Jan 29, 2015Positive Drug Test Removes Title
Louisiana State University has an illustrious history in women’s track and field. The Lady Tigers won 14 NCAA Division I Outdoor team championships from 1987 to 2008, and the squad added to that total in June, when it narrowly edged out Oregon to capture the 2012 crown. But LSU has now been forced to vacate the title due to one of its athletes testing positive for a banned stimulant.
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According to a release posted last Friday by the school, sprinter Semoy Hackett tested positive for a stimulant called Methylhexaneamine. As a result, the team will vacate the championship, and the 4×100-meter relay team that Hackett was a member of will also return its award.
Methylhexaneamine, which is found in many nasal decongestants, has been on the NCAA’s banned substances list since the 2011-12 season. It increases blood pressure and heart rate, but according to Greg Wells, a kinesiology professor at the University of Toronto, it’s only “slightly more powerful than a cup of coffee.”
Hackett addressed the incident in a news release. “I want to express my apologies to my coaches, my teammates, LSU and our fans,” she said. “Although this was unintentional, I’m deeply sorry this will have such a negative impact on my team and LSU.”
The sprinter is not the only athlete who has faced disciplinary action as a result of the substance. Marcus Stroman, a pitching prospect for the Toronto Blue Jays, was suspended for 50 games by Major League Baseball earlier this year after he tested positive for it.
Patrick Bohn is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning.
