Cowboy Wrestling: Fix Receives One Year Sanction After Testing Positive for Banned Substance
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State wrestler Daton Fix received some bad news on Tuesday as he was handed a one-year sanction by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for the banned substance ostarine on Jan. 22, 2020.
The testing was conducted outside of competition during Fix's Olympic redshirt year.
According to the release, ostarine is a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the United World Wrestling Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
The panel found that Fix ingested ostarine by drinking from a water bottle, which contained a supplement mixture as well as ostarine that his father had prepared for himself but left in the family’s refrigerator. Fix explained he was unaware that his father had added ostarine to the supplement mixture.
However, the AAA panel determined that Fix didn't intend to ingest the substance, nor was he intending to "enhance his athletic performance." Therefore he received a three-year reduction to his ineligibility period beginning on Feb. 10, 2020 and will run until the same date in 2021.
“I appreciate the panel’s thorough review of Daton’s case, which clearly showed he did not intentionally violate anti-doping rules,” Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith said. “I have known Daton since he was very young and I know that purposely taking a banned substance is not something he would do.”
“I would never knowingly take an illegal substance to improve my performance,” Fix said. “We have our resolution so now I can move forward with a clear goal to work toward. I’m thankful for the support of Coach Smith and everyone at Oklahoma State during this time and look forward to making them proud.”
Fix was great as a true freshman for the Cowboys in the 2018-19 season as he went 34-2 and made it all the way to nationals and the 133 finals where he finished runner-up. It's unclear if this suspension will have any affect on his upcoming collegiate season.
