USADA announced today that Crystal Riggs, of Camarillo, Calif., an athlete in the sport of weightlifting, has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted a six-month sanction for her violation. Riggs, 27, tested positive for the prohibited substance furosemide as a result of an in-competition urine sample she provided on May 7, 2016, at the USA Weightlifting National Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. Furosemide is a substance in the class of Diuretics and Masking Agents that is prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing (the Protocol), the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) National Anti-Doping Policies (USOC NADP), and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

After a thorough review of the case, including Riggs’ medical records, USADA has accepted her explanation that the furosemide was a prescribed medication she was taking in a therapeutic dose under the care of a qualified physician, however without a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Riggs’ period of ineligibility began on June 10, 2016, the date she accepted a provisional suspension. In addition, Riggs has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to May 7, 2016, the date her positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

• This media release was originally published by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on 12 August 2016. To access the original, please click here.