90-year-old US cyclist fails doping test, stripped of record & title

A 90-year-old American cyclist has been stripped of a Masters title and record after returning a positive drugs test, the US Anti-Doping Agency has announced.

Carl Grove set a world record as he won the men’s 90-94 sprint category at the Masters Track National Championships in July of last year.

The veteran racer has said that contaminated meat was the reason behind the failed test submitted after the event, which identified the banned substance epitrenbolone.

In a statement released on Friday, USADA said Grove had accepted a public warning over the failed test. 

"Grove, 90, tested positive for epitrenbolone, which is a metabolite of the prohibited substance trenbolone, as the result of an in-competition urine sample he provided on July 11, 2018 after setting a world record at the Masters Track National Championships,” the statement read.

"During USADA's investigation into the circumstances of his case, Grove provided USADA with information which established that the source of his positive test was more likely than not caused by contaminated meat consumed the evening before competing on July 11, 2018.

“Prior to consuming the meat, Grove had tested negative for prohibited substances during an in-competition test on July 10, 2018.

"Since his positive sample was collected in-competition, Grove has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on July 11, 2018, the date his sample was collected."

READ MORE: US distance runner cleared of doping after ‘contaminated meat’ defense