Doping Practices in International Weightlifting: Analysis of sanctioned athletes/support personnel from 2008-2019 and retesting of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games

Abstract Background: The pervasiveness of doping and findings of anti-doping corruption threaten weightlifting’s position at the 2024 Olympic Games. Analysing the practices of doping in weightlifters could identify patterns in doping that assist in future detection. Methods: We analysed publicly available data on sanctioned athletes/support personnel from the International Weightlifting Federation between 2008-2019 and announced retrospective Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Results: There were 565 sanctions between 2008-2019 of which 82% related to the detection of exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) metabolites and markers indicating endogenous AAS usage. The detection of exogenous AAS metabolites, markers of endogenous AAS usage and other substance metabolites varied by IWF Continental Federation (p ≤ 0.05) with Europe (74%, 11%, 15%) and Asia (70%, 15%, 15%) showing a higher detection of exogenous AAS compared to Pan America (37%, 30%, 33%) and Africa (50%, 17%, 33%). When looking at the 10 most detected substances, the nations with the highest number of sanctions (range 17-35) all had at least one overrepresented substance that accounted for 38-60% of all detected substances. The targeted re-analysis of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games due to the discovery of long-term metabolites for exogenous AAS resulted in 61 weightlifters producing retrospective ADRVs. This includes 34 original medallists (9 Gold, 10 Silver and 15 Bronze), the highest of any sport identified by Olympic Games sample re-testing. The exogenous AAS Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and Stanozolol accounted for 83% of detected substances and were present in 95% of these samples. Conclusion: Based on these findings of regional differences in doping practices, weightlifting would benefit from the targeted testing of certain regions and continuing investment in long-term sample storage as the sensitivity and specificity of detection continues to improve.

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Doping Practices in International Weightlifting: Analysis of sanctioned athletes/support personnel from 2008-2019 and retesting of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games

10.21203/rs.3.rs-43659/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alexander Kolliari-Turner ◽

Brian Oliver ◽

Giscard Lima ◽

John P. Mills ◽

Guan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Regional Differences ◽

Olympic Games ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids ◽

Sample Storage ◽

Support Personnel ◽

In Doping ◽

Targeted Testing ◽

Androgenic Steroids

Abstract Background The pervasiveness of doping and findings of anti-doping corruption threaten weightlifting’s position at the 2024 Olympics. Analysing the practices of doping weightlifters could identify patterns in doping that assist in future detection.Methods We analysed publicly available data on sanctioned athletes/support personnel from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) between 2008–2019 and retrospective Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.Results There were 565 sanctions between 2008–2019 of which 82% related to exogenous and endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS). The distribution of exogenous AAS, endogenous AAS and other detected substances varied by IWF Continental Federation (p ≤ 0.05) with Europe (74%, 11%, 15%) and Asia (70%, 15%, 15%) showing a higher detection of exogenous AAS compared to Pan America (37%, 30%, 33%) and Africa (50%, 17%, 33%). When looking at the 10 most detected substances, the nations with the highest number of sanctions (range 17–35) all had at least one overrepresented substance that accounted for 38–60% of all detected substances. The targeted re-analysis of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics due to the discovery of long-term metabolites for exogenous AAS has to date produced 61 retrospective ADRVs in weightlifting. Of these, 34 were original medallists (9 Gold, 10 Silver and 15 Bronze), the highest of any sport. The exogenous AAS Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and Stanozolol accounted for 83% of detected substances and were present in 95% of these samples.Conclusion Based on these findings of regional differences in doping practices, weightlifting would benefit from the targeted testing of certain regions and continuing investment in long-term sample storage as the sensitivity and specificity of detection continues to improve.

