The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has announced that Olympian Ryan Lochte will be suspended from all competition until July 2019, according to a report from ESPN.
Lochte’s suspension stems from the usage of an intravenous infusion, which breaks anti-doping rules. While the 12-time Olympic medalist did not receive any banned substances through the IV, athletes are not supposed to receive any sort of IV unless they have been hospitalized or have filed for an exemption.
The incident occurred in May when Lochte posted a photo of himself receiving an IV infusion. which prompted USADA to investigate. Since then, the image has been removed from social media.
The investigation by USADA discovered that Lochte had “received an intravenous infusion of permitted substances at an infusion clinic in a volume greater than 100 mL in a 12-hour period without a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).”
USADA’s press release continued their explanation by stating,
“Intravenous infusions or injections in a volume greater than 100 mL within a 12-hour period are prohibited at all times – except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital treatment, surgical procedures, or clinical diagnostic investigations under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the Federation Internationale de Natation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.”
His suspension has been backdated to May 24th, 2018 and will continue until July 2019.
Lochte was set to compete in four events this weekend at the 2018 Phillips 66 U.S. National Championships in Irvine, California. His suspension prevents him from qualifying for the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, 2019 World Championships, and 2019 Pan American Championships.
His suspension marks the second one for the American team as Madisyn Cox was suspended for two years by FINA for the consumption of trimetazidine just a few days ago.
This also is not Lochte’s first suspension as he was suspended for 10 months by USA Swimming after he filed a false police report in Rio claiming that he and three other teammates were robbed at gunpoint.
Whether the rule is dumb or not, it’s the rule. He’s 33 years old! He should know it. Sad because it probably didn’t give him any advantage. Someone should seriously shut down his social media accounts and help him make some better decisions!
Totally agree
What was in the IV?
Apparently rehydration
It wasn’t what he received but how fast. He admitted to breaking the rule.
Yup, he did and he should have known the rule.
Maybe they should look into changing this silly rule. While he’s an idiot, to suspend him over something so futile isn’t a good look considering how high profile he is.
There’s a reason the rule is on the books. We may not like it but it’s there. Lochte isn’t a newcomer to the sport and should know infusion rates. He’s made poor decision after poor decision. High profile or not, he’s not above the rules and he definitely isn’t a newcomer to the sport so can’t go, “Jeah! Oops!”
Tanya Penrod Thats true but I think the rule itself is ridiculous not the suspension of Lochte.
Tanya Penrod just saying this probably wouldn’t fly in more mainstream sports and maybe if we want to increase participation we would knock out silly rules as such or at least streamline them during or in and around meets. These people put their bodies through so much, and he’s not allowed to rehydrate himself in a manner to help recuperate at times? Even more so, if it wasn’t for the picture there wouldn’t be an story right now, because there aren’t any benefits that will give his competition an unfair disadvantage.
Darnell James, he IS allowed to rehydrate. That isn’t the issue. There’s an infusion rate that Lochte should have known (it’s not a secret in our sport) and he could have very easily gotten the proper form completed but chose not to. He ignored not just the rule but the process. He’s not a newcomer to the sport so he has zero excuse on this one.
Tanya Penrod….thank you!
Darnell James You don’t actually know that. You don’t know what was in the iv. It has been suggested that even iv treatments of something as benign as sucrose solution can enhance performance and recovery.
We do know it was more than 100ml in 12 hours which exceeds WADA/USADA limits. By definition, therefore, it is a form of blood doping. Conceivably an advantage over everyone who actually follows the rules.
This seems really ridiculous.
Ridiculous a swimmer of his caliber with his years of experience in the sport would be dumb enough to 1.) not know infusion rates (not like they’re a secret in our sport) and 2.) post it on social media (talk about thumbing your nose at our sport).
Been done with Lochte since Rio….his time has come and gone.
Yes
Yes….
Was so looking forward to see him swim at the Phillips Nationals. 🙁
?
Joseph Hamson
Heather Tooze
So. He took an iv for what? What was the point of him doing that? Keeping hydrated?
Athletes do that all the time because it’s quick.
The problem is he took it in too quick.
Look up blood doping
It’s not that he did it, it’s that he exceeded the allowable amount and didn’t file the proper forms to protect himself. He’s been in the sport long enough to know better.
So no pass if ones IQ is below 100?
Calvin Reder what evidence is there of blood doping? I haven’t seen that.
The photo looked like a hydration IV probably loaded with electrolytes and who knows what. The offense was the volume over time. I am not sure what other benefits it might have other than diluting a blood or urine sample to hide something that might be illegal.
Shocking, some of our athletes need sitters.
No means No
Gelyanne Rivera
Melissa Greenaway
What a dumb ass
He is old enough to know better, how long has he been on the international scene, he should know the rules and stick to them.
Hmm … A ‘professional athlete’ of his caliber didn’t know ‘blood doping’ was banned?!? … I know that and I was never at his level. Idiot. ?
For those of you not familiar with the practices: it can involve taking infusions of highly ‘rich’ blood (in oxygen, nutrients, or iron) or rehydration substances that then allows your body to recover more quickly or increase your oxygen uptake/absorption and give the body an advantage by not tiring as quickly or having more oxygen/chemicals in the body to perform at max levels or recover faster. … I REPEAT – IDIOT!!
No evidence of blood doping that I’ve heard. Just rehydration. Which is illegal above a minuscule amount without permission. Thanks
It wasn’t blood. He’s still an idiot but you’re incorrect about why
And you know this for a fact? Hope you have backup because you have just incriminated yourself
Julian Layton
See what TYR and Lochte said at todays pressconference:
Shocking!
https://www.facebook.com/1127055790679312/posts/1951444334907116/
Idiot
How dumb, he does one dumb thing after another.
Such a shame a talented athlete
Amber Duncan Ally Platt no way
Terrible he did that!
USA swimming is in serious trouble: Madisyn Cox suspended because of doping, Ryan Lochte suspended because of doping. And new superstar Caeleb Dressel is almost 22 years old and wears braces, which is unfortunately an almost certain sign of the abuse of human growth hormones.
It is time to stop accusations against foreign nations and sweep on your own doorstep.
I saw the post with him and his wife sitting there with IVs in…was it peer pressure from his wife or is he just that stupid?!?!?
hahahahahahahahaaah hahahahahah hahahahahahaha hhhaahahahahah…….hahaha maybe he could take a little vacation to Rio over the next year..while he’s suspended……hed be in the klink so fast…then he might LEARN something..about thinking and doing things..HE thinks is ok…the only sad part is we really wanted to see him get his butt kicked..so he would finally retire for real…..lol…but you cant have it all…
Jenny Moisan
P
Perhaps it was deliberate to avoid getting smoked at Nationals……