Drugs in sport: Kiwi athletes are being told to watch what they wear

Kiwi athletes have been warned to be cautious about what they wear after an American athlete failed a drugs test after wearing clothes contaminated with traces of a performance-enhancing drug. New Zealand Herald composite photo

Kiwi athletes are being urged to watch what they put on their bodies - or risk falling foul of drug testers.

The warning comes after an American athlete – who was not taking performance-enhancing drugs – failed a test after using sportswear he had borrowed from a teammate.

The unnamed athlete then returned a positive test for ostarine - a selective androgen receptor modulator that aids muscle growth.

It was later proven low levels of the banned drug had entered his system after he had worn hamstring sleeves – leg compression tights– previously soaked in the sweat of a teammate who had worn them after using the drug.

The landmark case is the first known occurrence of cross-contamination via clothing leading to a positive drug test.

The Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui - which has the mandate to ensure NZ sport is fair and free of doping and corruption – has described the case as “a real eye-opener”.

The American athlete borrowed the hamstring sleeves from a teammate who had consumed a banned drug. New Zealand Herald composite photo

“Contamination is important for athletes to be aware of,” chief executive Rebecca Rolls said.

“Most cases of contamination occur through the use of supplements, which anti-doping bodies have long understood to be a risk to athletes.

Rolls has previously talked to the Herald about the potential perils of not being selective with supplements.

Some of the sports supplements available in New Zealand contain ingredients on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list.

The Commission offers extensive information, education and resources to athletes on the topic, including a ‘Supplement Decision Making Guide’ on its website.

Tennis world No 1 Jannik Sinner successfully argued he was contaminated with a banned substance during a therapeutic massage. Photo / Photosport

But the fact an otherwise clean athlete failed a drug test after wearing the clothing of a drugs cheat shows just how cautious our sports stars must be.

“Cases of contamination through skin are rare, but it’s a growing topic within the anti-doping community” said Rolls.

She said the rare cases of contamination through skin – including tennis ace Jannik Sinner who successfully argued the banned anabolic agent clostebol entered his system during a therapeutic massage – had seen the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) create an Unintentional Doping Taskforce.

“A key part of their work will be to provide expert advice, recommendations, and guidance towards an evidence-informed approach to preventing unintentional doping, including contamination through the skin,” Rolls said.

“Wada have also proposed to include unintentional doping as an additional mandatory education topic in the 2027 International Standard for Education, recognising that the risk of contamination isn’t limited to supplement use.”

But Rolls - a former double international who represented both the White Ferns and Football Ferns – stressed ultimately “athletes are responsible for anything found in their system”.

Sport Integrity Commission chief executive Rebecca Rolls says the issue of cross contamination is growing. Photo / Supplied

The case of the American athlete who unwittingly tested positive to a banned substance after wearing the hamstring sleeves happened last year.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency ruling was published by the Maryland-based National Library of Medicine two months ago.

It said the athlete – who returned two positive urine tests - had borrowed two neoprene hamstring sleeves from a teammate who later admitted to using ostarine.

After protesting his innocence, subsequent tests of his hair and nails returned no traces of the drug.

Meanwhile, the athlete who he had borrowed the hamstring sleeves from admitted his drug use. Tests of the sportswear he had loaned out returned 12 positive traces of ostarine.

The American athlete who had borrowed the gear was cleared of any wrongdoing via Wada’s “no fault” rule.

Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.

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