Spike in Australian positives leads to supplements warning
October 23, 2010Australian athletes are today being warned by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) to carefully consider their use of supplements following a number of positive test results for the prohibited stimulant methylhexaneamine.
Methylhexaneamine has been the subject of a number of recent international doping cases with some athletes involved reporting that they unknowingly ingested the banned substance when using supplements or other products. ASADA Chief Executive Officer, Aurora Andruska confirmed that nine athletes had tested positive for methylhexaneamine. This spike in positive test results is a timely reminder to all athletes to exercise the utmost caution in checking the contents of supplements and other products they choose to use. “ASADA wants to get the warning out to the Australian sporting community to be on the lookout for any supplement or product containing methylhexaneamine. “Methylhexaneamine is appearing more and more in doping test results and has been linked to a number of popular supplements. “Australian athletes must be very careful when using any supplement because, under the World Anti-Doping Code’s policy of strict liability, athletes are responsible for any substance found in their body and we don’t want to see Australians face bans for the use of methylhexaneamine,” Ms Andruska said. Methylhexaneamine, also referred to as dimethylamylamine and dimethylpentylamine, is classed as an S6 stimulant on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List and is prohibited in-competition. Bans involving this substance can range up to two-years. Due to ASADA’s strict legislative requirements, ASADA will provide no further comment regarding positive test results for methylhexaneamine (including identifying the athletes or sports involved) until the matters are concluded. ASADA is working closely with Australia’s sporting organisations to help them warn athletes and support personnel about methylhexaneamine. A formal advisory has also been placed on the ASADA website – www.asada.gov.au