Olympic Hopeful Sues Gatorade Over Doping Ban

An Olympic hopeful who was banned after ingesting “recovery gummies” made by Gatorade is suing the company that labeled the product “NSF Certified for Sport.”

According to Reuters, Surinamese sprinter Issamade Asinga filed a lawsuit against Gatorade on July 10 alleging his doping ban was caused by the contaminated “recovery gummies” the company manufactured and provided. In May, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) suspended Asinga for four years after the detection of cardarine. Inside Bodybuilding has reported that The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has cardarine on its list of prohibited substances.

The suspension stripped Asinga of his two South American Championship gold medals and his under-20 100-meter world record.

The paperwork was filed in Manhattan federal court stating that the sprinter said Gatorade provided gummies to him a year ago. The packaging claimed the product was “NSF Certified for Sport” and therefore free from banned substances. It claims that the gummies lacked the certification, and “had been made using shoddy manufacturing processes, and were contaminated with trace amounts of an illegal performance-enhancing drug.”

The sports drink company provided a statement to the media outlet.

“The product in question is completely safe and the claims made are false. Gatorade products are FDA compliant and safe for athlete consumption, which was validated by the findings of the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation.”

“Gatorade fully complied with the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation, including producing evidence that was accepted by the AIU that the gummies were not contaminated with the banned substance in their original ruling.”

The Washington Post reported that Gatorade honored Asinga as its high school track and field athlete of the year last July. He was given a gift basket that included Gatorade Recovery Gummies. Asinga alleges that the product is the reason he tested positive for the banned substance. He also accuses the company of taking measures to protect its reputation, while damaging his in the process.

He is asking to “recoup the millions of dollars he has lost in economic opportunities, as well as compensation for the devastating emotional harm he has suffered.”

The teenager feels he would have made millions based on his performance at the Olympics and not that opportunity is no longer there.