VADA Puts Ryan Garcia In His Place – ‘You Are Responsible’
VADA has spoken out against Ryan Garcia’s failed tests for Ostarine.
The boxer tested positive for banned substance following his win over Devin Haney. Two urine samples were taken on April 19 and April 20, and the substance was found. Ostarine is prohibited as it allows boxers to cut weight and increase muscle and stamina. Garcia’s B sample has also tested positive.
Haney’s team wants the New York State Athletic Commission to disqualify Garcia so he can be given the win. Since then, Garcia’s team has had the boxer’s supplements tested. The findings showed that two supplements came back positive for Ostarine. The supplements were tested, and the results came from the Sports Medicine Research & Testing Laboratory (SMRTL).
The two supplements were ‘NutraBio’s raspberry-lemonade-flavored “Super Carb” and BodyHealth’s “Perfect Amino” powder. One substance showed “70-2200 picograms [of ostarine] per gram powder.” The other had “approximately 660-830 picograms per gram powder.” That would indicate contamination.
Garcia’s Defence
However, there are some problems with this. Victor Conte stated Garcia’s supplements were opened. Therefore, any results from testing cannot conclusively be used to establish results. Boxers would have to show sealed supplements from the same batch, which would then be tested to prove contamination. This would allow boxers to show a chain of custody and rule out contamination from sources outside the supplement.
Garcia’s tainted supplements would help him have a lesser punishment, as it would show that there was no intention. The boxer’s VADA tests before April 19 and April 20 were all negative, playing into the narrative that Garcia did not have long-term PED use. While that may be the case, VADA has stated that boxers are responsible for what they take. That has left Garcia with the harsh reality that he could be banned.
VADA Responds
“Reminder to fighters regarding supplements. You are responsible for anything you take. Whether or not supplements are listed on doping control forms, anti-doping organizations do not approve supplements. It’s why VADA fighters are provided with warning statements and other resources.
“Fighters should carefully check supplements before taking them. Whether listed or not, no anti-doping organization approves supplements. Athletes remain responsible for anything they take. Fighters are provided the letter below when enrolling & free access to check them with AXIS.
“Athletes should be very cautious about using any dietary supplements. As various studies have shown, dietary supplements may contain small amounts of banned substances, even when those substances are not listed on the label.
“Athletes are strictly liable for any substance found in their bodily specimen, regardless of how the substance got there. Athletes have been found guilty of a doping violation after consuming a dietary supplement that contained a trace amount of a banned substance even though the label did not mention any prohibited substances and the athletes had no intention of doping.
Although VADA may, in its discretion, review a list of supplements provided by a participating athlete for “red flag” substances, VADA does not and cannot endorse or approve the use of any supplements, regardless of the fact that an athlete may have disclosed the use of the supplement to VADA.
“In other words, a doping violation will have occurred even if the relevant prohibited substance can be traced to a supplement product that was disclosed to VADA by the athlete. Athletes can help protect themselves by avoiding any supplement products altogether, especially those that have not been tested and certified drug-free by a qualified outside organization,” VADA
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