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Doping practices in international weightlifting: analysis of sanctioned athletes/support personnel from 2008 to 2019 and retesting of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games

Sports Medicine - Open ◽

10.1186/s40798-020-00293-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alexander Kolliari-Turner ◽

Brian Oliver ◽

Giscard Lima ◽

John P. Mills ◽

Guan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Regional Differences ◽

Olympic Games ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroid ◽

Sample Storage ◽

Support Personnel ◽

Androgenic Steroid ◽

In Doping ◽

Targeted Testing

Abstract Background The pervasiveness of doping and findings of anti-doping corruption threaten weightlifting’s position at the 2024 Olympic Games. Analysing the practices of doping in weightlifters could identify patterns in doping that assist in future detection. Methods We analysed publicly available data on sanctioned athletes/support personnel from the International Weightlifting Federation between 2008 and 2019 and announced retrospective Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Results There were 565 sanctions between 2008 and 2019 of which 82% related to the detection of exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) metabolites and markers indicating endogenous AAS usage. The detection of exogenous AAS metabolites, markers of endogenous AAS usage and other substance metabolites varied by IWF Continental Federation (p ≤ 0.05) with Europe (74%, 11%, 15%) and Asia (70%, 15%, 15%) showing a higher detection of exogenous AAS compared to Pan America (37%, 30%, 33%) and Africa (50%, 17%, 33%). When looking at the 10 most detected substances, the nations with the highest number of sanctions (range 17–35) all had at least one overrepresented substance that accounted for 38–60% of all detected substances. The targeted re-analysis of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games due to the discovery of long-term metabolites for exogenous AAS resulted in 61 weightlifters producing retrospective ADRVs. This includes 34 original medallists (9 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze), the highest of any sport identified by Olympic Games sample re-testing. The exogenous AAS dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and stanozolol accounted for 83% of detected substances and were present in 95% of these samples. Conclusion Based on these findings of regional differences in doping practices, weightlifting would benefit from the targeted testing of certain regions and continuing investment in long-term sample storage as the sensitivity and specificity of detection continues to improve.

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Doping Practices in International Weightlifting: Analysis of sanctioned athletes/support personnel from 2008-2019 and retesting of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games

10.21203/rs.3.rs-43659/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alexander Kolliari-Turner ◽

Brian Oliver ◽

Giscard Lima ◽

John P. Mills ◽

Guan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Regional Differences ◽

Olympic Games ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroid ◽

Sample Storage ◽

Support Personnel ◽

Androgenic Steroid ◽

In Doping ◽

Targeted Testing

Abstract Background: The pervasiveness of doping and findings of anti-doping corruption threaten weightlifting’s position at the 2024 Olympic Games. Analysing the practices of doping in weightlifters could identify patterns in doping that assist in future detection. Methods: We analysed publicly available data on sanctioned athletes/support personnel from the International Weightlifting Federation between 2008-2019 and announced retrospective Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Results: There were 565 sanctions between 2008-2019 of which 82% related to the detection of exogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) metabolites and markers indicating endogenous AAS usage. The detection of exogenous AAS metabolites, markers of endogenous AAS usage and other substance metabolites varied by IWF Continental Federation (p ≤ 0.05) with Europe (74%, 11%, 15%) and Asia (70%, 15%, 15%) showing a higher detection of exogenous AAS compared to Pan America (37%, 30%, 33%) and Africa (50%, 17%, 33%). When looking at the 10 most detected substances, the nations with the highest number of sanctions (range 17-35) all had at least one overrepresented substance that accounted for 38-60% of all detected substances. The targeted re-analysis of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games due to the discovery of long-term metabolites for exogenous AAS resulted in 61 weightlifters producing retrospective ADRVs. This includes 34 original medallists (9 Gold, 10 Silver and 15 Bronze), the highest of any sport identified by Olympic Games sample re-testing. The exogenous AAS Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone and Stanozolol accounted for 83% of detected substances and were present in 95% of these samples. Conclusion: Based on these findings of regional differences in doping practices, weightlifting would benefit from the targeted testing of certain regions and continuing investment in long-term sample storage as the sensitivity and specificity of detection continues to improve.

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CYP21-catalyzed production of the long-term urinary metandienone metabolite 17β-hydroxymethyl-17α-methyl-18-norandrosta-1,4,13-trien-3-one: a contribution to the fight against doping

Biological Chemistry ◽

10.1515/bc.2010.002 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 391 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Andy Zöllner ◽

Maria Kristina Parr ◽

Călin-Aurel Drăgan ◽

Stefan Dräs ◽

Nils Schlörer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cytochrome P450 ◽

