USADA decided to only give Carl Grove a public warning for a first-time anti-doping rule violation.
Carl Grove is a 90-year old competitive track cyclist and an inspiration to many younger and older athletes alike. However, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) considers him a steroid user, first and foremost.
Grove tested positive for metabolites of trenbolone during an in-competition drug test collected last summer. Epitrenbolone was found in a urine sample provided by Grove at the 2018 USA Cycling Juniors and Masters Track National Championships in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania on July 11, 2018.
Trenbolone is widely used in the United States to promote growth in livestock.
Grove denied knowingly using anabolic steroids. The nonagenarian blamed the trenbolone positive on eating contaminated beef at dinner on the evening prior to the sample collection. Trenbolone one of a few anabolic steroids routinely used in livestock to increase muscle growth.
The fact that Grove provided a urine sample on the previous day that did not contain any traces of prohibited substances such as trenbolone helped bolster his case.
In a precedent-setting decision, USADA, for the very first time, accepted steroid-tainted beef in the United States as a potential cause for a failed drug test.
“Grove provided USADA with information which established that the source of his positive test was more likely than not caused by contaminated meat consumed the evening before competing…” USADA said in a statement. “Prior to consuming the meat, Grove had tested negative for prohibited substances during an in-competition test on July 10, 2018.”
Unfortunately, the USADA investigation found that Grove was also unknowingly ingesting another banned substance. One of the dietary supplements used by Grove was contaminated with clomiphene (Clomid).
Facing the prospect of widespread ridicule for suspended a 90-year old man for a doping violation, USADA avoided sentencing Grove to any period of ineligibility for his first-time anti-doping rule violation.
As an alternative to a suspension, USADA decided to give Grove a public warning. In addition, USADA stripped Grove of the world record he set during the competition in which he tested positive for trenbolone.
The nonagenarian set a masters world record in the 90-94 individual pursuit at the 2018 USA Cycling Juniors and Masters Track National Championships with a time of 3:06.129.
U.S. Cycling Athlete Carl Grove Accepts Public Warning https://t.co/6q5AVwRa23 pic.twitter.com/1DTjlnQuXl
— USADA (@usantidoping) January 5, 2019