How Does Drug Testing Work at the Olympics? Details About Anti-Doping

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After Team USA athlete Stephen Nedoroscik casually revealed he was pulled for a drug test following his now-iconic pommel horse routine during the 2024 Paris Olympics, Us Weekly is asking (and answering) the question — how does drug testing work for Olympians?

“It took three hours after that competition for me to even check my phone, because right afterwards, of course, with how drug testing works out here, I got chosen,” Nedoroscik told GQ on August 4, revealing that he was unaware of his recent viral fame. (The internet has since become obsessed with Nedoroscik, calling him Clark Kent because of his signature glasses.)

What seemed like a throwaway comment from Nedoroscik has started to raise questions about the drug testing protocols for athletes in the Olympics. (And reminded Us of when Sha’Carri Richardson received a one-month suspension ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and unable to participate in the Games after testing positive for THC which indicated marijuana use. The use of Marijuana is still prohibited for Olympic athletes.)

Keep scrolling for everything to know about drug tests and the Olympics:

Is Doping Banned at the Olympics?

Similar to other sports, the use of performance-enhancing drugs — otherwise known as doping — has been banned at the Olympics. In 1999, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was created to lead the battle against doping in sports.

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Does Every Olympic Athlete Get Drug Tested?

Stephen Nedoroscik Julian Finney/Getty Images

For the U.S. specifically, any athlete who is “participating at an event or competition sanctioned” by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee will be drug tested. Per the United States Anti-Doping Agency, there are both in-competition and out-of-competition drug tests for athletes.

Are Olympic Drug Tests Random?

In-competition tests have guidelines that are previously discussed before certain events. For example, the top three finishers could be tested along with randomly selected athletes who placed lower.

How Does a Drug Test Work?

The athlete is notified and accompanied by a doping control officer. They will either be tested through urine or a blood test. The completed test is sent to the lab and the results are revealed after thorough analysis.

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Have Olympians Gotten Caught Doping After a Drug Test?

Yes, the list of Olympians who have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs is rather large. The first positive test for the Summer Olympics goes as far back as 1968. For the Winter Olympics, the first athlete caught doping came in 1972.

For the 2024 Paris Olympics specifically, only two athletes — Iraq’s Sajjad Sehen and Nigeria’s Cynthia Ogunsemilore — were disqualified after positive drug tests.