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Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt may lose one of his many Olympic gold medals after the re-testing of 454 samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics returned a doping violation by one of his teammates. In a statement released on June 3, 2016, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) revealed that Nesta Carter's “A” sample tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine.
Carter was a member of the 4x100 meter relay event – along with Bolt, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade – that won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Carter also helped Jamaica win gold medals in the same event at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2011, 2013 and 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
If the re-testing of Carter's “B” sample confirms the adverse analytical finding (AAF), then Carter faces a suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). While first-time anti-doping violation for most PEDs can now result in a 4-year suspension from competition, there have been exceptions particularly in the case of methylhexanamine.
Methylhexanamine was at one time widely available as an over-the-counter stimulant in a variety of pre-workout and fat loss sports nutrition products. The presence of methylhexanamine has not always disclosed as an ingredient.
WADA has included methylhexanamine on its prohibited substance list since 2004 and reclassified it as a “specified substance” in 2011. This means that WADA is more inclined to believe athletes who say that they unintentionally used methylhexanamine with no intent to dope. Since WADA is more likely to consider “credible, non-doping explanations” for its use, athletes who test positive for methylhexanamine may be eligible for a reduced suspension of as little as 6 months. However, even a 6-month suspension would prevent Carter from representing Jamaica at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Carter was one of the 31 of the 454 re-tested athletes from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing whose samples returned evidence of doping. The IOC specifically targeted previous Olympic athletes who were most likely to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The 31 athletes came from a total of 12 different countries and participated in 6 different sports. Disciplinary proceedings will be conducted in each of the athletes respective countries. At least 14 of the 31 athletes come from Russia according to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Carter is the only athlete from Jamaica on the list.
Carter has been a vital member of Jamaica's 4x100 meter relay team for many years. However, it was already uncertain if he would join the relay squad in Rio given that Carter has been sidelined with a foot injury all year long. He was expected to participate in Jamaica's Olympic trials in hopes of qualifying. But now he may not even have a chance.
Carter was a member of the 4x100 meter relay event – along with Bolt, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade – that won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Carter also helped Jamaica win gold medals in the same event at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2011, 2013 and 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
If the re-testing of Carter's “B” sample confirms the adverse analytical finding (AAF), then Carter faces a suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). While first-time anti-doping violation for most PEDs can now result in a 4-year suspension from competition, there have been exceptions particularly in the case of methylhexanamine.
Methylhexanamine was at one time widely available as an over-the-counter stimulant in a variety of pre-workout and fat loss sports nutrition products. The presence of methylhexanamine has not always disclosed as an ingredient.
WADA has included methylhexanamine on its prohibited substance list since 2004 and reclassified it as a “specified substance” in 2011. This means that WADA is more inclined to believe athletes who say that they unintentionally used methylhexanamine with no intent to dope. Since WADA is more likely to consider “credible, non-doping explanations” for its use, athletes who test positive for methylhexanamine may be eligible for a reduced suspension of as little as 6 months. However, even a 6-month suspension would prevent Carter from representing Jamaica at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Carter was one of the 31 of the 454 re-tested athletes from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing whose samples returned evidence of doping. The IOC specifically targeted previous Olympic athletes who were most likely to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The 31 athletes came from a total of 12 different countries and participated in 6 different sports. Disciplinary proceedings will be conducted in each of the athletes respective countries. At least 14 of the 31 athletes come from Russia according to the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Carter is the only athlete from Jamaica on the list.
Carter has been a vital member of Jamaica's 4x100 meter relay team for many years. However, it was already uncertain if he would join the relay squad in Rio given that Carter has been sidelined with a foot injury all year long. He was expected to participate in Jamaica's Olympic trials in hopes of qualifying. But now he may not even have a chance.
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