Olympic Runner Shelby Houlihan Banned After Positive Steroid Test – Claims Pork Burrito Caused False Positive

Olympic runner Shelby Houlihan has been handed a four-year ban from the sport after testing positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone. The 28-year-old athlete, who has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, believes the positive test result was caused by a pork burrito she consumed before the drug test.

The Controversial Positive Test

Houlihan received the devastating news from the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on January 14, 2021, informing her that a drug test she took on December 15, 2020, had returned positive for nandrolone, a synthetic anabolic steroid. The positive test has led to her suspension from the upcoming US Olympic Trials and the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In an emotional Instagram post, Houlihan revealed that she was shocked by the results, saying she had never heard of nandrolone before receiving the notification. She explained that after extensive research and consultations, she and her team traced the positive test to a burrito she had purchased from a local Mexican food truck in Beaverton, Oregon. The burrito, which contained pig organ meat (offal), could have led to the presence of nandrolone in her system, as certain pigs naturally produce this chemical.

Scientific Support and Legal Battle

Houlihan’s claim is not entirely without merit. A study funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has found that trace amounts of nandrolone can indeed be found in certain types of pig meat, particularly organ meats, raising the possibility of false positives in drug tests.

Despite this, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Houlihan’s explanation and upheld the AIU’s decision to impose a four-year ban. Houlihan, who has passed a polygraph test and submitted a hair sample to demonstrate her innocence, expressed her deep frustration and heartbreak over the ruling.

“I feel completely devastated, lost, broken, angry, confused, and betrayed by the very sport that I’ve loved and poured myself into just to see how good I was,” Houlihan wrote. She has adamantly denied ever taking performance-enhancing substances and insists that the nandrolone detected in her system was not the result of intentional doping.

Reaction from the Athletic Community

Houlihan’s coach, Jerry Schumacher, has publicly criticized the AIU and WADA, accusing them of treating Houlihan unfairly. Schumacher pointed out that the organizations were aware of the potential for false positives from pork consumption but still chose to ban the runner.

In response, the AIU stated that it “applies the World Anti-Doping Code equally to athletes from all over the world.” They emphasized that Houlihan’s case was thoroughly reviewed by a three-member panel at CAS, which made its decision after considering evidence and arguments from both sides.

A Dream Shattered

For Houlihan, the ban represents the end of her Olympic dreams—dreams she has held since she started running at the age of 5. Despite the setback, she remains passionate about the sport.

“I believe in the sport and pushing your body to the limit just to see where the limit is,” Houlihan said. “I’m not interested in cheating. I do this because I love it. I have so much fun doing it, and it’s always the best part of my day.”

As the news of her ban spreads, the debate over the fairness of the ruling and the potential for false positives in drug testing continues to divide opinions in the athletic community.