Why Roderick Townsend winning gold at the 2024 Paralympics is controversial? All about American athlete's doping drama

Roderick Townsend is one of the most decorated Paralympic athletes, having won three straight Olympic titles in men's high jump T47, the last one being at the 2024 Paralympics. Townsend has two Olympic titles in the long jump competition as well.

While Townsend has won four Paralympic gold medals, his last victory at the 2024 Paralympics has been marred with doping allegations. The 32-year-old had failed a doping test for the growth hormone stimulator capromorelin in November last year but was later cleared to compete by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist claimed that the source of his positive drug test was a pet medication he had administered to his dog Winnie. Townsend explained that the syringe he used to administer the medication to Winnie, he had used the same to take vitamin supplements for himself. USADA accepted his explanation and allowed him to compete.

However, research by the ARD Doping team revealed that social media posts showed Roderick Townsend working with former bodybuilder Justin King, who is believed to be a supporter of growth hormones and steroids, before testing positive. It is also reported that the American athlete had previously worked at a company advertising therapy with growth hormone stimulators.

USADA CEO Travis Tygart claimed that they were aware of Townsend's relationship with King.

“That isn't necessarily fair to infer on someone when all the other evidence in the case, you know, points to a different direction,” said the USADA CEO. (via Sportschau)

While Townsend hasn't spoken about the matter in public, he jumped an impressive 2.12m in the high jump finals at the Paris Olympics to win the gold medal. In the long jump T47 finals, he fell short of the podium, finishing fourth with 6.89m.

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Roderick Townsend calls himself ‘showman’ after winning gold at Paralympics 2024

Para Athletics - Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games: Day 4 - Source: Getty

Roderick Townsend is arguably the greatest high jumper in the history of T47 competition. He holds the world record in the event and has now won his third straight Olympic title in the event, following which he called himself a showman.

Townsend is a ‘showman’ indeed with an outgoing personality like Noah Lyles. The 32-year-old had his hair colored in a design similar to Picasso’s painting, and while no other athlete jumped above the 2m mark, the American was going for a world record of 2.17m before settling at 2.12m.

“I’m a showman. Had they been out there booing me? I’d probably still be jumping,” Townsend said. (via Guardian)

Roderick Townsend also said that he wanted his top rival Nishad Kumar to win as many silver medals as possible after the Indian jumped 1.98m for second place in Paris. He had won the silver behind the American athlete at the Tokyo Paralympics as well.