Adverse Analytical Finding for Spain's Laura Barquero after Olympics Pairs SP

[Sylvia]

International Testing Agency's news release (Feb. 22, 2022) - The ITA asserts an apparent anti-doping rule violation against Spanish athlete Laura Barquero:

International Testing Agency-Beijing 2022 – The ITA asserts an apparent anti-doping rule violation against Spanish athlete Laura Barquero

ita.sport

The AAF1 returned for the non-specified prohibited substance Clostebol metabolite 4-chloro-3α-hydroxy-androst-4-en-17-one according to the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The sample was collected by the ITA under the testing authority and results management authority of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during an in-competition anti-doping control on 18 February 2022 during the Pair Skating (short program). The result was reported by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Beijing on 21 February 2022.

The athlete has been informed of the case. She has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample.

The matter will thereafter be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) for adjudication under the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Games Beijing 2022 (IOC ADR).

Given that the case is underway, there will be no further comments during the ongoing proceeding.

 

[Prancer]

Oh, dear. Clostebol is actually a type of anabolic steroid, I believe.

 

[Sylvia]

 

[Finnice]

In an Finnish tabloid they are claiming doping. It is the most read news on the site. Oh dear...

 

[Coco]

I'm just going to put this here, apparently it can be present in some gynecologic medications.

Incidental Clostebol Contamination in Athletes after Sexual Intercourse

Clostebol is a synthetic androgenic steroid with anabolic effects that is frequently used in sports to increase physical performance. Because of medical an

academic.oup.com

Another article that explains how clostebol works.

Clostebol & Testosterone: The Drugs That Got Dee Gordon an 80-Game Suspension

Here's what you need to know about the steroids.

www.inverse.com

 

[Prancer]

I'm just going to put this here, apparently it can be present in some gynecologic medications.

Incidental Clostebol Contamination in Athletes after Sexual Intercourse

Clostebol is a synthetic androgenic steroid with anabolic effects that is frequently used in sports to increase physical performance. Because of medical an

academic.oup.com

I think the most important lines in that article are these:

One male athlete whose urine tested positive for traces of clostebol metabolites claimed that he was contaminated as a result of sexual intercourse with a woman taking a medication containing clostebol. The IOC did not exonerate him from the results reported by LABDOP. The remaining athletes maintained that the presence of clostebol metabolites in their urine was the result of using clostebol-containing medications. Despite this controversy, the directive from the IOC has been followed, and positive results are always enforced.

Because the IOC does not make a distinction among circumstances or means of administration of anabolic compounds. athletes should be warned not to use clostebol-containing medications and to be aware of their partner’s medical treatments.

 

[Coco]

Also this:

Detection of clostebol in sports: Accidental doping? - PubMed

The detection of clostebol misuse in sports has been growing recently, especially in Italy, due to the ample availability of pharmaceutical formulations containing clostebol acetate (Trofodermin®) and the use of more sensitive instrumentation by the antidoping laboratories. Most of these cases...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

We have investigated, through the application of the well-known and currently used gas chromatographic mass spectrometric procedures, the likelihood of these allegations and have demonstrated that after a single transdermal administration of 5 mg of clostebol acetate and a transient contact with the application area, it is possible to generate adverse analytical findings in antidoping controls.

 

[BlueRidge]

Just emphasizing this from that study: especially in Italy

 

[Prancer]

Just emphasizing this from that study: especially in Italy

The first one says especially in Brazil.

 

[Seerek]

I've mentioned her in a couple threads previously, but cross-country skier Therese Johaug was suspended in 2016-2018, (missing the Pyeongchang Olympics), after testing positive for clostebol. Her defense was that it was found in her lip balm.

Since then, she's gone on to win 7 World Championship golds and 3 gold medals in Beijing.

 

[BlueRidge]

The first one says especially in Brazil.

Laura Barquero lives and trains in Italy.

 

[BlueRidge]

I've mentioned her in a couple threads previously, but cross-country skier Therese Johaug was suspended in 2016-2018, (missing the Pyeongchang Olympics), after testing positive for clostebol. Her defense was that it was found in her lip balm.

Since then, she's gone on to win 7 World Championship golds and 3 gold medals in Beijing.

Is it at all possible that anti-doping has gone overboard and perhaps it really does need to be reigned in to focus on a more specific set of PE substances?

 

[Vagabond]

Is it at all possible that anti-doping has gone overboard and perhaps it really does need to be reigned in to focus on a more specific set of PE substances?

The fact that an athlete may have used a performance-enhancing substance for a purpose other than enhancing performance doesn't make the substance any less performance enhancing. There is an exemption for therapeutic use, but there are not and should not be exceptions for non-therapeutic use.

 

[Prancer]

Is it at all possible that anti-doping has gone overboard and perhaps it really does need to be reigned in to focus on a more specific set of PE substances?

Of course it's possible, but I would think that if they were going to eliminate all but one specific set of PE substances, the one they would focus on would be anabolic steroids.

 

[skatingguy]

I've mentioned her in a couple threads previously, but cross-country skier Therese Johaug was suspended in 2016-2018, (missing the Pyeongchang Olympics), after testing positive for clostebol. Her defense was that it was found in her lip balm.

Since then, she's gone on to win 7 World Championship golds and 3 gold medals in Beijing.

Worth noting that the lip balm that caused Johaug's positive test was purchased in Italy, and had a anti-doping label on it.

 

[BlueRidge]

Of course it's possible, but I would think that if they were going to eliminate all but one specific set of PE substances, the one they would focus on would be anabolic steroids.

I suppose that makes sense.

Having not read the 5,000+ posts on the most recent controversy, I probably should not comment.

I just have read about how worried about ingesting pretty much anything because something might cause a positive test that a lot of athletes are and it seems like maybe its all tipped too far in one direction and should balance more with the harm done to athletes caught in the middle.

 

[skatingguy]

I just have read about how worried about ingesting pretty much anything because something might cause a positive test that a lot of athletes are and it seems like maybe its all tipped too far in one direction and should balance more with the harm done to athletes caught in the middle.

Athletes have to careful about ingesting substances that could be contaminated with a banned substance like vitamins, or supplements, but I think that's a concern that should be shared more widely. If those products were held to a standard so that people could be confident that the ingredient list was accurate, and the products contained what they said they did then no one would have to worry about what they were ingesting.

 

[BlueRidge]

Athletes have to careful about ingesting substances that could be contaminated with a banned substance like vitamins, or supplements, but I think that's a concern that should be shared more widely. If those products were held to a standard so that people could be confident that the ingredient list was accurate, and the products contained what they said they did then no one would have to worry about what they were ingesting.

That's asking a lot though. Vitamins and supplements aren't highly regulated in the United States and I imagine that's true in many countries. You'd be asking for major investments in new regulatory regimes on a national level.

 

[Sylvia]

I just have read about how worried about ingesting pretty much anything because something might cause a positive test that a lot of athletes are and it seems like maybe its all tipped too far in one direction and should balance more with the harm done to athletes caught in the middle.

April 2021 article first mentioned by @Orm Irian ("issue of hypersensitive drug testing and the punishments imposed for even unintentional ingestion of tiny amounts of banned substances") in response to Laurine Lecavelier's situation:

When 'pee is gold' turns sour: Has the science of anti-doping gone too far?

This Olympic hopeful went through "hell" to clear her name thanks to a banned substance transmitted in a kiss from her boyfriend. How can this be avoided in future?

www.abc.net.au

 

[skatingguy]

That's asking a lot though. Vitamins and supplements aren't highly regulated in the United States and I imagine that's true in many countries. You'd be asking for major investments in new regulatory regimes on a national level.

Yes that is what I'm asking for - these products can contain literally anything & the public has no way of knowing that the vitamins or supplements they're taking are safe.

 

[skatingguy]

If eventually disqualified, would James/Radford move up to 11th place? Just curious how these things work. Sad situation, nonetheless.

Yes.

 

[BlueRidge]

April 2021 article first mentioned by @Orm Irian ("issue of hypersensitive drug testing and the punishments imposed for even unintentional ingestion of tiny amounts of banned substances") in response to Laurine Lecavelier's situation:

When 'pee is gold' turns sour: Has the science of anti-doping gone too far?

This Olympic hopeful went through "hell" to clear her name thanks to a banned substance transmitted in a kiss from her boyfriend. How can this be avoided in future?

www.abc.net.au

wow that is crazy. I get that trace amounts can mean illegal substance use but its also really ... crazy...

 

[BlueRidge]

Yes that is what I'm asking for - these products can contain literally anything & the public has no way of knowing that the vitamins or supplements they're taking are safe

My suggestion is that it would be easier to ban sports. That would be the fastest and most comprehensive way to end doping.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Ugggggg

Can we just skip to the 2022/2023 season already?

 

[mjb52]

I guess the concern might be whether tech has advanced so much that it's picking up trace amounts from incidental contact that aren't really meaningful? It's a tough issue and definitely not one I've explored in a meaningful way.

 

[antmanb]

That's asking a lot though. Vitamins and supplements aren't highly regulated in the United States and I imagine that's true in many countries. You'd be asking for major investments in new regulatory regimes on a national level.

I think it's more shocking that supplements and vitamins, things that people literally take for health reasons are not clearly labelled with every single ingredient. People can have allergic reactions to all sorts of things and you'd think manufacturers of those products would want to at least minimise their risk of legal exposure to someone who might have an adverse reaction.

 

[BlueRidge]

I think it's more shocking that supplements and vitamins, things that people literally take for health reasons are not clearly labelled with every single ingredient. People can have allergic reactions to all sorts of things and you'd think manufacturers of those products would want to at least minimise their risk of legal exposure to someone who might have an adverse reaction.

But that has to do with the regulatory regimes in each country. It is a good reason not to take any supplements which also often have no evidence for efficacy either.

In the US the supplement makers are hugely profitable corporations and given our political system that allows the influence of money to play a major role in legislative and regulatory politics, those who have advocated for stricter regulation of supplements and vitamins have gotten no where.

I would be interested in how this is handled in other countries and whether there has been more progress. I know that often the EU has stricter regulatory regimes, but I don't know about it in this particular case.

This is obviously away from the topic of the situation for Laura Barquero, where the situation may be a banned substance in something medically prescribed if I'm reading it right? Or is it over the counter?

 

[antmanb]

I would be interested in how this is handled in other countries and whether there has been more progress. I know that often the EU has stricter regulatory regimes, but I don't know about it in this particular case.

I think the EU has much stricter labelling requirements than other areas. Sadly the UK government is now looking to get rid of a lot of that regulation in the UK now that we're no longer a part of the EU.

The UK had a very high profile case that resulted in a change of law. Prior to the change in law places that made fresh food (sandwiches etc) on premises were exempt from ingredient labelling and allergy warning labelling requirements. A young women bought a sandwich from Pret a Manger in an airport, boarded a flight and ate the sandwich on the flight and had a fatal reaction to sesame in the sandwich that she had no way of knowing was in there.

But this is very much thread drift from the topic

 

[rfisher]

Oh, dear. Clostebol is actually a type of anabolic steroid, I believe.

Yes, it is. The brand name is Trofodermin. A study published in Drug Test Anal (you can find it via PubMed) found that a single transdermal administration of only 5 mg and a transient contact with the application area would register with the lab protocols being used in antidoping controls.

 

[BlueRidge]

I think the EU has much stricter labelling requirements than other areas. Sadly the UK government is now looking to get rid of a lot of that regulation in the UK now that we're no longer a part of the EU.

The UK had a very high profile case that resulted in a change of law. Prior to the change in law places that made fresh food (sandwiches etc) on premises were exempt from ingredient labelling and allergy warning labelling requirements. A young women bought a sandwich from Pret a Manger in an airport, boarded a flight and ate the sandwich on the flight and had a fatal reaction to sesame in the sandwich that she had no way of knowing was in there.

But this is very much thread drift from the topic

It is and it isn't. It kind of gets to why the anti-doping rules can't depend on national regulatory regimes, including whether drugs require prescriptions or are over-the-counter. Athletes have to be informed and careful, but is it at this point asking too much of them?

Or is the occasional torment of a Jessica Calalang or possibly in this case Laura Barquero necessary "collateral damage?"