Last night, it came to light that Australian CrossFit Games athlete Ricky Garard, 23, had tested positive for banned substances, including testolone and endurobol. Testolone is a SARM, or selective androgen receptor modulator. SARMs are on WADA’s banned substance list, and have grown in usage for their anabolic, fat loss, and reduced muscle wasting properties.
Garard is now the first ever CrossFit Games podium finisher to be stripped of their medal and forfeit the prize money. He finished third in the individual men’s competition and will lose his $76,000 USD in total prize money. Additionally, Garard is now banned from formal CrossFit competition until the 2021 CrossFit season, along with having his 2017 CrossFit Reebok Invitational rescinded.
In a lengthy two Instagram posts, Garard shared his thoughts and reactions to the news that dropped last night. We’ve embedded the full two posts; check them out below.
“As you can appreciate my world has come crashing down, it is heart breaking & it’s hard to comprehend that I am in this position.
On the pursuit of becoming all I could be as a CrossFit athlete, I have obviously taken the rules & boundaries to the very edge. I looked into, researched & was willing to dabble into ways that could improve my performance legally & within the rules, with no intention whatsoever to be a cheat.
I was taking the same supplements at The CrossFit Games as I did at The Pacific Regionals. Therefore, I didn’t feel the need to change anything. I thought I was legitimately competing within the rules with no unfair advantage over others. But, after further investigation & very specific testing it has been revealed that my research has failed me & I have received a positive test for SARMS. To be clear these supplements were taken in tablet form with nothing ever injected. Everyone in life makes mistakes, it’s how you learn from them that separates the great from the mediocre. These actions don’t define me, this sport doesn’t define me.
It’s the lessons & growth of my character that truly matter. In time, I know this will be the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted the title, I wanted to win & I was willing to do everything in my power to achieve that goal. Not for one second should you take away the hard work, sacrifice & dedication of my efforts.
At 23 years old I have a lot of years left in my life, I have endured the process & I have become something because of it. In the end, I am apart of their sport, The CrossFit Games. They have rules, guidelines & policies to abide by. I have unintentionally fucked up, their evidence has proven me guilty & I will own my actions day by day for the rest of my life.
I really hope The CrossFit Games continues to tighten up their testing procedures, enforce the same level of strictness to all other competitors like they have to me & they continue to strive towards a legit drug free sport. It’s tough to be on the receiving end when I know and have seen other top athletes in the sport intentionally out smarting the system, getting away with it & ruining the integrity of the sport.
Because of this outcome I will learn a lot about myself, wipe my tears & be accountable for every single decision I make in this life. Ultimately that is what it means to be a man.
I am reminding myself that sometimes life seems to be destroying you when it’s actually saving you, time will only reveal what it’s saving me from?
Haters will hate, and that’s ok. They are entitled to express their insecurities to the world. I will focus & deal with what is within my control.
This news is heavy, it’s real, but I will get myself together and keep moving forward.
Sorry to anyone I have affected personally & sorry to anyone that is sharing my pain. I trust that the people closest to me will understand, remain loyal and be there to support me.
I am coming to terms that nothing will ever be given to me in life, I know how to earn it the hard way & I will do just that for whatever it is I pursue next.”
Feature image from @rickygarard Instagram page.