Sex Clears Olympic Boxer Virginia Fuchs of Doping Charge

After a doping charge nearly knocked her out of qualifying to go to Tokyo next summer, an Olympic boxer is being allowed back in the ring thanks to … sex.

Olympic hopeful Virginia “Ginny” Fuchs was cleared of any wrongdoing for failing a doping test after an investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Association (USADA) determined the violation was caused by two prohibited substances that were transmitted to the boxer by her boyfriend during sex.

The USADA learned the fighter’s boyfriend had been taking products that included the two banned substances and determined the levels they found were consistent with exposure through sexual transmission.

“While the World Anti-Doping Code requires that this no-fault finding be considered a violation and be publicly announced, we strongly believe this case and others like it, including meat contamination and prescription medication contamination cases, should be considered no violation,” USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in a statement. “We will continue to advocate for changes to the World Anti-Doping Code so that where there is no intent to cheat and no performance benefit, an athlete should not face any violation or unnecessary public attention.”

Now that the USADA has ruled Fuchs is good to go, the 32-year-old fighter, who has served as a captain of the U.S. Olympic team in the past, intends to qualify for the Games next year as a flyweight.

“I’m relieved that once USADA completed an extensive investigation, they found that my case was unique and therefore gave me a No Fault ruling, allowing me to return to competition,” Fuchs wrote on Twitter. “This has been a huge lesson for me and now that is over, I’m fully focused on preparing for Tokyo.”

The U.S. team’s flyweight candidate before the Rio Olympics in 2016, Fuchs was unable to qualify for the Games four years ago. Hopefully, 2021 will be different.

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