EPO

7/30 Update: A more complete story is still forthcoming, but DA asked me to post this fuller apology in the meantime.

Last week, I announced on NYVelocity.com that I had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Since then, I have heard words of support from friends and former teammates, as well as some rather pointed comments directed toward me personally, and an even greater amount of unfounded speculation toward my former team, my coaches, and those close to me. To everyone – to the BH Garneau/ComedyCentral team and sponsors, to CRCA, to race organizers, to my competitors, to my coaches, and to my friends – I want to make a sincere, unconditional apology for my actions and for the negative impact it has had on you and this sport. I want to be very explicit that I acted alone, and without the knowledge or complicity of others.

The reactions and comments to my admission have been varied, but nearly all of them have asked the right questions: how did this happen, who knew, when did it start, and why? Those affected by my actions have a right to know the answers to these questions, and I have tried to be as forthcoming with these details as possible. First, I have supplied explicit details of my case to USADA concerning from whom the PEDs were procured and how they were administered, and have spoken at length with CEO Travis Trygart and the USADA staff. I have been working with a former teammate (and full-time journalist) known to many in the local peloton on a full and objective accounting of the details of my case – including timing and usage – and intend to release this for broader distribution on NYVelocity.com in the coming days. One thing that you will not see in my accounting, however, is a roadmap for how I doped–the last thing I want is to provide guidance on how to go down this destructive path.

As for the “why”, many readers and anonymous commenters have made suggestions as to my motivations; some of the comments fair, and others not. The “why” is something that ultimately I alone will have to answer. The objective reality is that it is an extremely empty and damaging experience all around. To be clear, I am not asking for understanding or forgiveness for my actions. During my two-year suspension from racing, I will work with USADA and racing clubs to educate cyclists about the dangers for those racers tempted to begin doping, as well as a pathway out for those who want to break free of the same destructive cycle that I allowed myself to slip into. Once again, I sincerely and deeply apologize to all those that my actions have hurt.

Original posting:

On May 20th David Anthony won the men’s 45-9 division in the Gran Fondo New York, and was subjected to a drug test. His A sample came up positive for EPO. The B sample results were pending. David has decided to stop contesting the test and confess. Here is a statement from David. We’ll get the full story up soon.

Statement from DA

There is no easy way to say this — I was using ways to improve my performance that were cheating. This was something that I alone did, and I take responsibility for it. My team, coaches and friends had absolutely no knowledge or participation in this.

Two things happened recently that put into prospective just how off the deep end I was. The first was that I tested positive for EPO at the Gran Fondo. A week and a half after that I broke my leg in three places in a racing accident. For the first time in years, I was completely off the bike. These two things gave me the perspective to examine just how insane I was acting. The reality is I became obsessed with racing, and maybe even more, with being a part of something. It took these external forces to literally knock me off the bike and out of the ridiculous place I allowed myself to get into. I don’t say this as an excuse; only to say what was going on.

I’ve really let this community down, and I feel terrible about that. I counted many of you as friends, and you deserved a lot better.

We’ll have more soon, I promise that we’ll be open and honest. The BH/Comedy Central team apologizes to the community for results unfairly taken, and for not catching this sooner despite the many warning signs that we now recognize in retrospect.

Andy Shen