Field Coach Michael Vowell and Track and Field Athlete Seth Vowell Accept Sanctions for Anti-Doping Rule Violations
Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 30, 2025) – USADA announced today that Michael Vowell, a coach in the sport of track and field, and Seth Vowell, an athlete in the sport of track and field, both of Richmond, Texas, have accepted sanctions for anti-doping rule violations.
“This case is a devastating example of why it’s so important for athlete support personnel, including coaches and parents, to put athlete well-being above all else, especially when involving minors,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “And when they don’t, as in this case, they will be held accountable to the full force of the rules.”
After receiving information from a whistleblower, USADA initiated an investigation that uncovered evidence demonstrating that Michael Vowell, 49, administered his own prescription testosterone gel to his minor child, Seth Vowell, 16, at the 2023 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic Cross-Country Championships on December 10, 2023. Testosterone 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 World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Michael Vowell’s actions constituted anti-doping rule violations for possession of a prohibited substance, administration of a prohibited substance, and complicity. He accepted a lifetime period of ineligibility for his violations. Based on the circumstances of the case, Seth Vowell qualified for a reduced two-year period of ineligibility for his testosterone use anti-doping rule violation.
Michael Vowell’s lifetime period of ineligibility began on March 19, 2025, the date he was provisionally suspended. Seth Vowell’s two-year period of ineligibility also began on March 19, 2025, the date he was provisionally suspended. In addition, Seth Vowell has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and after December 10, 2023, the date he used testosterone, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents, coaches, and medical professionals in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to file and update athlete Whereabouts, 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, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, a clean sport handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories.
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 text at 87232 ("USADA"), 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.
Dear Robert, don't delete my comments I'm a real person but hear that I am not surprised that this is happening especially as we all know what happened with the Hamza Driouch ordeal when he was also a teenager. Probably the same for Mo Aman his friend.
What surprises me though is why it has taken so long to bust just one case when all our conscience tells us this is probably every day occurrence in ALL the campuses across America and Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like Travis Tygart's hyper-attitudes towards antidoping and we all remember his earnestness in interviewing and colloraboting with Rodchenkov and exposing the Russia fraud!!!!!!!
Crazy that Coros hasn't taken this down yet. Not a good look for them.
For the most part, these private coaches that tell kids from good school programs they need to be doing extra workouts and hard efforts are absolute scumbags. This guy was one of them. If a kid is on a solid training plan and already doing 2 to 3 hard efforts per week, they don't need another coach making them do another 2 or 3 hard sessions. Anyone who tells an athlete that is in it for the money and nothing else. I've seen too many good athletes ruined by these guys trying to make a buck. The behavior shown by this private "coach" just reinforces that.
No, we didn't. Doping denier or doping apologist is the proper description.
No. I don't deny doping generally, nor specifically if there is compelling evidence, and I never apologize for intentionally doping for performance, when it is against the rules.
And so it begins, yet again. You minimise the prevalence of doping generally, you deny doping aids performance for distance runners because you say it is never "proven", you never find compelling evidence in specific cases despite athletes being convicted, you never find doping to be intentional because you say it isn't proven, and if there is a finding of doping you try to argue it wasn't against the rules. What shows how out of step you are is that no one - anywhere - works as hard at this as you do.
There is a ton of incentive and that incentive is the kid's health. Doping at 16 could cause future infertility and low testosterone for the remainder of your life.
To the extent that's true, it has no bearing on my point. Doping at 16 could cause health problems whether you run 4:15, 4:40, or 5:40 for the mile. It incentive to keep kids safe doesn't increase or decrease based on how fast they are. But there's an additional incentive to blow the whistle on fast kids: they are unfairly taking away wins, opportunities, etc. from those who aren't doping.
The documentary on that guy in Florida giving out prescriptions to MLB players using his dads legal Dr prescription pad talked about how he had parents lining up to dope their kids in hopes they make it to the majors and also talked about University of Miami athletes.
As easy as it is to buy online or in Mexico, I wouldnt be surprised if many kids are on it including peptides.
Also gel and patches really dont do much, unless injecting it, you only absorb a small percentage. Also, yes it can cause infertility but you can take other meds to restart your system if you have been on it and want to get off. Bodybuilders have kids after being on TRT for years.
No. I don't deny doping generally, nor specifically if there is compelling evidence, and I never apologize for intentionally doping for performance, when it is against the rules.
And so it begins, yet again. You minimise the prevalence of doping generally, you deny doping aids performance for distance runners because you say it is never "proven", you never find compelling evidence in specific cases despite athletes being convicted, you never find doping to be intentional because you say it isn't proven, and if there is a finding of doping you try to argue it wasn't against the rules. What shows how out of step you are is that no one - anywhere - works as hard at this as you do.
If you don't want it to begin again, don't start anything.
I found the evidence in this specific case that a 49 year old father intentionally doped his 16-year old son with testosterone gel compelling.
Wasn't Ingebrigsten's entire childhood like this though?
And he's worshipped on here
Yeah Norway kind of took off with their endurance sports. I watch a lot of the triathlon vlogs and training videos and it's highly sophisticated, Blummenfelt and that Gustav kid will stay at a facility like its bootcamp, it's actually pretty epic.. It wouldn't surprise me if they were dabbling in PED's that weren't necessarily on the list of banned substances yet.
This kind of thread makes me wonder who is the main exporter of the PED's I would suspect there's a lot of scientists in countries like Norway who are developing new performance enhancers and distributing them to countries in Africa, and globally. I'm so lost on who is clean anymore, there's just so much doping now.
This kind of thread makes me wonder who is the main exporter of the PED's I would suspect there's a lot of scientists in countries like Norway who are developing new performance enhancers and distributing them to countries in Africa, and globally. I'm so lost on who is clean anymore, there's just so much doping now.
Or, y'know, the country with the largest pharma industry in the world.
I get that there is probably more doping in HS sports than we suspect, but if it WAS truly rampant I would suppose we should here more stories about it. Kids with social media, video phones and always trying to impress a friend group make secrets fairly difficult to keep in this age group. But who knows, I’m just glad iPhones weren’t around when I was a kid.
If you don't want it to begin again, don't start anything.
I found the evidence in this specific case that a 49 year old father intentionally doped his 16-year old son with testosterone gel compelling.
Really? You?? Which evidence? By your "standards"? LOL
Shouldn't you downplay USADA's press statements to "unsubstantiated accusations from a party in dispute", like you normally do? And babble on about "appeal to authority" to deflect from the facts?
And even if he "confessed", maybe he only did it so the son gets a shorter ban? That would normally be your claim...
And so it begins, yet again. You minimise the prevalence of doping generally, you deny doping aids performance for distance runners because you say it is never "proven", you never find compelling evidence in specific cases despite athletes being convicted, you never find doping to be intentional because you say it isn't proven, and if there is a finding of doping you try to argue it wasn't against the rules. What shows how out of step you are is that no one - anywhere - works as hard at this as you do.
If you don't want it to begin again, don't start anything.
I found the evidence in this specific case that a 49 year old father intentionally doped his 16-year old son with testosterone gel compelling.
But not an American woman distance runner who tested positive for a banned substance with no defence accepted by a court.
Not surprising at all. I'm sure this is only the tip of the iceberg.
But if you're going to dope your teenager, why testosterone? Teenage boys T levels are already sky high. Extremely unlikely to offer any additional benefit for an endurance athlete in that demographic.