Regina Jacobs, USA

World Indoor 1500m champion Regina Jacobs is the latest athlete to test positive for the new designer drug THG

Jacobs raised eyebrows earlier this year when she broke the 13-year-old world indoor record for the 1500m, despite being 40-years-old.

Jacobs tested positive for the anabolic steroid called Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG). Drugs testers have only recently been able to test for THG.

Regina Jacobs, who beat Britain's Kelly Holmes to 1500m gold at this year's world indoor championships in Birmingham. Holmes, currently in South Africa, stands little chance of being awarded the gold medal from the world indoors by default because all samples from the championships have been destroyed. Jacobs would have been tested after her victory but officials were unaware of THG's existence last March.

According to the Washington Past the American athlete, who was the first women to run under 4 minutes indoors, has tested positive, along with hammer thrower John McEwan.

If her B-sample is positive too, Jacobs faces a possible lifetime ban, and a fines of $100,000, as a result of  a new zero tolerance initiative introduced by the United States Track and Field.

Steroids help athletes train harder and more often, and help them build bigger muscles to make them more powerful.

About this athlete

Back to Case Studies Home