Powerlifting Athlete William Porter Receives Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
USADA announced today that William Porter of New Braunfels, Texas, an athlete in the sport of powerlifting, has received a two-year sanction for an anti-doping rule violation.
“This case demonstrates the importance of Powerlifting America’s commitment to a robust anti-doping program with USADA, and the need to safeguard both athletes and the sport,” said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart. “The program will give athletes the knowledge and tools they need to compete clean, while also ensuring that those who choose to use performance-enhancing substances to get a competitive advantage are held accountable.”
Porter, 38, tested positive for an anabolic agent as the result of an in-competition urine sample collected on January 27, 2024 at the 2024 Powerlifting America Bench Press National Championships, where he declared the use of testosterone during sample collection. USADA was contracted by event organizers to conduct testing and results management for the event and collected Porter’s sample in accordance with the WADA International Standard for Testing.
Porter’s urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test known as Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), which is capable of measuring the carbon isotope ratio of urinary steroids and confirming their synthetic origin—in this case, testosterone or its precursors. IRMS is a powerful tool that unequivocally differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and AAS of synthetic origin. Anabolic agents like testosterone have powerful performance-enhancing capabilities and can give an athlete an unfair advantage over fellow competitors.
All AAS are Non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and are prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Powerlifting Federation Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
After investigating, USADA determined that Porter was taking testosterone at the direction of a physician but lacked a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Under the USADA TUE Policy, an athlete has the responsibility to demonstrate that the therapeutic need to treat an acute or chronic medical condition satisfies the strict criteria within the WADA International Standard for TUEs (ISTUE). Although the substance was taken at the direction of a physician, Porter chose not to pursue a TUE. Under the applicable rules, Porter was eligible for a reduction from the default period of ineligibility based on the specific circumstances of his case.
Porter’s two-year period of ineligibility began on February 16, 2024, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Porter has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and after January 27, 2024, the date of his positive test, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
