Old guys on hormone replacement therapy need to be careful. USA Triathlon is coming after you.
USA Triathlon plans to expand its anti-doping program to include more steroid testing for all of the older guys who compete recreationally in USA Triathlon sanctioned races and local events around the country. The additional anti-doping tests will be earmarked for the group of older athletes euphemistically known as “age-group athletes”.
USA Triathlon’s increased spending amounts to an additional $100,000 in 2019. The increased drug testing is enthusiastically supported by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and USADA CEO Travis Tygart. Of course, the more money USA Triathlon spends on drug tests, the more money USADA makes.
USA Triathlon partnered with USADA to launch the USA Triathlon Compete Clean campaign earlier this year. As the national governing body for triathlon in the United States, USA Triathlon pays USADA to conduct and manage results of all its anti-doping testing in addition to its educational outreach programs.
“We are very supportive of USA Triathlon’s efforts to promote clean sport across all levels of competition,” said Tygart. “In addition to its regular USADA-run anti-doping program, it is investing in anti-doping education for both elite and amateur triathletes.”
Older athletes need to be careful with all the banned substances in the medications prescribed by their doctors.
In recent years, it has become exceedingly clear that doping is not limited to younger and elite athletes. Older athletes at all age levels enjoy using performance-enhancing drugs to enhance their performance.
Furthermore, USA Triathlon recognized that older athletes are often prescribed an assortment of medications by their doctors as they get older. Many of the older athletes may not know that they could test positive for banned substances due to the use of their doctor-prescribed medications.
Chuck Graziano, the head of USA Triathlon’s Anti-Doping Steering Committee, emphasized the importance of geriatric triathlon competitors checking their medications for any prohibited substances.
“We are not only testing and deterring the intentional use of performance-enhancing substances, but also providing education and resources to our athletes on the ill effects of doping and what constitutes doping,” Graziano said. “Many athletes may not be aware that a prescription they’re taking might be banned unless an exemption is granted or that a supplement they’re taking might contain a banned substance.”
Of course, one of the most common banned performance-enhancing drugs used by older male athletes is the anabolic steroid testosterone. As the use of doctor-prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) started to become more mainstream, USA Triathlon has seen a dramatic increase in the number of older athletes testing positive for steroids.
The additional resources allotted to USA Triathlon’s educational effort will help increase awareness of these concerns among older athletes. It will also teach older athletes how to properly apply for therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) for any otherwise banned substance.
USA Triathlon Compete Clean Campaign Launched to Expand Anti-Doping Efforts: https://t.co/E1Q43I3fpy #CompeteClean
— Rocky Harris (@SunDevilRocky) November 29, 2018