In a first-of-its-kind situation in CrossFit Games history, an Individual podium finisher has been disqualified and will lose his placement and prize money due to a positive test for banned substances (testolone and endurobol). Ricky Garard, 23, finished in third place overall in his first-ever Individual appearance at the 2017 Reebok CrossFit Games, held this year in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Australian athlete will have to forfeit his prize money along with finishes and prizes awarded after high individual event finishes. The sanction comes with a four-year ban.
The updated Men’s podium will now consist of:
1. Mathew Fraser
2. Brent Fikowski
3. Patrick Vellner
Both Fraser and Vellner finished on the podium in 2016 as well.
From the CrossFit Games’ website:
Garard, a 23-year-old from Australia, will lose the US$76,000 he’d won for his third-place overall finish and his first-place finishes in the Madison Triplet and Cyclocross events. He’s also been banned from participating in any CrossFit-sanctioned event through the 2021 season, and his invitation to compete in the 2017 Reebok CrossFit Invitational has been rescinded.
With Garard’s disqualification, Patrick Vellner becomes the third-place finisher of the 2017 Games.
The sample taken from Garard at the 2017 Games tested positive for testolone, and a beta-2 agonist known as endurobol.
CrossFit Games General Manager Justin Bergh commented that the situation was a first in Games history. The Reebok CrossFit Games — originally the CrossFit Games — began in 2007 and has since grown to be one of the fitness world’s premiere competitions. This year, portions of the Games were broadcast on CBS and live streamed on Facebook.
“The CrossFit Games have never had a top individual athlete test positive for PEDs until this case,” said Bergh in an article published on Games.CrossFit.com. “Historically, the most frequent causes for a failed test have been masters athletes failing to read and accept our policy for hormone replacement in competition, and individual and team athletes using supplements containing banned substances not found on labels. Garard’s case does not appear to be accidental, and we take this result very seriously.”
Ricky Garard stripped of his third-place title after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances: https://t.co/WZ8F9e9Wsk
— The CrossFit Games (@CrossFitGames) October 4, 2017
CrossFit requires all Games podium finishers be tested for performance-enhancing drugs. The organization also institutes both random and direct testing for its athletes throughout the year.
The announcement also indicates Masters athletes Tony Turski and Josée Sarda will also be disqualified for testing positive for banned substances.
Featured image: @rickygarard on Instagram