Two more athletes tested positive for PEDs at the 2021 CrossFit Games, CrossFit officially announced.
Bernard Luzi, 1st place finisher in the Masters Men 50-54 division, and George Simonds-Gooding, 2nd place finisher in the Men Neuromuscular division, both provided samples that contained banned substances. Both athletes are appealing their case.
Three weeks ago, both Nick Bloch and Stephanie Roy announced through their Instagram accounts they were informed of failed drug tests from the Games. Both athletes are also appealing the findings.
“I was wrong. No story to tell. No pity post to justify my carelessness,” Luzi wrote* on Instagram. “I have a responsibility to know what is in every pre-workout, supplement, medicine I give my body. But I have failed just as much as those who prescribed them have failed.
Bernard Luzi is an Italian CrossFit athlete who started practicing the sport in 2012. He’s a four-time CrossFit Games athlete, his best finish before the 2021 Games was 4th in 2019 in the Men (45-49) division.
George Simonds-Gooding has not yet released a statement about the breach.
If the drug breaches are upheld, all athletes could face a four-year ban from CrossFit Games events, be disqualified from the competition, and be required to return any awards and prize money.
So far, five athletes have failed their CrossFit Games in-competition drug tests. Before the start of competition, Brazil’s Fittest Woman Larissa Cunha announced she tested positive for Ostarine, a PED, and would miss the competition. She has since confirmed two of the supplements she was taking were contaminated.
Four team athletes were also found in breach of CrossFit’s Drug Policy in the leadup to the Games:
- Deshawn Smith from Invictus Unconquerable tested positive for GW1516
- Katie Christian from MoveFastLiftHeavy provided a urine sample that contained synthetic forms of endogenous anabolic androgenic steroids
- Ray and Ashleigh Fleser from Ocean State’s Finest provided “samples that contained prohibited substances”
- Janelle Stites from team On Track had her ban from USADA recognised by CrossFit
Bernard Luzi responds to failed drug test
I was wrong.
No story to tell.
No pity post to justify my carelessness.
I tested positive for a banned substance during the Games. This communication devastated me.
Over the years, my job has been to compete. As a professional athlete, I have to be aware and conscious of everything I do for my preparation, from training to nutrition.
I have a responsibility to know what is in every pre-workout, supplement, medicine I give my body. But I have failed just as much as those who prescribed them have failed.
I am a man before I am an athlete. And what happened proves it.
Those who know me know that I would never have jeopardised such an important and sacrificially sought result by taking a substance that would have undermined my fitness.
I will respect any decision made by CrossFit after the closure of the appeal process.
I apologise to all those I have disappointed and who have always believed in me, starting with my mother, sister and daughters.
I release all my sponsors from what has happened.
Today I have lost the trust of my coach, my team and all those who saw me as a true athlete.
The official news can be found on games.CrossFit.com.
I now await the review of the required documentation.
*Translated from Italian with www.DeepL.com/Translator
Original post
Ho sbagliato.
Nessuna storia da raccontare.
Nessun commiserevole post per giustificare la mia leggerezza.
Sono risultato positivo ad una sostanza vietata durante i Games. Questa comunicazione mi ha devastato.
In questi anni il mio lavoro è stato competere. Come atleta professionista, devo essere consapevole e cosciente di tutto quello che faccio per la mia preparazione, dall’allenamento all’alimentazione.
Ho la responsabilità di sapere cosa sia presente in ogni pre-workout, integratore, medicinale che somministro al mio corpo. Ma ho fallito come ha fallito chi me li ha prescritti.
Sono un uomo prima che un atleta. E quanto accaduto lo dimostra.
Chi mi conosce sa che non avrei mai compromesso un risultato così importante e cercato con sacrificio, assumendo una sostanza che avrebbe minato la mia idoneità.
Rispetterò ogni decisione che verrà presa da CrossFit dopo la chiusura della procedura di ricorso avviata.
Chiedo scusa a tutti coloro che ho deluso e che hanno sempre creduto in me, a partire da mia madre, mia sorella e le mie figlie.
Esulo ,da ciò che è accaduto ,tutti i miei sponsors.
Oggi ho perso la fiducia del mio Coach, del mio team e di tutti quelli che hanno visto in me un vero atleta.
La notizia ufficiale la trovate su games.CrossFit.com
Ora attendo la revisione della documentazione richiesta.
Image Sources
- 2021-CrossFit-Games-positive-drug-tests: Photos courtesy of CrossFit Inc.