Reference Material ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids ◽

Reference Substance ◽

Cytochrome P450 Enzymes ◽

Whole Cell ◽

In Doping ◽

Whole Cell Biotransformation ◽

Androgenic Steroids

AbstractAnabolic-androgenic steroids are some of the most frequently misused drugs in human sports. Recently, a previously unknown urinary metabolite of metandienone, 17β-hydroxymethyl-17α-methyl-18-norandrosta-1,4,13-trien-3-one (20OH-NorMD), was discovered via LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. This metabolite was reported to be detected in urine samples up to 19 days after administration of metandienone. However, so far it was not possible to obtain purified reference material of this metabolite and to confirm its structure via NMR. Eleven recombinant strains of the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombethat express different human hepatic or steroidogenic cytochrome P450 enzymes were screened for production of this metabolite in a whole-cell biotransformation reaction. 17,17-Dimethyl-18-norandrosta-1,4,13-trien-3-one, chemically derived from metandienone, was used as substrate for the bioconversion, because it could be converted to the final product in a single hydroxylation step. The obtained results demonstrate that CYP21 and to a lesser extent also CYP3A4 expressing strains can catalyze this steroid hydroxylation. Subsequent 5 l-scale fermentation resulted in the production and purification of 10 mg of metabolite and its unequivocal structure determination via NMR. The synthesis of this urinary metandienone metabolite viaS. pombe-based whole-cell biotransformation now allows its use as a reference substance in doping control assays.

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Development of a Standardized Microflow LC Gradient to Enable Sensitive and Long-Term Detection of Synthetic Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids for High-Throughput Doping Controls

Analytical Chemistry ◽

10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03392 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vivian Delcourt ◽

Patrice Garcia ◽

Isabelle Pottier ◽

Nasrine Mansoibou ◽

Nicolai Bache ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Throughput ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids ◽

Androgenic Steroids

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Long term perturbation of endocrine parameters and cholesterol metabolism after discontinued abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids

The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ◽

10.1016/j.jsbmb.2011.08.005 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 127 (3-5) ◽

pp. 295-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Nina Gårevik ◽

Emmanuel Strahm ◽

Mats Garle ◽

Jonas Lundmark ◽

Lars Ståhle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cholesterol Metabolism ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids ◽

Endocrine Parameters ◽

Androgenic Steroids

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P2545Long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in male weightlifters is associated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehz748.0873 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

R Abdullah ◽

A Bjornebekk ◽

L Dejgaard ◽

L Hauger ◽

T Edvardsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Left Ventricular Mass ◽

Systolic Function ◽

Left Ventricular Systolic Function ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Anabolic Androgenic Steroids ◽

Ventricular Systolic Function ◽

Ventricular Mass ◽

Androgenic Steroids

Abstract Background Illicit use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is widespread and has adverse psychological and cardiovascular effects. Few well-powered studies have explored the effect of long-term AAS-use on left ventricular systolic function. Purpose To explore the relationship between long-term use of AAS and left ventricular mass and systolic function. Methods We included male weightlifters with a history of >1 year of cumulative AAS-use and male weightlifters unexposed to AAS. We performed echocardiography in all and assessed left ventricular mass using 2D echocardiographic linear measurements and Cube formula, left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) ad modum Simpson, and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) by speckle-tracking echocardiography. Results We recruited 100 male weightlifters, 58 of whom were previous or current AAS-users with mean±SD AAS-use of 10.4±7.0 years, and 42 unexposed weightlifters. There were no difference in age (35.5±9.2 vs. 35.3±7.5 years, p=0.8) nor body mass index (BMI) (BMI 31.4±5.0 vs. 30.1±3.5, p=0.6) between AAS-exposed and unexposed weightlifters. Compared with unexposed weightlifters, AAS-exposed weightlifters demonstrated thicker interventricular septum (11.2±2.4 vs. 9.2±1.3 mm, p<0.001), thicker left ventricular posterior wall dimension (10.1±2.1 vs. 8.9±1.3 mm, p<0.001), and higher left ventricular mass index (99.7±25.4 vs. 78.4±12.1 g/m2, p<0.001). Both left ventricular EF and left ventricular GLS were decreased in AAS-exposed weightlifters compared with unexposed weightlifters (49±9 vs. 53±6%, p=0.02, and −15.6±2.6 vs. −18.3±2.1%, p<0.001) (Figure). Conclusion AAS use in male weightlifters was associated with increased left ventricular mass and impaired left ventricular systolic function. Our results suggest considerable adverse cardiac effects of AAS use, but the results need confirmation in prospective observational trials.

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