United States Anti Doping Ageny (USADA) in partnership with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) announced today that 53 year-old amateur cyclist Vahe Aivazian, from the Southern California has been caught and banned from the sport for a period of four-years after using 10 banned substances.

The American’s ban started 7 April 2021, and all results from 16 June 2010 forward have been nullified, along with the forced forfeiture of medals, points, prizes and championship jerseys.

Yes, it seems this guy is a real dope.

The anti doping agencies were tipped-off by other cyclists and discovered that Aivazian possessed and used and/or attempted to use 10 substances banned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Anti-Doping Rules, World Anti-Doping Code and were listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

Aivazian’s full menu of banned performance enhancing substances included:

  • Testosterone – Anabolic Agent
  • Nandrolone – Anabolic Agent
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – Anabolic Agents
  • Somatropin (hGH) – Human Growth Factor
  • Ipamorelin – Human Growth Factor
  • GHRP-6 – Human Growth Factor
  • CJC-1295 – Human Growth Factor
  • IGF-1 – Human Growth Factor
  • Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) – Human Growth Factor
  • Anastrozole – Hormone

Aivazian’s choice of preferred performance enhancing drugs is unique since he is a MTB/Gravel rider specializing in going downhill fast, a discipline dependent more on riding skills than VO2 or raw power. Unfortunately, Aivazian’s cocktail mix didn’t improve his cycling performance. In his last race on 25 October 2020 competing against other geriatric rider, published results show he finished 3rd out of 4 riders.

Interesting to note that off the bike Aivazian is a very successful small business owner where he lists his “professionalism and high degree of ethics” as the key to his success.

Sadly, that professionalism and ethics did not carry over to his cycling hobby.

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