List of doping cases in athletics
R
Table:
Name

Country

Event

Date of
violation

Banned substance(s)/
Anti-doping rule violation

Sanction

Reference(s)

Nikolay Raev

Bulgaria

Triple jump

1993

Amphetamine

[45][471]

Ebrahim Rahimian

Iran

Race walk

2013

Testosterone, EPO

2 years

[13][30][113]

Paweł Rakoczy

Poland

Javelin throw

2008

Sibutramine

Public warning

[3][717]

Sara Ramadhani

Tanzania

Cross country running

2014

Isometheptene

2 years

[34][514]

Rashid Ramzi

Bahrain

Middle distance

2008 {Re-analysed in 2009)

CERA

2 years

[32][718][719]

Allison Randall

Jamaica

Discus throw

2013

Hydrochlorothiazide

2 years

[119][494][720]

Kevin Rans

Belgium

Pole vault

2009

Corticosteroids

3 months

[13][45][721]

Meliz Redif

Turkey

Sprinting

2012

Biological passport

3 years

[159][316]

Dimitrios Regas

Greece

Sprinting

2008

Methyltrienolone

2 years

[3][19][722]

Julio Rey

Spain

Long distance

1999

Mesterolone

2 years

[723][724]

Butch Reynolds

United States

Sprinting

1990

Anabolic steroids

2 years

[82][725]

Antoine Richard

France

Sprinting

1987

2 years

[1][137][138]

Mark Richardson

Great Britain

Sprinting

1999

Nandrolone

18 months (reduced from 2 years)

[726][727]

Elisa Rigaudo

Italy

Race walking

2002

Caffeine

Public warning

[96]

Hristina Risteska

Macedonia

Sprinting

2015

Stanozolol, methandienone, norandrosterone

4 years

[54][480]

José Rocha

Portugal

Long distance

2010

Biological passport anomalies

2 years

[14][333]

Mike Rodgers

United States

Sprinting

2011

Methylhexaneamine

9 months

[427][467][728]

Rosa America Rodríguez

Venezuela

Long distance

2010

Nandrolone

2 years

[112]

Zudikey Rodríguez

Mexico

Sprinting

2010

Methylhexanamine

6 months

[32][729]

Marielis Rojas

Venezuela

High jump

2011

Norandrosterone

2 years

[13][111]

Looking at the following table and the relevant paragraphs listed below.

Answer the following question: In what year did the earliest competitor compete in the Olympic games ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Nikolay Petrov Raev ( Bulgarian : Николай Петров Раев , born 29 January 1971 ) is a retired Bulgarian triple jumper . He was born in Ruse , and represented the club Lokomotiv Ruse . He won the bronze medal at the 1990 World Junior Championships and finished twelfth at the 1991 World Indoor Championships and sixth at the 1992 European Indoor Championships . At the 1992 Olympic Games he did not reach the final . He won the bronze medal at the 1993 World Indoor Championships , but was disqualified for a doping offense . After the doping ban he competed at the 1997 World Championships and the 1998 European Championships without reaching the final . He finished twelfth at the 1998 European Indoor Championships . He became Bulgarian champion in 1997 and 1998 , and Bulgarian indoor champion in 1991 , 1993 , 1998 and 2001 . His personal best jump was 17.18 metres , achieved in May 1998 in Sofia .
Bulgaria ( /bʌlˈɡɛəriə , bʊl-/ ( listen ) ; Bulgarian : България , romanized : Balgariya ) , officially the Republic of Bulgaria ( Bulgarian : Република България , romanized : Republika Balgariya , IPA : [ rɛˈpublikɐ bɐɫˈɡarijɐ ] ) , is a country in Southeast Europe . It is bordered by Romania to the north , Serbia and North Macedonia to the west , Greece and Turkey to the south , and the Black Sea to the east . The capital and largest city is Sofia ; other major cities are Plovdiv , Varna and Burgas . With a territory of 110,994 square kilometres ( 42,855 sq mi ) , Bulgaria is Europe 's 16th-largest country . One of the earliest societies in the lands of modern-day Bulgaria was the Neolithic Karanovo culture , which dates back to 6,500 BC . In the 6th to 3rd century BC the region was a battleground for Thracians , Persians , Celts and ancient Macedonians ; stability came when the Roman Empire conquered the region in AD 45 . The Eastern Roman , or Byzantine , Empire lost some of these territories to an invading Bulgar horde in the late 7th century . The Bulgars founded the First Bulgarian Empire in AD 681 , which dominated most of the Balkans and significantly influenced Slavic cultures by developing the Cyrillic script . This state lasted until the early 11th century , when Byzantine emperor Basil II conquered and dismantled it . A successful Bulgarian revolt in 1185 established a Second Bulgarian Empire , which reached its apex under Ivan Asen II ( 1218-1241 ) . After numerous exhausting wars and feudal strife , the Second Bulgarian Empire disintegrated in 1396 and its territories fell under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries . The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 resulted in the formation of the current Third Bulgarian State .
Amphetamine [ note 1 ] ( contracted from alpha-methylphenethylamine ) is a central nervous system ( CNS ) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) , narcolepsy , and obesity . Amphetamine was discovered in 1887 and exists as two enantiomers : [ note 2 ] levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine . Amphetamine properly refers to a specific chemical , the racemic free base , which is equal parts of the two enantiomers , levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine , in their pure amine forms . The term is frequently used informally to refer to any combination of the enantiomers , or to either of them alone . Historically , it has been used to treat nasal congestion and depression . Amphetamine is also used as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer , and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant . It is a prescription drug in many countries , and unauthorized possession and distribution of amphetamine are often tightly controlled due to the significant health risks associated with recreational use . [ sources 1 ] The first amphetamine pharmaceutical was Benzedrine , a brand which was used to treat a variety of conditions . Currently , pharmaceutical amphetamine is prescribed as racemic amphetamine , Adderall , [ note 3 ] dextroamphetamine , or the inactive prodrug lisdexamfetamine . Amphetamine increases monoamine and excitatory neurotransmission in the brain , with its most pronounced effects targeting the norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitter systems . [ sources 2 ] At therapeutic doses , amphetamine causes emotional and cognitive effects such as euphoria , change in desire for sex , increased wakefulness , and improved cognitive control . It induces physical effects such as improved reaction time , fatigue resistance , and increased muscle strength .
Ebrahim Rahimian ( born 29 June 1981 in Ardabil ) is an Iranian racewalker . He competed in the 20 km walk at the 2012 Summer Olympics but did not finish the race . In 2013 he failed a doping test for EPO and was sanctioned or provisionally suspended by the IAAF .
Iran ( Persian : ایران Irān [ ʔiːˈɾɒːn ] ( listen ) ) , also called Persia , and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran ( Persian : جمهوری اسلامی ایران Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi-ye Irān ( listen ) [ dʒomhuːˌɾije eslɒːˌmije ʔiːˈɾɒn ] ) , is a country in Western Asia . With 82 million inhabitants , Iran is the world 's 18th most populous country . Its territory spans 1,648,195 km2 ( 636,372 sq mi ) , making it the second largest country in the Middle East and the 17th largest in the world . Iran is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan , [ a ] to the north by the Caspian Sea , to the northeast by Turkmenistan , to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan , to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman , and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Its central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , give it geostrategic importance . Tehran is the political and economic center of Iran , and the largest and most populous city in Western Asia with more than 8.8 million residents in the city and 15 million in the larger metropolitan area . Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the fourth millennium BCE . It was first unified by the Iranian Medes in the seventh century BCE , and reached its territorial height in the sixth century BCE under Cyrus the Great , whose Achaemenid Empire stretched from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley , one of the largest empires in history . The empire fell to Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE and was divided into several Hellenistic states . An Iranian rebellion established the Parthian Empire in the third century BCE , which was succeeded in the third century CE by the Sasanian Empire , a leading world power for the next four centuries . Arab Muslims conquered the empire in the seventh century CE , and the subsequent Islamization of Iran led to the decline of the once dominant Zoroastrian religion . Iran 's major contributions to art , philosophy , and science spread throughout the Muslim world and beyond during the Islamic Golden Age .
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and anabolic steroid . In male humans , testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate , as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass , and the growth of body hair . In addition , testosterone is involved in health and well-being , and the prevention of osteoporosis . Insufficient levels of testosterone in men may lead to abnormalities including frailty and bone loss . Testosterone is a steroid from the androstane class containing a keto and hydroxyl groups at the three and seventeen positions respectively . It is biosynthesized in several steps from cholesterol and is converted in the liver to inactive metabolites . It exerts its action through binding to and activation of the androgen receptor . In humans and most other vertebrates , testosterone is secreted primarily by the testicles of males and , to a lesser extent , the ovaries of females . On average , in adult males , levels of testosterone are about 7 to 8 times as great as in adult females . As the metabolism of testosterone in males is more pronounced , the daily production is about 20 times greater in men . Females are also more sensitive to the hormone . In addition to its role as a natural hormone , testosterone is used as a medication in the treatment of low testosterone levels in men , transgender hormone therapy for transgender men , and breast cancer in women .
Erythropoietin ( /ɪˌrɪθroʊˈpɔɪ.ɪtɪn , -rə- , -pɔɪˈɛtɪn , -ˈiːtɪn/ ; EPO ) , also known as haematopoietin or haemopoietin , is a glycoprotein cytokine secreted by the kidney in response to cellular hypoxia ; it stimulates red blood cell production ( erythropoiesis ) in the bone marrow . Low levels of EPO ( around 10 mU/mL ) are constantly secreted sufficient to compensate for normal red blood cell turnover . Common causes of cellular hypoxia resulting in elevated levels of EPO ( up to 10 000 mU/mL ) include any anemia , and hypoxemia due to chronic lung disease . Erythropoietin is produced by interstitial fibroblasts in the kidney in close association with the peritubular capillary and proximal convoluted tubule . It is also produced in perisinusoidal cells in the liver . Liver production predominates in the fetal and perinatal period ; renal production predominates in adulthood . It is homologous with thrombopoietin . Exogenous erythropoietin , recombinant human erythropoietin ( rhEPO ) , is produced by recombinant DNA technology in cell culture and are collectively called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents ( ESA ) : two examples are epoetin alfa and epoetin beta . ESAs are used in the treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease , anemia in myelodysplasia , and in anemia from cancer chemotherapy . Risks of therapy include death , myocardial infarction , stroke , venous thromboembolism , and tumor recurrence . Risk increases when EPO treatment raises hemoglobin levels over 11 g/dL to 12 g/dL : this is to be avoided . rhEPO has been used illicitly as a performance-enhancing drug .
Paweł Rakoczy ( born 15 May 1987 in Złotoryja ) is a Polish javelin thrower . He competed in 2012 European Athletics Championships and in the javelin throw at the 2012 Summer Olympics and placed 28th with a mark of 77.36 metres . In 2008 he was warned after testing positive for Sibutramine . Personal best : 84.99 ( 2012 ) .
Poland ( Polish : Polska [ ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Poland ( Polish : Rzeczpospolita Polska [ c ] [ ʐɛt͡ʂpɔˈspɔlita ˈpɔlska ] ( listen ) ) , is a country located in Central Europe . It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions , covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres ( 120,733 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With a population of nearly 38.5 million people , Poland is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union . Poland 's capital and largest metropolis is Warsaw . Other major cities include Kraków , Łódź , Wrocław , Poznań , Gdańsk , and Szczecin . Poland is bordered by the Baltic Sea , Lithuania , and Russia 's Kaliningrad Oblast to the north , Belarus and Ukraine to the east , Slovakia and the Czech Republic to the south , and Germany to the west . The history of human activity on Polish soil spans almost 500,000 years . Throughout the Iron Age the area became extensively diverse , with various cultures and tribes settling on the vast Central European Plain . However , it was the Western Polans who dominated the region and gave Poland its name . The establishment of Polish statehood can be traced to AD 966 , when Mieszko I , ruler of the realm coextensive with the territory of present-day Poland , converted to Christianity . The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025 , and in 1569 it cemented its longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin . This union formed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , one of the largest ( over 1,000,000 square kilometres - 400,000 square miles ) and most populous countries of 16th and 17th century Europe , with a uniquely liberal political system which adopted Europe 's first written national constitution , the Constitution of 3 May 1791 .
Sibutramine , formerly sold under the brand name Meridia among others , is an appetite suppressant which has been discontinued in many countries . Until 2010 , it was widely marketed and prescribed as an adjunct in the treatment of obesity along with diet and exercise . It has been associated with increased cardiovascular events and strokes and has been withdrawn from the market in several countries and regions including Australia , Canada , China , the European Union , Hong Kong , India , Mexico , New Zealand , the Philippines , Thailand , the United Kingdom , and the United States . However , the drug remains available in some countries . Sibutramine was originally developed in 1988 by Boots in Nottingham , U.K. , and marketed by Knoll Pharmaceuticals after BASF/Knoll AG purchased the Boots Research Division in 1995 , and was most recently manufactured and marketed by Abbott Laboratories before its withdrawal from most markets . It has been sold under a variety of brand names including Reductil , Meridia , Siredia , and Sibutrex . It is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States .
Sara Ramadhani Makera ( born 30 December 1987 ) is a Tanzanian long distance runner who specialises in the marathon . She competed in the women 's marathon event at the 2016 Summer Olympics where she finished in 121st place with a time of 3:00:03 .
Tanzania ( /ˌtænzəˈniːə/ , [ note 2 ] Swahili : [ tanzaˈni.a ] ) , officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( Swahili : Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ) , is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region . It borders Uganda to the north ; Kenya to the northeast ; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east ; Mozambique and Malawi to the south ; Zambia to the southwest ; and Rwanda , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west . Mount Kilimanjaro , Africa 's highest mountain , is in northeastern Tanzania . Many important hominid fossils have been found in Tanzania , such as 6-million-year-old Pliocene hominid fossils . The genus Australopithecus ranged all over Africa 4 to 2 million years ago ; and the oldest remains of the genus Homo are found near Lake Olduvai . Following the rise of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago , humanity spread all over the Old World , and later in the New World and Australia under the species Homo sapiens . Homo sapiens also overtook Africa and absorbed the older archaic species and subspecies of humanity . One of the oldest known ethnic groups still existing , the Hadzabe , appears to have originated in Tanzania , and their oral history recalls ancestors who were tall and were the first to use fire , medicine , and lived in caves , much like Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis who lived in the same region before them . Later in the Stone and Bronze Age , prehistoric migrations into Tanzania included Southern Cushitic speakers who moved south from present-day Ethiopia ; Eastern Cushitic people who moved into Tanzania from north of Lake Turkana about 2,000 and 4,000 years ago ; and the Southern Nilotes , including the Datoog , who originated from the present-day South Sudan-Ethiopia border region between 2,900 and 2,400 years ago . : page 18 These movements took place at about the same time as the settlement of the Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika areas . They subsequently migrated across the rest of Tanzania between 2,300 and 1,700 years ago . German rule began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa .
Isometheptene ( usually as isometheptene mucate ) is a sympathomimetic amine sometimes used in the treatment of migraines and tension headaches due to its vasoconstricting properties ; that is , it causes constriction ( narrowing ) of blood vessels ( arteries and veins ) . Along with paracetamol and dichloralphenazone , it is one of the constituents of Amidrine .
Rashid Ramzi ( Arabic : رشيد رمزي ) ( born July 17 , 1980 ) is a Moroccan-Bahraini track and field athlete competing internationally for Bahrain in the 800 metres and 1500 metres . Ramzi was investigated by the IAAF after the 2008 Summer Olympics and was stripped of his gold medal for doping . Ramzi was born in Safi , Morocco . After transferring to Bahrain , he ascended to the top of the Asian scene , winning gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships and the 2002 Asian Games . He set an Asian indoor record over 800 metres to take the silver at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships - his first global medal - and took part in the 2004 Athens Olympics . He reached the peak of his discipline the following year by becoming both the 800 m and 1500 m champion at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics - the first man to ever do such a double at the competition . He failed to retain his titles at the 2007 World Championships , but still took the silver medal over 1500 m. At the 2008 Summer Olympics he was the recipient of the first ever medal for Bahrain at the Olympics - winning the 1500 m gold medal . However , his result did not stand and he was excluded from the sport for two years after his test came back positive for the banned blood-boosting substance CERA .
Bahrain ( /bɑːˈreɪn/ ( listen ) ; Arabic : البحرين al-Baḥrayn Arabic pronunciation : [ al baħrajn ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain ( Arabic : مملكة البحرين Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn ) , is a sovereign state in the Persian Gulf . The island nation comprises a small archipelago centered around Bahrain Island , situated between the Qatar peninsula and the north eastern coast of Saudi Arabia , to which it is connected by the 25-kilometre ( 16 mi ) King Fahd Causeway . According to the most recent 2010 census , Bahrain 's population is over 1.2 million , of which around half are non-nationals . At 780 square kilometres ( 300 sq mi ) in size , it is the third-smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore . The capital and largest city is Manama . Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilization . It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries , which were considered the best in the world into the 19th century . Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to convert to Islam , in 628 AD . Following a period of Arab rule , Bahrain was occupied by the Portuguese in 1521 , who in turn were expelled in 1602 by Shah Abbas I of the Safavid dynasty under the Persian Empire . In 1783 , the Bani Utbah clan captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur and it has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family , with Ahmed al Fateh as Bahrain 's first hakim . In the late 1800s , following successive treaties with the British , Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom . In 1971 , it declared independence .
Continuous erythropoietin receptor activator ( CERA ) is the generic term for drugs in a new class of third-generation erythropoiesis-stimulating agents ( ESAs ) . In the media , these agents are commonly referred to as 'EPO ' , short for erythropoietin . CERAs have an extended half-life and a mechanism of action that promotes increased stimulation of erythropoietin receptors compared with other ESAs . Under the trade name Mircera , Roche Pharmaceuticals received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) in January 2008 to market a continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator ( methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta ) for the treatment of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease , including in those undergoing dialysis . . [ citation needed ] This issue appears to have been resolved since Fresenius Medical dialysis clinics in the US are now administering this drug . [ citation needed ] ) Methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta had been approved by the European Commission in August 2007 , and was made available in Europe at the start of 2008 . In terms of its structure , Mircera is similar to the previous synthetic EPO drugs , except that it is connected to a chemical called polyethylene glycol ( PEG ) , which makes it last longer in the body . According to Roche , the product has the longest half-life of all FDA-approved erythropoiesis-stimulating agents ( ESAs ) : up to 6 times longer than darbepoetin alfa and up to 20 times longer than epoetin . CERAs thus promise both lower dosing - significant owing to the high inherent cost of manufacturing recombinant protein drugs - and less frequent injections for patients . ESAs are administered via subcutaneous injections , often in doctor 's offices for patients who lack the skill or dexterity to inject themselves , so the once- or twice-monthly dosing regimen for CERAs promises fewer costly , inconvenient office visits for patients requiring constant hemoglobin level maintenance for chronic kidney disease . In clinical trials , CERA dosed every 3 to 4 weeks demonstrated efficacy similar to that of epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations within the target hemoglobin range .
Allison Randall ( born 25 February 1988 ) is an American-born Jamaican athlete . She competed for Jamaica in the discus throw at the 2012 Summer Olympics the year after winning a bronze medal at the Central American and Caribbean ( CAC ) games . Randall was suspended from competition for two years after testing positive for a banned diuretic during a doping test at the Jamaican trials in June 2013 . She denied knowingly taking the drug . At the time of her suspension , Randall held the Jamaican discus record for a throw of 61.21 meters .
Jamaica ( /dʒəˈmeɪkə/ ( listen ) ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea . Spanning 10,990 square kilometres ( 4,240 sq mi ) in area , it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean ( after Cuba and Hispaniola ) . Jamaica lies about 145 kilometres ( 90 mi ) south of Cuba , and 191 kilometres ( 119 mi ) west of Hispaniola ( the island containing the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic ) ; the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands lies some 215 kilometres ( 134 mi ) to the north-west . Originally inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taíno peoples , the island came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494 . Many of the indigenous people were either killed or died of diseases to which they had no immunity , and the Spanish thus forcibly transplanted large numbers of African slaves to Jamaica as labourers . The island remained a possession of Spain until 1655 , when England ( later Great Britain ) conquered it , renaming it Jamaica . Under British colonial rule Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter , with a plantation economy dependent on the African slaves and later their descendants . The British fully emancipated all slaves in 1838 , and many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations . Beginning in the 1840s , the British began utilising Chinese and Indian indentured labour to work on plantations . The island achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962 . With 2.9 million people , Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas ( after the United States and Canada ) , and the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean . Kingston is the country 's capital and largest city .
Hydrochlorothiazide ( HCTZ or HCT ) is a diuretic medication often used to treat high blood pressure and swelling due to fluid build up . Other uses include diabetes insipidus , renal tubular acidosis , and to decrease the risk of kidney stones in those with a high calcium level in the urine . For high blood pressure it is sometimes considered as a first-line treatment . HCTZ is taken by mouth and may be combined with other blood pressure medications as a single pill to increase effectiveness . Potential side effects include poor kidney function , electrolyte imbalances including low blood potassium and less commonly low blood sodium , gout , high blood sugar , and feeling lightheaded with standing . While allergies to HCTZ are reported to occur more often in those with allergies to sulfa drugs , this association is not well supported . It may be used during pregnancy , but it is not a first-line medication in this group . It is in the thiazide medication class and acts by decreasing the kidneys ' ability to retain water . This initially reduces blood volume , decreasing blood return to the heart and thus cardiac output . It is believed to lower peripheral vascular resistance in the long run . Two companies , Merck and Ciba , state they discovered the medication which became commercially available in 1959 . It is on the World Health Organization 's List of Essential Medicines , the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system .
Kevin Rans ( born 19 August 1982 in Ekeren ) is a former Belgian pole vaulter . He finished eighth at the 2000 World Junior Championships and tenth at the 2005 World Championships . He also competed at the 2006 World Indoor Championships and the 2006 European Championships without reaching the final round . His personal best jump is 5.70 metres , achieved in July 2007 in Heusden-Zolder . With this performance , he equaled the national record of Thibault Duval . Rans does hold the national junior record with 5.60 metres , and is also a former Belgian junior record holder in the 200 metres with 20.82 seconds . In March 2009 he tested positive for Corticosteroids . He was first cleared by the Flemish Doping Tribunal , but it was overturned by IAAF and he was handed a 3-month ban .
Belgium , [ A ] officially the Kingdom of Belgium , is a country in Western Europe . It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north , Germany to the east , Luxembourg to the southeast , France to the southwest , and the North Sea to the northwest . It covers an area of 30,689 km2 ( 11,849 sq mi ) and has a population of more than 11.5 million , making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe , with a density of 376 per square kilometre ( 970/sq mi ) . The capital and largest city is Brussels ; other major cities are Antwerp , Ghent , Charleroi and Liège . The sovereign state is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system . Its institutional organization is complex and is structured on both regional and linguistic grounds . It is divided into three highly autonomous regions : the Flemish Region in the north , Wallonia in the south , and the Brussels-Capital Region . Brussels is the smallest and most densely populated region , as well as the richest region in terms of GDP per capita . Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups or communities : the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community , which constitutes about 60 percent of the population , and the French-speaking Community , which comprises about 40 percent of all Belgians . A small German-speaking Community , numbering around one percent , exists in the East Cantons . The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual ( French and Dutch ) , although French is the dominant language . Belgium 's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its political history and complex system of governance , made up of six different governments .
Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates , as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones . Two main classes of corticosteroids , glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids , are involved in a wide range of physiological processes , including stress response , immune response , and regulation of inflammation , carbohydrate metabolism , protein catabolism , blood electrolyte levels , and behavior . Some common naturally occurring steroid hormones are cortisol ( C21H30O5 ) , corticosterone ( C21H30O4 ) , cortisone ( C21H28O5 ) and aldosterone ( C21H28O5 ) . ( Note that aldosterone and cortisone share the same chemical formula but the structures are different . ) The main corticosteroids produced by the adrenal cortex are cortisol and aldosterone .
Meliz Redif ( born March 26 , 1989 , Nicosia ) is a Turkish Cypriot female sprinter/track runner . She is a native of Northern Cyprus . Meliz Redif is a member of Fenerbahce Sport Club athletics team . She won a gold medal in the 4 × 400 m relay event at the First League of 2011 European Team Championships held in Izmir , Turkey and a silver medal in the same event at the 2011 Summer Universiade held in Shenzhen , China . In 2015 Redif was banned from sport for three years after abnormal deviations in her biological passport profile was found .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .
An athlete biological passport is an individual electronic record for professional athletes , in which profiles of biological markers of doping and results of doping tests are collated over a period of time . Doping violations can be detected by noting variances from an athletes established levels outside permissible limits , rather than testing for and identifying illegal substances . Although the terminology athlete passport is recent , the use of biological markers of doping has a long history in anti-doping . Maybe the first marker of doping , that tries to detect a prohibited substance not based on its presence in urine or blood , but through the induced deviations in biological parameters , is the so-called testosterone over epitestosterone ratio ( T/E ) . The T/E has been used by sports authorities since the beginning of the 1980s to detect anabolic steroids in urine samples . A decade later , in 1997 , markers of blood doping were introduced by some international federations , such as the Union Cycliste Internationale ( UCI ) and the Federation Internationale de Ski , to deter the abuse of recombinant erythropoietin that was undetectable by direct means at that time . It is only in 2002 that the concept of using biological markers to detect doping became known by the term athlete passport . The merits of this testing paradigm were exposed in the scientific literature and the terminology adopted by the World Anti-Doping agency . Many believe [ who ? ] that the athlete passport provides an excellent alternative to ensure fairness in elite sports . While a new drug test must be developed and validated for each new drug , the main advantage of the athlete passport is that it is based on the stability of the physiology of the human being . New drugs are produced at an unprecedented pace today and there is often a lag of several years between the availability of a new drug and the application of an effective detection method .
Dimítrios Régas ( Greek : Δημήτρης Ρέγας ; born 12 September 1986 ) , in Lesbos ( Mytilini ) island , is a Greek sprint athlete . He won the bronze medal ( 46.79 sec ) in the 400 metres at 2005 European Athletics Junior Championships . At the age of 20 , Regas finished eighth ( 46.23 sec ) in the 400 metres final at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg , having set a PB of 45.60 sec at the semifinals . The same year he was third at the 2006 IAAF World Cup held at Athens Olympic Stadium with his personal best of 45.11 seconds , which still holds as a Greek national record . He was a member of Panellinios S.C and was coached by former Greek champion Georgios Panagiotopoulos . Height : 1.76 , Weight : 70 kg , Regas was suspended from competition for using the banned steroid Methyltrienolone in July 2008 in his A sample .
Greece ( Greek : Ελλάδα ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία ) , historically also known as Hellas , is a country located in Southeast Europe . Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018 ; Athens , the nation 's capital , is its largest city , followed by Thessaloniki . Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula , Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe , Asia , and Africa . It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest , North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north , and Turkey to the northeast . The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland , the Ionian Sea to the west , the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km ( 8,498 mi ) in length , featuring many islands , of which 227 are inhabited . Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous , with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres ( 9,573 ft ) . The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions : Macedonia , Central Greece , the Peloponnese , Thessaly , Epirus , the Aegean Islands ( including the Dodecanese and Cyclades ) , Thrace , Crete , and the Ionian Islands . Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilisation , being the birthplace of democracy , Western philosophy , Western literature , historiography , political science , major scientific and mathematical principles , Western drama and the Olympic Games . From the eighth century B.C. , the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states , known as poleis ( singular polis ) , which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea . Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC , with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world , from the eastern Mediterranean to India . Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century B.C. , becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor , the Byzantine Empire , which adopted the Greek language and culture .
Metribolone ( developmental code name R1881 ) , also known as methyltrienolone , is a synthetic and orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid ( AAS ) and a 17α-alkylated nandrolone ( 19-nortestosterone ) derivative which was never marketed for medical use but has been widely used in scientific research as a hot ligand in androgen receptor ( AR ) ligand binding assays ( LBAs ) and as a photoaffinity label for the AR . More precisely , metribolone is the 17α-methylated derivative of the trenbolone . It was investigated briefly for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in women in the late 1960s and early 1970s , but was found to produce signs of severe hepatotoxicity at very low dosages , and its development was subsequently discontinued .
José Julio Rey ( born 13 January 1972 in Toledo , Spain ) is a Spanish long-distance runner who mostly concentrates on the marathon race . He was banned from competition for 2 years after testing positive for mesterolone at the 1999 Rotterdam Marathon .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Mesterolone , sold under the brand name Proviron among others , is an androgen and anabolic steroid ( AAS ) medication which is used mainly in the treatment of low testosterone levels . It has also been used to treat male infertility , although this use is controversial . It is taken by mouth . Side effects of mesterolone include symptoms of masculinization like acne , increased hair growth , voice changes , and increased sexual desire . It has no risk of liver damage . The drug is a synthetic androgen and anabolic steroid and hence is an agonist of the androgen receptor ( AR ) , the biological target of androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) . It has weak androgenic effects and weak anabolic effects , which make it useful for producing masculinization . The drug has no estrogenic effects . Mesterolone was first described by 1966 and introduced for medical use by 1967 . In addition to its medical use , mesterolone has been used to improve physique and performance , although it is not commonly used for such purposes due to its weak anabolic effects . The drug is a controlled substance in many countries and so non-medical use is generally illicit .
Harry Butch Reynolds ( born June 8 , 1964 ) is an American former track and field athlete who competed in the 400 meter dash . He held the world record for the event for 11 years with his personal best time of 43.29 seconds set in 1988 . That year , he was the silver medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics ( behind Steve Lewis ) and a relay gold medalist . He was banned for drug use for two years by the IAAF , following an unsuccessful legal appeal . On his competitive return he became the 1993 World Indoor Champion and won two successive 400 meter silver medals at the World Championships in Athletics . He also enjoyed success with the 4×400 meter relay team , winning the world title three times in his career with the United States ( 1987 , 1993 and 1995 ) . His team 's time of 2:54.29 minutes at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics is the current world record . Reynolds remains the third fastest of all-time in the 400 m after Michael Johnson , the former world record holder , and Wayde van Niekerk , the current world record holder . In 2016 , he was elected into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Anabolic steroids , also known more properly as anabolic-androgenic steroids ( AAS ) , are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related and have similar effects to testosterone . They are anabolic and increase protein within cells , especially in skeletal muscles , and also have varying degrees of androgenic and virilizing effects , including induction of the development and maintenance of masculine secondary sexual characteristics such as the growth of facial and body hair . The word anabolic , referring to anabolism , comes from the Greek ἀναβολή anabole , that which is thrown up , mound . Androgens or AAS are one of three types of sex hormone agonists , the others being estrogens like estradiol and progestogens like progesterone . AAS were synthesized in the 1930s , and are now used therapeutically in medicine to stimulate muscle growth and appetite , induce male puberty and treat chronic wasting conditions , such as cancer and AIDS . The American College of Sports Medicine acknowledges that AAS , in the presence of adequate diet , can contribute to increases in body weight , often as lean mass increases and that the gains in muscular strength achieved through high-intensity exercise and proper diet can be additionally increased by the use of AAS in some individuals . Health risks can be produced by long-term use or excessive doses of AAS . These effects include harmful changes in cholesterol levels ( increased low-density lipoprotein and decreased high-density lipoprotein ) , acne , high blood pressure , liver damage ( mainly with most oral AAS ) , and dangerous changes in the structure of the left ventricle of the heart . These risks are further increased when , as they often do , athletes take steroids alongside other drugs , causing significantly more damage to their bodies . The effect of anabolic steroids on the heart can cause myocardial infarction and strokes . Conditions pertaining to hormonal imbalances such as gynecomastia and testicular size reduction may also be caused by AAS . In women and children , AAS can cause irreversible masculinization .
