HS Swimmer Gets Six-Month Drug Ban

Jack Casey, a member of the Hauppauge High School swim team, has accepted a six-month suspension from USA Swimming events and practices after testing positive for a banned substance, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced on July 26. The sanction, which became effective on March 22, will not affect Casey's status with his high school team, a state official said.

Casey, 17, tested positive for Anastrozole in a urine sample he provided at the AT&T Winter Nationals on Dec. 1, the anti-doping agency said. Casey had a doctor's prescription for the substance, a USADA representative said, but was suspended because he did not secure a required exemption.

The Casey family declined to comment.

New York State Public High School Athletic Association executive director Robert Zayas said in a text message that there is no state rule that would affect Casey's participation with Hauppauge's varsity swim team during the regular season, which begins in November. Casey's suspension will have expired by the time of the state tournament, Zayas said.

Casey won the Suffolk County 100-yard breaststroke title last season as a junior and finished second in the same event at the state championships.

The USADA representative said that among other effects, Anastrozole is a masking agent used to prevent the unwanted physiological side effects from taking anabolic steroids and may indirectly increase muscle development by increasing circulating blood testosterone levels.

"Although the substance was taken at the direction of a physician, the World Anti-Doping Code requires athletes to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) before using a prohibited substance," the USADA statement said. "Casey no longer has a need for the prescribed medication and, therefore, no TUE is necessary moving forward."

"In some situations, an athlete may have an illness or condition that requires the use of medication listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List," the USADA website said. "USADA can grant a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) in these situations in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard for TUEs. The TUE application process is thorough and designed to balance the need to provide athletes access to critical medication while protecting the rights of clean athletes to complete on a level playing field."

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