A U.S. Olympic Team member was cleared of a doping violation for a novel reason.
Virginia Fuchs, who hopes to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics next year, evidently will not be punished after testing positive for two banned substances because they were transmitted by her boyfriend during sex, U.S. Anti-Doping Association ruled Thursday.
Fuchs, 32, learned in March that the banned substances were found in her system during an out-of-competition test the previous month. USADA determined during an investigation that her boyfriend had consumed products that contained the substances and that the levels of the substances in her system were consistent with sexual transmission.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in a news release that he believes no violation was committed.
“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,” Tygart said.
“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.”
The release continued: “During a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Fuchs’ case, USADA determined that Fuchs’ male partner was using therapeutic doses of letrozole and GW1516 and the low amounts of letrozole metabolite and GW1516 metabolites detected in her sample were consistent with recent exposure to the substances via sexual transmission. Additionally, a WADA-accredited laboratory confirmed that products possessed by Fuchs’ partner contained therapeutic amounts of letrozole and GW1516.
Fuchs reacted to USADA’s ruling on Twitter.
“I’m relieved that once USADA completed an extensive investigation, they found that my case was unique and therefore gave me a No Fault ruling, allowing me to return to competition,” Fuchs said. “This has been a huge lesson for me and now that [it’s] over, I’m fully focused on preparing for Tokyo.”
Fuchs, making her third attempt to make the U.S. Olympic team, and most of her teammates will take part in qualifying tournaments next year.