U.S. Weightlifting Athlete Robert Ortiz Accepts Sanction for Second Anti-Doping Rule Violation

USADA announced today that Robert Ortiz, of Brockport, N.Y., an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, has accepted a 12-month suspension for his second anti-doping rule violation. He accepted a 16-month sanction in 2018 for his first violation following a positive in-competition test for the stimulant 1,4‐dimethylpentylamine.

 

Ortiz, 28, tested positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (Carboxy-THC), a urinary metabolite of. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, marijuana, and/or hashish, above the urinary Decision Limit of 180 ng/mL, as a result of a urine sample collected in competition at the American Open Series 1 on March 5, 2020. Cannabis, marijuana, and hashish are Specified Substances in the class of Cannabinoids and are prohibited

in competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Policy, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

 

Ortiz accepted a 12-month period of ineligibility that began on March 5, 2020, the date his positive sample was collected. Based on Ortiz’s successful completion of anti-doping education, his period of ineligibility was reduced by six months. In addition, Ortiz has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on and subsequent to March 5, 2020, including forfeiture of any medals, points

and prizes.