IM Texas Champion Rodriguez Hernandez Provisionally Suspended for Doping

The International Testing Agency (ITA) has today announced a provisional suspension of IRONMAN Texas champion Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez after he tested positive for clomifene.

The ITA stated that "a sample provided by Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez, a triathlete from Mexico, has returned an adverse analytical finding for clomifene (S4. Hormone and Metabolic Modulators).

The athlete has been notified of the case and has been provisionally suspended pursuant to Article 7.4.2 of the IRONMAN Anti-Doping Rules (IRONMAN ADR).

The athlete requested the opening and analysis of the B-sample, which confirmed the result of the A-sample."

Rodriguez Hernandez has appealed the provisional suspension. In a post on Instagram, Rodriguez Hernandez blamed the positive test on food contamination. "The presence of Clomiphene(sp) in my system is due to the inadvertent consumption of contaminated food, specifically eggs and chicken, which are abundant in my diet. These food contained traces of the substance, leading to the unexpected positive result."

Clomifene is most often used as a hormone modulator, and is most commonly prescribed to treat infertility in women, particularly those with polycystic ovary syndrome. In men, the drug can be used to stimulate natural testosterone production; it is popular amongst bodybuilders to maintain muscle mass, particularly when cycling off of other anabolic steroids. It is banned by WADA due to its effectiveness in regulating estrogen's impact on the body.

As it relates to Rodriguez Hernandez's defense, clomifene is sometimes used in poultry to stimulate egg production in laying hens, as outlined in a 2019 study posted to WADA's website.

The case has been referred to the International Hearing Panel for review, as required by IRONMAN's Anti-Doping Rules.

Rodriguez Hernandez was tested in-competition at IRONMAN Texas on April 27th. Rodriguez Hernandez won the race in dramatic fashion, running 2:34 to defeat Patrick Lange.