USADA wants fair cannabis rules as White House calls for meeting

July 12 (Reuters) – The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has said it wants more flexible rules for athletes who test positive for cannabis after the White House allegedly called for a meeting with the World Anti-Doping Agency ( AMA) to discuss easing restrictions.

The debate over cannabis use by athletes was reignited after American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson tested positive for the drug last month during the Olympic track and field trials in the United States.

The 21-year-old, who was considered the top 100-meter contender at the Games from July 23 to August 31. 8 Tokyo Games, got a one-month suspension, making her ineligible for the US team. Read more

Richardson said in an interview with NBC that her action came as she faced the news of her mother’s death.

The suspension has sparked sympathy, especially from President Joe Biden, and calls for a review of the White House’s anti-doping rules according to the Financial Times.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Read more

For more than a decade, USADA has taken a hard line on the use of cannabis by athletes, insisting it remains on the no-go list.

But in a letter to Congressman Jamie Raskin and congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday, USADA President Travis Tygart said he called for more flexible and fairer rules to combat the use of marijuana by athletes.

WADA, however, told Reuters that when it comes to cannabis, USADA has taken a hard line.

USADA’s submissions to the expert panel on the AMA’s ban list have consistently pushed over the years to keep cannabis on the ban list, the AMA said.

“Since 2004, and no later than 2021, USADA has without exception insisted that cannabis remain on the (banned) list,” WADA told Reuters.

MORE LIBERAL

In 2014, a proposal was put forward by WADA’s Health, Medicine and Research Committee to increase the threshold for a positive test in order to make the rule more liberal for athletes using marijuana.

USADA categorically rejected the plan, WADA said, resolved that it amounted to removing cannabis from the ban list.

USADA also noted in its letter to members of Congress that although the current trend is towards legalizing marijuana, many people around the world still view it as an illegal drug and the argument that cannabis is no longer valid. no benefit in improving performance in sport is not universally accepted.

But WADA’s approach to cannabis testing, which the agency said to Reuters was “ethically, scientifically and procedurally flawed and not in the best interests of athletes.”

“Our annual scientific commentary to WADA also focused on performing saliva or blood tests, and not on the current approach to WADA-mandated urine testing, to ensure that those who can choose to legally consume marijuana out of competition, which is allowed by the rules, is not caught and punished by the system, and also to ensure that those who use it for dangerous or competitive purposes are held accountable, ”said Matthew Fedoruk, scientific director of USADA, in an email to Reuters.

USADA added that current urine tests do not adequately detect competition day marijuana use, which is prohibited, but can capture its pre-competition use, which can take days or more. before the athlete competes.

“Oral fluids or a blood test are actually a better matrix for determining use on competition day and not capturing use on days before competition,” USADA said.

WADA has been overseeing the list of banned substances since 2004. Previously, this was the responsibility of the International Olympic Committee.

Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.