"Where are all these drugs in track coming from??"; "Unfortunate"- Fans in splits as World U20 100m record holder Issam Asinga faces a four-year ban

Suriname athlete Issam Asinga was handed a four-year ban by the Athletics Integrity unit after being provisionally suspended for testing positive for GW1516. This attracted a lot of attention from fans.

The 19-year-old rose to fame at the 2023 South American Championships, where set an U20 100m world record by clocking 9.89 seconds.

On July 18, 2023, Issam Asinga tested positive for Metabolites, which was later confirmed to be GW1516, a substance registered on WADA's banned list. On August 9, 2023, he was provisionally banned from the sport, which eventually culminated in his four-year ban on May 27, 2024. All his results since July 18, 2023, will be disqualified, invalidating his national titles and world record.

There was a mixed reaction from fans towards the news of Asinga's Some track fans felt that the decision was fair, whereas others expressed disheartenment to hear about Asinga's track career facing the hardest blow so early.

One fan questioned the existence of so many banned substances track athletes are being tested positive for.

"Where are all these drugs in track coming from?" the fan said.

Another fan showed concern over the Asinga facing a ban before even starting his professional or college career.

"Damnnnn. imagine getting banned for doping before you could start your professional or even college career," the fan wrote.

One fan called his doping ban at 19 years old as unfortunate.

"Being banned for doping @ 19 is something else, unfortunate," the fan said.

Here are some of the other reactions by X users:

"I said it from January enuh… this year in Tracks gonna be wild one," a fan commented.

"Holy sh**…," another fan tweeted.

"Good," one fan stood in support.

Issam Asinga issues statement on his ban

Following the decision by the Athletics Integrity Unit, Asinga placed his statement to prove himself innocent. He spoke about an incident in 2023 where he consumed Gatorade recovery gummies which were a part of a gift package he received. Asinga said that the gummies were contaminated with GW1516.

"Sadly, in 2023 while I was still a high school senior, Pepsico gave me a Gatorade gift package which contained Gatorade Recovery Gummies, displaying the industry-approved NSF Certified for Sport logo. The containers given to me were later tested at a WADA-accredited laboratory which identified that the product given to me was contaminated with GW1516, the same substance I tested positive for in trace amounts," Issam Asinga said.

Asinga also said that he would appeal the Athletics Integrity Unit's decision:

"I will appeal this decision and remain steadfast in proving my innocence and telling the true story," the 19-year-old said.

Issam Asinga is currently ranked 349th in the overall world rankings from World Athletics.