Drug Testing HS athletes in USATF or IAAF events

bump

Interesting question. Since no one answered yet, I'll throw out some of my own thoughts.

I would guess that entry into an IAAF Diamond League event includes anti-doping obligations for all participants and likely requires (Americans) being an USATF-member (which runs both pro and amateur track in the US) with it's own national anti-doping regulations.

Maybe the anti-doping requirements are relaxed for "added events" that do not count as part of the Diamond League series.

I would guess the whereabouts rules and the out of competition testing pool only apply to selected national class athletes. It's likely the HS kids are not part of this.

rekrunner wrote:

Interesting question. Since no one answered yet, I'll throw out some of my own thoughts.

I would guess that entry into an IAAF Diamond League event includes anti-doping obligations for all participants and likely requires (Americans) being an USATF-member (which runs both pro and amateur track in the US) with it's own national anti-doping regulations.

Maybe the anti-doping requirements are relaxed for "added events" that do not count as part of the Diamond League series.

I would guess the whereabouts rules and the out of competition testing pool only apply to selected national class athletes. It's likely the HS kids are not part of this.

Thanks

Where are the USARF officials who often answer this type question?

Laziest nervous high school doper ever. But if USADA is the testing agency for the meet and you participate, you can be tested, regardless if you're a USATF member or not.

They can also do unannounced testing on any foreign athlete in the US.

don't read between the lines wrote:

Can USADA or WADA test a HS athlete who doesn't have an USATF membership card?

Let us say they can because of their entry in a IAAF or USATF.

In the case of the non-pros does USADA and WADA have to get a permission slip from the parents of an under 18yo

to

A)draw blood or

B) collect urine?

What about a under 18 with a pro contract? Does having a pro contract automatically mean they are an emancipated minor?

Because Hunter ran in a IAAF meet Eugene Diamond is he now subject to random testing and filing a 24/7/365 whereabouts paper?

How about the HSers in the National Mile (I'm assuming it is a certified or sanctioned USAFT event not under the HS Federation of Wonky Tuckedshirt, No Jewelry and Hair Clips HS rules gang )

I'll take a stab at this... To the best of my knowledge, USADA can test any USATF member at any time, if they choose. If someone is American but not a USATF member, USADA can still test them if it's at an event that has agreed to have USADA there, like Millrose Games.

I do not believe athletes under 18 require special permission, but it's fairly rare they are tested. You could probably argue that when an adult signed the TOS for USATF membership or registration for an event that agreeing to drug testing was part of it.

Competing at a Diamond League Meet does not automatically put you in the OOC testing pool, that's at USADA's discretion, generally they are shooting for people they think might make the Olympic Team.

As far as Drew Hunter goes, there are a few things that are public knowledge:

1. USADA tested him 4 times in Q1 (I assume Jan-Mar) of 2016 and so far 0 times in Q2 (any testing at Pre wouldn't show up yet).

2. He is a USATF member. Do remember that all USATF memberships are good through at least Dec 31 of that year, so anyone who competed at a USATF meet in the summer is for sure going to be a USATF member the following fall.

3. USADA can pull any athlete into the OOC testing pool although personally I'd be surprised if they did for him. If you're in the testing pool, you have to submit whereabouts and they can test you any time regardless of USATF membership status.

Four tests seems a little unusual to me for his age, but pole vaulters don't normally get tested much, while distance folks do, so maybe my perspective isn't the best. I would not be surprised if people sent tips to USADA about him, whether they were founded or not. Four tests on a high school kid in a three month span sounds pretty targeted to me, but it's also a valuable opportunity to establish baselines on a talented athlete who may well have an elite career ahead of him.

For comparison, here are some USADA stats for other track athletes in Q1 of 2016. I assume that drug tests at USAs would count toward this total, not sure about Worlds.

