CAN AN ATHLETE TEST POSITIVE FROM USING DIETARY / NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS?
The answer is YES.
Extreme caution is recommended regarding supplement use.
The use of dietary supplements by athletes is a concern because in many countries the manufacturing and labelling of supplements may not follow strict rules, which may lead to a supplement containing an undeclared substance that is prohibited under anti-doping regulations.
A significant number of positive tests have been attributed to the misuse of supplements and taking a poorly labelled dietary supplement is not an adequate defence in a doping hearing.
Athletes are responsible to check what they put into their bodies and should refer to IWWF’s Anti-Doping page for a current list of prohibited substances. Athletes can also search the internet using the search phrase “WADA advice on supplements” where there is a huge amount of information from many sources.