On Friday, Ronald Levy, the Tokyo Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medallist from Jamaica, was handed a four-year ban by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Fee (JADCO) following a constructive check for banned substances.
The substance detected in Levy’s pattern, taken throughout an out-of-competition check in October 2023, was GW1516. This black-market drug is understood for enhancing endurance and rising the physique’s skill to burn fats, permitting customers to coach more durable and longer. Nevertheless, GW1516 has not been authorised for human use resulting from considerations about its potential most cancers dangers and different extreme long-term well being results.
Levy stated on social media that he was shocked on the constructive check end result, sustaining he didn’t knowingly violate any guidelines: “I’m shocked by this flip of occasions as a result of I’ve at all times performed myself with the very best degree of integrity within the sport, which I like dearly, and would by no means search to realize an unfair benefit.”
The 31-year-old hurdler received bronze on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics behind American Grant Holloway and Levy’s fellow Jamaican, Hansle Parchment. He additionally received gold within the 110m hurdles on the 2018 Commonwealth Video games. Levy has not competed since September 2023 and didn’t qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
🗣️ Lest you overlook!
Tokyo 2020*, The primary time Jamaica had two males on the rostrum on the Olympics in 110mh!
Hansle Parchment, Gold (13.04)
Ronald Levy, Bronze (13.10) pic.twitter.com/etzW1j8rYh— Dav (@ideekhayy) October 29, 2023
Levy has the appropriate to enchantment the choice and take his case to the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Whereas a profitable enchantment might overturn the ban, the method might additionally lead to important monetary and bodily pressure if the enchantment is unsuccessful. That is the third high-profile GW1516 case prior to now two years, following the constructive exams of former Olympic 800m silver medallist Nijel Amos of Botswana and Surinamese sprinter Issam Asinga, the U20 100m file holder. Each males examined constructive throughout out-of-competition exams.