The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced it has banned 72 year-old American runner Robert Qualls for 3 years after he tested positive for 4 banned substances.

The American record holder (5:33) in the 70+ men’s one-mile race tested positive for Amphetamine, Nandrolone, Testosterone and other 19Nor Steroids at the USA Track and Field Masters Championships on 24 February 2024.

Nandrolone, Testosterone and other 19Nor Steroids are classified as anabolic steroids and are prohibited In-And Out-Of-Competiton by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whereas Amphetamine is banned In-Competition.

Robert Qualls (River City Rebels Running Club) has a recent track record of world-class age-group results, including winning World Masters Athletics Championship titles in 2022, 2023 and six USA Track & Field Masters Championships, but has only been tested for banned substances this one time according to the USADA Athlete Testing database.

In a 2023 interview with GeezerJock, Qualls commented on his new-found success and world titles after turning 70 years-old, saying, “I was languishing at 69 [years old], doing the same times, but [now] competing with a different crowd it feels great to win again.”

Qualls’s 3 year ban from sport started 2 April 2024 and ends 2 April 2027, when he will be 75 years-old and eligible to compete in the 75-79 age group.

Older athlete doping is nothing new, especially in cycling. American grandmother and 80 year-old cyclist Barbara Gicquel was banned 1 year after she set a 500m world time trial record and then tested positive for the banned substance Methyl-Testosterone in 2019. Last year 65 year-old John Frey was banned 2 years by USADA after he violated anti-doping rules by refusing to provide an anti-doping test sample after setting a new USA national time trial record.

Photo Credit: River City Rebels Running Club

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