Gil Roberts, a member of the 2016 Rio Olympics’ gold medal-winning 4×400 metre relay team for the United States, has been given an eight-year ban by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after testing positive for prohibited substances for the second time. This follows an out-of-competition test conducted in September last year, which revealed the presence of multiple banned substances, including ostarine, a substance that enhances muscle growth.
Roberts had previously received a 16-month suspension in 2022 after testing positive for andarine and ostarine. Furthermore, in 2017, he tested positive for a banned diuretic and masking agent. However, he managed to avoid suspension by successfully arguing that these substances entered his body through kissing his girlfriend, who was using a sinus medication containing the drugs.
Travis Tygart, the CEO of USADA, stated, “All athletes deserve a fair and level playing field where their hard work and talent are duly recognized and rewarded. Strategic testing serves as a deterrent against doping and ensures those who intentionally break the rules are held accountable. It is crucial that we enforce the regulations to prevent individuals from tarnishing the integrity of sport at any level of competition.”
