Athletes will do anything to reach the pinnacle of their sport. Kids as young as twelve begin training and dieting like Olympic-level athletes in pursuit of excellence. It’s even typical for young athletes to start incorporating supplements or consuming protein shakes to account for the increase in training and boost recovery. Regrettably, some young athletes fall prey to coaches and adults who prioritize success over fair play. They exploit the enthusiasm of young athletes by introducing unethical methods to improve performance by intentionally or unintentionally providing them with performance-enhancing drugs.
The escalating incidence of doping among minors in sports has reached a concerning level. According to research conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Operation Refuge reported a staggering 1,518 positive tests involving 1,416 minors since 2012. Diuretics, stimulants, and anabolic steroids emerged as the most frequently detected substances among minors.
Abby Raymond, an Olympic weightlifter for Team USA and a two-time Youth National Champion, shared her harrowing experience with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in 2019. At the tender age of 14, Raymond started climbing the National landscape and began integrating protein powder and pre-workout into her diet supplied by a company operated by a family friend.
Not soon after, Raymond broke two American records at the American Open and was feeling excited about the progress she had been making. But the feeling was short-lived. Just one day after the meet, Raymond tested positive for Ostarine, a classified selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM).
“Knowing that the supplement that was contaminated came from somebody that I trusted showed me that even if you trust the person, you can’t always trust the product,” Raymond shared with USADA.
SARMs are primarily used in bodybuilding to enhance muscle synthesis and strength, reduce fatigue, and promote protein synthesis without causing fat gain or water retention. It remains an investigational drug, banned by the US FDA but is sometimes found as a contamination in dietary supplements, particularly those marketed for bodybuilding.
Since supplements are not as rigorously regulated as pharmaceutical drugs, it is more common for these kinds of products to be tampered with and contain unlisted or banned substances.
This kind of disturbing contamination happens to athletes competing worldwide. A major controversy erupted during the last Winter Olympics, focusing on young Russian female skater Kamila Valieva.
At just 15 years old, Valieva received the gold medal in women’s singles skating despite having tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine six weeks before competing in  Beijing.
Trimetazidine is a medication typically used to treat angina (chest pain) and other heart-related conditions. It is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List because it can improve endurance and efficiency of the heart, potentially providing an unfair advantage in endurance sports.
“I think you have to have a lot of sympathy. This is a 15-year-old girl who was part of this [Russian doping] program. Who do you blame?” shared Travis Tygart, head of the USADA in an interview with NPR.
The precise reasons why Valieva was given trimetazidine have not been fully disclosed and remains a matter of controversy and investigation. Her attorney argues she was accidentally contaminated by her grandfather, who is prescribed for heart-related issues. Potential hearings are likely to delve deeper into the possibility of inadvertent ingestion and the roles of coaches, medical staff, and other individuals involved in Valieva’s training and care.
Moreover, Valieva’s classification as a “Protected Person” under WADA plays a significant role, giving her additional consideration due to her age and level of responsibility.
“The doping of children is unforgivable. Doctors, coaches or other support personnel who are found to have provided performance-enhancing substances to minors should face the full force of the World Anti-Doping Code,” WADA shared in a statement around the time of Valieva’s trial—even stating that they encourage governments to pass legislation (as some have done already) to make the doping of minors a criminal offense.
In light of these troubling cases, it is imperative that the sports community prioritize the protection of young athletes. Coaches, parents, and all responsible adults must be vigilant about the supplements and products given to minors. To ensure young athletes consume safe products, the USADA recommends that athletes use supplements certified by NSF Certified for Sport®, Informed Choice and other resources to reduce risk.
For more information on safe supplements for athletes, visit the USADA website, which has additional resources and recommendations.
Written by Jessie Tobin, MA, BA
After receiving her master’s in professional communication, Jessie began her professional career at a healthcare technology startup, where she managed all content writing, paid media, email marketing and partner relationships. She is deeply passionate about using storytelling to build strong emotional connections between brands and their audiences, a skill she has refined through her YouTube channel, which has over 17 million views. Aside from copywriting, she shares her writing expertise teaching night courses as an adjunct professor at The University of Tampa.