Vashti Cunningham (also a high schooler): 2

Nick Symmonds: 3

Galen Rupp: 5

Boris Berian: 1

Casimir Loxsom: 2

Mary Cain: 1

Matthew Centrowitz: 4

David Torrence: 0

Hassan Mead: 1

Izaic Yorks: 0 (not a USATF member)

So Drew Hunter has been drug tested at least 4 times this year by USADA, presumably he passed them all since none were recent and I doubt he'd be competing at Pre if he hadn't passed, and now USADA has a baseline on a talented athlete early in their career.

It's hard for me to imagine that he or his coach would be sophisticated enough dopers to be able to fool USADA, and I would hope that having had so many tests already would scare him away from ever considering it!

Great work finding and posting the actual number of tests.

Can we find out the number of blood tests vs. the number of urine tests? Maybe that information is secret.

Galen Rupp was tested about every 18 days on average.

Mary Cain was tested 10 times in 2013. I think they test whenever there's a big performance, just to be sure. Matt Centrowitz was tested 5 times this year.

It's a sham. Today drug testing management and personnel are part of the sports federations, meet personnel, universities, etc. Drug testing are not administered by real cops and special agents. As a result, schedules are revealed in advance, samples are substituted, clinical thresholds are well known by Nike, Adidas, etc.

Hunter's parents signed for him on his usatf membership application. USATF membership includes the WADA/USADA agreement.

24/7/365 whereabouts is for athletes in the testing pool. I don't know that he is in the testing pool.

He's clearly run in USATF events as he's been tested.

Anything else?

Thanks PVP

As always a well thought out and informative post.

rjm33 wrote:

Great work finding and posting the actual number of tests.

Can we find out the number of blood tests vs. the number of urine tests? Maybe that information is secret.

That's not published and I doubt USADA would say. They like to keep details pretty close to the vest.

Fake testing makes me LOL wrote:

It's a sham. Today drug testing management and personnel are part of the sports federations, meet personnel, universities, etc. Drug testing are not administered by real cops and special agents. As a result, schedules are revealed in advance, samples are substituted, clinical thresholds are well known by Nike, Adidas, etc.

Almost everything about this statement is false. USADA is totally separate from meet management and sports federations.

USADA is totally separate from the collegiate drug testing system, the latter being a joke with plenty of legitimate things to gripe about.

No, drug testing is not administered by real cops and special agents, as far as I know that's not done anywhere in the world.

I guess I should stop feeding the trolls though...

Here is info on USADA's testing procedures for those under 18 years old.

http://www.usada.org/testing/minor-athletes-rights/

I know I am bringing facts into it.

Also, according to this, Drew was born 5/9/97 so he has been over 18 for over a year.

http://www.all-athletics.com/node/968930

polevaultpower wrote:

Fake testing makes me LOL wrote:

It's a sham. Today drug testing management and personnel are part of the sports federations, meet personnel, universities, etc. Drug testing are not administered by real cops and special agents. As a result, schedules are revealed in advance, samples are substituted, clinical thresholds are well known by Nike, Adidas, etc.

Almost everything about this statement is false. USADA is totally separate from meet management and sports federations.

USADA is totally separate from the collegiate drug testing system, the latter being a joke with plenty of legitimate things to gripe about.

No, drug testing is not administered by real cops and special agents, as far as I know that's not done anywhere in the world.

I guess I should stop feeding the trolls though...

USADA is pretty above board. Testing schedules are not provided to the athletes.

No they arent. USADA uses paid NCAA, USATF employees, and university students to administer and schedule. There should be no athletics personnel involved. Only government cops and detecives, and 100% bonded private detectives.

Fake testing makes me LOL wrote:

It's a sham. Today drug testing management and personnel are part of the sports federations, meet personnel, universities, etc. Drug testing are not administered by real cops and special agents. As a result, schedules are revealed in advance, samples are substituted, clinical thresholds are well known by Nike, Adidas, etc.

Interesting

Drew's DOB is 9/5/97 NOT 5/9/97.

Dead End wrote:

No they arent. USADA uses paid NCAA, USATF employees, and university students to administer and schedule. There should be no athletics personnel involved. Only government cops and detecives, and 100% bonded private detectives.

Your ignorance is outstanding...

USATF can request testing at events.

Nike/USADA/USATF are one and the same