90-year-old US cyclist stripped of world record after drugs test

American Carl Grove, 90 years old, lost his age-group title and world record from the Masters Track Championships after failing an anti-doping test.

Grove's tested positive for epitrenbolone, which is a metabolite of the prohibited steroid trenbolone, in a urine sample taken after the individual pursuit on July 11. He had competed in the 90-94 age group on his own in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania. He won the title and with three minutes, 6.129 seconds, set the world record for his age group.

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said: "The source of his positive test was more likely than not caused by contaminated meat consumed the evening before competing."

The Bristol, Indiana, resident had not mentioned he had ate beef when he gave information to the agency to clear his name.

However, in the investigation, it was determined Grove had taken another banned substance, clomiphene, which is used to treat infertility in women.

Grove had handed over a list and details of the supplements that he used to USADA. A World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah, examined them and revealed that they contained traces of clomiphene.

USADA said that Grove "accepted a public warning" and that he "has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on July 11, 2018, the date his sample was collected."

The agency revealed that the day before, Grove passed the anti-doping test.

It follows other incidents in amateur cycling.

Early in 2018, USADA banned two master cyclists David Less, 56, and Craig Webb, 57, for two and four years respectively after they refused to provide samples to doping control officers.

In 2016, 19-year-old British junior time trial champion, Gabriel Evans received a suspension for three years and six months after admitting to taking EPO.