Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports Announces First North American HGH Positive Test

Strategic Insights -

Matt Socholotiuk, a 5-foot-9, 247-pound running back from Waterford, Ont., has become the first athlete in North America to test positive for human growth hormone (HGH), a new twist in an ongoing drug saga. The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) announced that Socholotiuk, who was slapped with a three-year ban, was informed of his positive test and chose to appeal, but failed to show for his hearing on August 16. The CCES suspects that HGH has been abused by certain athletes in an effort to cheat, and the positive test result confirms these suspicions.

Key Takeaways:

  • Matt Socholotiuk, a University of Waterloo football player, became the first athlete in North America to test positive for human growth hormone (HGH).
  • The CCES suspects that HGH has been abused by certain athletes in an effort to cheat, and the positive test result confirms these suspicions.
  • The Waterloo football team underwent 62 drug tests in late March, resulting in nine adverse results, including four players identified and sanctioned by the CCES.
  • The CCES considers a refusal to take a drug test a positive result, and one player, Brandon Krukowski, was given a four-year ban for refusing to take a test.
  • Long-term side effects from HGH have been commonly reported as muscle, bone and joint pain, and diabetes.
  • The CFL's new drug-testing policy, which takes effect next season, will test athletes for HGH, and the league will absorb the cost of the tests, approximately $800 per athlete.
  • The CCES is calling for more testing and education, especially at the high school level, and for professional sports leagues to adopt the World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines and begin testing for HGH.

Statistics:

  • 9 out of 62 drug tests done on the University of Waterloo football team in late March resulted in adverse results.
  • 4 players, including Matt Socholotiuk, were identified and sanctioned by the CCES for testing positive for HGH.
  • The CFL will absorb the cost of HGH tests, approximately $800 per athlete, starting next season.
  • 4 players received suspensions for testing positive for HGH: Matt Socholotiuk (3 years), Aubrey Jesseau (2 years), Brandon Krukowski (4 years), and Spencer Zimmerman-Cryer (1 year).
  • The CCES has suspected that HGH has been abused by certain athletes for several years, with one laboratory confirming the presence of the substance in an athlete's blood or urine sample.

Sources:

  • Paul Melia, president and CEO of the CCES
  • Dr. Christiane Ayotte, director of the Montreal detection lab
  • Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES)
  • Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
  • Waterloo athletic department
  • CFL
  • World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)