Emily Malinowski, an Olympic women’s weightlifter representing Dog House Weightlifting, has been suspended for 45 months after testing positive for anabolic steroids. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) reduced her suspension by three months after Malinowski promptly admitted to her use of steroids.
U.S. Weightlifting Athlete Emily Malinowski Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation https://t.co/Dv4BouEEyC pic.twitter.com/u7FZJdQCmt
— USADA (@usantidoping) August 24, 2018
USADA doping control officers collected an in-competition urine sample from Malinowski at the 2017 USA Weightlifting American Open Series Finals in Anaheim (California) on December 10, 2017. Malinowski’s urine sample contained elevated levels of a hormone (presumably testosterone) that is naturally produced in the human body.
A specialized test called the carbon isotope ratio (CIR) test determined that the prohibited steroids were not produced by her body (endogenously). The testosterone was introduced from an exogenous source. Anabolic steroids can be introduced through various delivery methods such as injections, transdermal gels and patches, and even implantable pellets.
For a brief time, Malinowski was the 2017 USAW American Open Champion in the 90+ kilogram women’s category. Malinowski won the gold in the snatch with a personal best of 100-kilogram. She also won the gold for the combined total of 226-kilograms in the snatch and clean and jerk. Both were personal records.
Emily Malinowski snatches GOLD with this 100kg snatch. Watch +90kg A session at #AOFinals LIVE>> https://t.co/hp8S5E4Mx1! pic.twitter.com/1iLSYqvH2Q
— USA Weightlifting (@USWeightlifting) December 11, 2017
The steroid positive resulted in Malinowski being stripped of her title. In addition, her competitive results from this event were also disqualified.
Malinowski’s period of ineligibility began on January 29, 2018. This was the date that Malinowski admitted to an ADRV and accepted her provisional suspension. She will be eligible to compete again on October 28, 2021. Unfortunately, this means that Malinowski will miss out on an opportunity to represent the United States for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.