U.S. Cycling Athlete Daniel Summerhill Accepts Sanction for Anti-Doping Rule Violation
Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 31) USADA announced today that Daniel Summerhill, of Centennial, Colo., an athlete in the sport of cycling, has accepted a one-year period of ineligibility for an anti-doping rule violation.
Summerhill, 33, tested positive for amphetamine as the result of an in-competition urine sample he provided at the Birmingham Hammerfest on August 14, 2021. Amphetamine is a Non-Specified substance in the class of Stimulants and is prohibited in-competition under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies, and the Union Cycliste Internationale Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.
Summerhill’s violation resulted from his use of a medication which he used under the care of his physician to treat a diagnosed medical condition. Summerhill has since been granted a TUE to authorize his continued use of the stimulant medication.
Athletes are advised that the use of a substance or medication out-of-competition, that is prohibited only in-competition, may result in an anti-doping rule violation if the prohibited substance is still present in their body when tested at a competition. If an athlete needs to use a medication prohibited in-competition, and they are nearing a competition, they are strongly encouraged to contact USADA to learn if they need a TUE.
Because Summerhill was previously in a Whereabouts pool, he is considered a national level athlete and previously received education about TUEs, making the minimum sanction in this case one year.
Summerhill’s one-year period of ineligibility began on September 2, 2021, the date his provisional suspension was imposed. In addition, Summerhill has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to August 14, 2021, the date his positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.