USADA Rules American Boxer Failed Doping Test after Sexual Transmission

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released a doping decision related to a boxer that could have ripple effects in other sports moving forward.

In an out-of-competition drug test taken in February of this year, American boxer Virginia Fuchs tested positive for letrozole metabolite bis-(4-cyanophenyl)methanol, as well as GW1516 (GW501516) metabolites, GW1516 sulfone, and GW1516 sulfoxide, which all appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s list of prohibited substances.

As revealed in its public release today, June 12, during the investigation into Fuchs’ case USADA determined that the substances detected in her sample were consistent with recent exposure to them via sexual transmission. Further, a WADA-accredited laboratory confirmed that products possessed by Fuchs’ partner contained therapeutic amounts of letrozole and GW1516.

As a result of these findings, Fuchs will not face a period of ineligibility for her positive test.

“While the World Anti-Doping Code requires that this no fault-finding be considered a violation and be publicly announced, we strongly believe this case and others like it, including meat contamination and prescription medication contamination cases, should be considered no violation,” said Travis Tygart, Chief Executive Officer of USADA. “We will continue to advocate for changes to the World Anti-Doping Code so that where there is no intent to cheat and no performance benefit, an athlete should not face any violation or unnecessary public attention.”

Fuchs won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships in the Flyweight division, and also took silver at the 2019 an American Games.

Fuchs’ situation harkens back to Canadian pole vaulter Shawn Barber’s case from 2016. Barber was facing a 2-year suspension for having tested positive for cocaine but was able to convince authorities that he had come into contact with the substance via kissing a cocaine user. Australian swimmer Shayna Jack posited this as a defense of her own positive test after denying taking a banned substance. She has been unable to prove a source for contamination, and is currently awaiting an appeal to the CAS of a 4-year suspension.

12
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

12 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Andrei Vorontsov
3 years ago

Do they have experimental data to prove the possibility of contamination through sex??? Now sexual proximity stops to be a private matter and athletes must carefully choose partners before and dur sport events (who thay want to…) May be they need to record last partner in doping control form? And that last partner must care responsibility??? Everything can be turn to absurd

TAa
Reply to  Andrei Vorontsov
3 years ago

They need to keep a sample of body fluids from each partner they are with. They are also throwing their partner under the bus and outing them as a doper

RenéDescartes
3 years ago

If you have a good enough lawyer, you can get away with anything.

Austinpoolboy
3 years ago

I kinda like Shayna Jacks defense. Probably, coulda been through sexual transmission, but let me see if I can narrow down the suspects for us

Corn Pop
Reply to  Austinpoolboy
3 years ago

‘ Posited ‘ does not = defense . We have not heard the defense yet because Shayna waived her right at the ASDA hearing. . Legally an interesting move when legislation is being posited to deny athletes all avenues of appeal .

You are trying to insert some ‘ Oooh I know who it is ‘ here. Cairns is very much the place to get a liganol transmission ( shall we posit ) It is more ok in my book than Meth . Who can forget the local meth head that murdered all her kids on the front lawn ?

Gheko
Reply to  Corn Pop
3 years ago

I live in Cairns and it’s definitely a party town!

SwimShark
Reply to  Gheko
3 years ago

I’m in! Once flights resume.

This has to be the strangest title on an article I’ve read so far this year.

Taa
3 years ago

Positive test from second hand exposure? Seems a little fishy to me. I’d to see the scientific papers that back this up. This is all based on science I hope.

torchbearer
Reply to  Taa
3 years ago

Can people volunteer for the scientific study?

Olympian
3 years ago

Oh wait… An American??? Let me put my torches and forks away for a second.
Poor girl is just a victim… 🙁

Irish Ringer
Reply to  Olympian
3 years ago

I give her an A for originality. Also, had anyone heard of this boxer before today? Doesn’t seem like there’s much incentive to give her a pass unless you believe Americans get special treatment.

Doconc
3 years ago

Does the mechanism of contamination nullify the substance?
Could she “dope” innocently by having frequen fluid exchange with a huge doper??

This needs to be clarified!!

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »