Has Gatorade cost an Olympic spot for a 19-year-old boy? It seems so. Issam Asinga, who set the under-20 world record in the 100 meters, blames a Gatorade gift basket, which included recovery gummies allegedly containing GW1516, for his positive drug test and subsequent four-year ban. Once celebrated as Gatorade’s high school track and field athlete of the year in July 2023, Asinga’s achievements have turned sour. He has been stripped of his title, and his dreams of competing in the Paris Olympics have been shattered.

On April 23, he triumphed in the 100m event at the PURE Athletics Spring Invitational in Clermont, Florida, with a time of 9.83 seconds, outpacing even the current star athlete Noah Lyles, whose time was 9.92 seconds. While it’s heart-wrenching to see such a talented athlete lose out on such opportunities, fans are taking a dig at the athlete amid the controversies.

Asinga has filed a lawsuit against Gatorade and PepsiCo in the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges that Gatorade and PepsiCo took actions to protect their own reputation, which had the unintended consequence of damaging Asinga’s reputation. As a result, Asinga claims to have suffered significant financial losses due to missed opportunities and seeks compensation for the emotional distress caused by these events. The lawsuit aims to recover millions of dollars in economic damages and provide compensation for the emotional hardships endured.

In response, a Gatorade spokesperson stated via email, “The product in question is completely safe and the claims made are false. … Gatorade products are FDA compliant and safe for athlete consumption, which was validated by the findings of the Athletics Integrity Unit investigation.” This statement has stirred up the hornet’s nest within the track and field community after Adam Kilgore shared this on X, sparking heated debate and raising eyebrows over athlete safety and the murky waters of doping allegations in high-stakes sports.

Fans take sides amid Issam Asinga’s doping controversies

While many fans believe that the 4-year ban was way too much for eating Gatorade gummies, others don’t believe the athlete’s words. They have expressed their skepticism over the entire ordeal. One person wrote, “Issam Asinga sues Gatorade over doping ban that cost him Paris Olympic spot. Damn. Kid is 20. A 4-year ban for eating Gatorade gummies feels like a huge overstep.”Asinga had the potential to compete for Suriname at the Paris Olympics, which could have earned him millions in sponsorship deals. However, the ban could likely keep him away from the LA Olympics as well. However, this has not been confirmed. This suspension also prevents him from training with or competing for Texas A&M.

Despite initial support from his coaches, Asinga fears losing his scholarship. Another commenter humorously added, ‘He looks like that guy who always says “Trash!” all the time.’ Another skeptic joined the conversation, stating, ‘It seems unlikely that only one athlete would test positive from a product sold by a company as large as Gatorade, unless all other elites avoid consumer-grade items. I’m not saying he’s guilty, but it’s probably something less profitable for a lawsuit.’ This echoes a similar incident in 2023 when Argentine forward Papu Gomez attributed a failed doping test to his son’s cough syrup, resulting in a two-year ban from Serie A club Monza and FIFA.

The ban followed the detection of terbutaline, used for treating bronchospasms, in Gomez’s sample, according to Monza’s statement. Gomez vehemently denied any intent to dope, stating, “I have never used or intended to use doping methods.” He explained that terbutaline entered his system accidentally when he ingested a spoonful of his toddler’s cough syrup. Gomez emphasized that terbutaline is permitted for athletes and does not enhance football performance.

One more added, “He should be banned for at least 8 years. Four for doping and four for showing no remorse + trying to stupidly cheat his way out of doping ban.” Suggesting another path, one fan said “Enhanced Games is calling”. Regarding this new sporting event, branded as “the Olympics of the future,” it aims to achieve its ambition by embracing drugs- specifically, performance-enhancing drugs. Scheduled to premiere next year, the Enhanced Games stand out for openly permitting doping. Unlike traditional competitions, these Games won’t conduct drug tests but instead encourage athletes to leverage medical advancements for groundbreaking achievements. Who do you support – Gatorade or Issam Asinga?