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 optimistic take a look at for banned substances.
The substance detected in Levy’s pattern, taken throughout an out-of-competition take a look at in October 2023, was GW1516. This black-market drug is understood for enhancing endurance and rising the physique’s potential to burn fats, permitting customers to coach tougher and longer. Nonetheless, GW1516 has not been authorised for human use because of 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 optimistic take a look at consequence, sustaining he didn’t knowingly violate any guidelines: “I’m surprised by this flip of occasions as a result of I’ve all the time carried out myself with the best degree of integrity within the sport, which I like dearly, and would by no means search to achieve an unfair benefit.”
The 31-year-old hurdler gained bronze on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics behind American Grant Holloway and Levy’s fellow Jamaican, Hansle Parchment. He additionally gained 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 neglect!
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 correct 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 end in important monetary and bodily pressure if the enchantment is unsuccessful. That is the third high-profile GW1516 case up to now two years, following the optimistic checks of former Olympic 800m silver medallist Nijel Amos of Botswana and Surinamese sprinter Issam Asinga, the U20 100m file holder. Each males examined optimistic throughout out-of-competition checks.
