Issam Asinga Banned 4 Years; Sprinter Says Recovery Gummies Led to Positive PED Test

Track-and-field star Issam Asinga received a four-year ban after failing a performance-enhancing drug test.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced Asinga's discipline on Monday after rejecting his claim the positive test was due to eating recovery gummies.

AIU chair David Howman explained the decision in the official announcement:

"This decision upholds an important principle in cases where contamination is argued. The requirement for the athlete to show how the Prohibited Substance got into their system must be enforced strictly. This proof must not be based on speculation, but on specific, persuasive and objective evidence. All explanations based on contamination must be thoroughly scrutinised and not just blindly accepted. This strict requirement is essential to protect clean athletes and ensure a level playing field."

The substance returned positive for GW1516 metabolites, which the Associated Press notes was developed to "build endurance and burn fat but failed medical trials when it was found to cause cancer during tests on rodents."

In addition to his four-year ban, all of Asinga's competitive results will be disqualified dating back to July 18, 2023. This includes his under-20 world record of 9.89 seconds in the 100 meters set and his victory in the 200 meters at the South American Championships on July 28, 2023.

Asinga's initial drug test came back positive in August 2023. He said in a post on Instagram all of his supplements are batch tested for World Anti-Doping Association banned substances.

The AIU announcement notes Asinga can appeal the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sports.