A masters cyclist in his 50s has received a four-year ban from racing after an anti doping investigation found he had used or attempted to use 10 banned drugs.

Vahe Aivazian (52), Woodland Hills, California, accepted
a four-year ban after initially fighting the case. He accepted the ban the day
before an arbitration process was about to start, the US Anti Doping Agency
said (USADA).

“An essential part of an effective of an anti-doping
program is to work closely with athletes, coaches, and others in sport and
elsewhere who want clean and fair competition and to thoroughly investigate and
act on credible evidence of doping violations,” said USADA chief executive
Travis T Tygart.

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“It’s a team effort and we need those who value clean
sport to stand up, as this case demonstrates the fight for clean sport is
stronger when we work together to protect clean athletes.”

USADA received information that  Mr Aivazian “purchased products containing
five different prohibited substances”. And in January and February of this year
it came into additional information that he had possessed and used or attempted
to use five additional banned substances.

The products included anabolic steroids and growth hormones
and the scheduled of 10 banned products at the centre of the case are listed
below.

Mr  Aivazian’s four-year ban began on April 7th, 2021, the date on which he accepted the sanction. All of his results in races from June 16^th, 2010, when he first used banned products, are nullified.

10 banned products in case

• Testosterone – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents
• Nandrolone – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – a Non-Specified Substance in the category of Anabolic Agents
• Somatropin (hGH) – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics
• Ipamorelin – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics
• GHRP-6 – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics
• CJC-1295 – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics
• IGF-1 – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics
• Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – a Non-Specified Substance in the class of Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics
• Anastrozole – a Specified Substance in the class of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators