MONACO (AP) — The Florida teenager who beat Noah Lyles in a 100 meter race in April has been suspended for a positive doping test, track and field investigators said Friday.
The Athletics Integrity Unit said it issued 18-year-old Issam Asinga with a “notice of allegation” about a positive test for GW1516, a banned substance with a notorious reputation.
Asinga is provisionally suspended from competing while the AIU prosecutes the case.
Just two weeks ago, Asinga set an Under-20 world record of 9.89 seconds running for Suriname at the South American championships in Brazil. It was also a South American senior record.
Asinga made his reputation beating Lyles in April in a wind-assisted 9.83. Lyles is the world champion over 200 and a likely favorite also for the 100 title this month at the worlds in Budapest, Hungary.
The teenager also ran a sub-20 time in the 200 in April, clocking 19.97 at Lubbock, Texas. He reportedly has committed to attending college at Texas A&M.
GW1516 was developed to help build endurance and burn fat but failed medical trials when found to cause cancer during tests on rodents.
The World Anti-Doping Agency warned athletes in 2013 the substance was a toxic threat to health if used as a performance enhancer.
The AIU gave no timetable to process Asinga’s case.
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