Antoine Richard ( born 8 September 1960 ) is a former athlete from France who mainly competed in the 100 metres . He was French 100 metre champion on 5 occasions , and also 200 metre winner in 1985 . He also won the French 60 metres title 5 times as well . He competed for France at the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow , Soviet Union where he ran in the 100 metres where he reached the Quarter final , but he won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 metre relay with his team mates Pascal Barré , Patrick Barré and Hermann Panzo . In 1983 he was 3rd place in the European cup 100metres in London . In 1985 he was European 60 metre silver medalist behind Mike McFarlane of the U.K .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Mark Ashton Richardson ( born 26 July 1972 in Slough ) is a male British former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres .
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK or U.K. ) or Britain , [ note 11 ] is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland . Existing under its current name since 1921 , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland , and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland . Otherwise , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east , the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the southwest , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland . The total area of the United Kingdom is 94,000 square miles ( 240,000 km2 ) . The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . [ note 12 ] The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 1952 , making her the world 's longest-serving current head of state . The United Kingdom 's capital and largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million . Other major cities include Birmingham , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds and Liverpool . The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries : England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . Their capitals are London , Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast , respectively .
Nandrolone , also known as 19-nortestosterone , is an androgen and anabolic steroid ( AAS ) which is used in the form of esters such as nandrolone decanoate ( brand name Deca-Durabolin ) and nandrolone phenylpropionate ( brand name Durabolin ) . Nandrolone esters are used in the treatment of anemias , cachexia ( wasting syndrome ) , osteoporosis , breast cancer , and for other indications . They are not used by mouth and instead are given by injection into muscle or fat . Side effects of nandrolone esters include symptoms of masculinization like acne , increased hair growth , voice changes , and increased sexual desire . They are synthetic androgens and anabolic steroids and hence are agonists of the androgen receptor ( AR ) , the biological target of androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) . Nandrolone esters have strong anabolic effects and weak androgenic effects , which give them a mild side effect profile and make them especially suitable for use in women and children . They are long-lasting prodrugs of nandrolone in the body . Nandrolone esters were first described and introduced for medical use in the late 1950s . They are among the most widely used AAS worldwide . In addition to their medical use , nandrolone esters are used to improve physique and performance , and are said to be the most widely used AAS for such purposes . The drugs are controlled substances in many countries and so non-medical use is generally illicit .
Elisa Rigaudo ( born 17 June 1980 ) is an Italian race walker from Cuneo . She won eight medals , seven of these at senior level , at the International athletics competitions .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Caffeine is a central nervous system ( CNS ) stimulant of the methylxanthine class . It is the world 's most widely consumed psychoactive drug . Unlike many other psychoactive substances , it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world . There are several known mechanisms of action to explain the effects of caffeine . The most prominent is that it reversibly blocks the action of adenosine on its receptor and consequently prevents the onset of drowsiness induced by adenosine . Caffeine also stimulates certain portions of the autonomic nervous system . Caffeine is a bitter , white crystalline purine , a methylxanthine alkaloid , and is chemically related to the adenine and guanine bases of deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA ) and ribonucleic acid ( RNA ) . It is found in the seeds , nuts , or leaves of a number of plants native to Africa , East Asia and South America , and helps to protect them against predator insects and to prevent germination of nearby seeds . The most well-known source of caffeine is the coffee bean , a misnomer for the seed of Coffea plants . People may drink beverages containing caffeine to relieve or prevent drowsiness and to improve cognitive performance . To make these drinks , caffeine is extracted by steeping the plant product in water , a process called infusion . Caffeine-containing drinks , such as coffee , tea , and cola , are very popular ; as of 2014 , 85% of American adults consumed some form of caffeine daily , consuming 164 mg on average .
Hristina Risteska ( born 21 December 1991 in Prilep ) is a Macedonian sprinter who specializes in the 400 metres . She represented Macedonia at the 2012 Summer Olympics .
North Macedonia [ c ] ( officially the Republic of North Macedonia ; [ d ] before 2019 : Macedonia ) , is a country in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe . It is one of the successor states of Yugoslavia , from which it declared independence in September 1991 . A landlocked country , North Macedonia has borders with Kosovo [ e ] to the northwest , Serbia to the northeast , Bulgaria to the east , Greece to the south , and Albania to the west . It constitutes approximately the northern third of the larger geographical region of Macedonia . The capital and largest city , Skopje , is home to roughly a quarter of the nation 's 2.06 million inhabitants . The majority of the residents are ethnic Macedonians , a South Slavic people . Albanians form a significant minority at around 25% , followed by Turks , Romani , Serbs , Bosniaks , and Aromanians . The history of the region dates back to antiquity , beginning with the kingdom of Paeonia , presumably a mixed Thraco-Illyrian polity . In the late sixth century BC , the area was incorporated into the Persian Achaemenid Empire , then annexed by the kingdom of Macedonia in the fourth century BC . The Romans conquered the region in the second century BC and made it part of the much larger province of Macedonia . Τhe area remained part of the Byzantine Empire , but was often raided and settled by Slavic tribes beginning in the sixth century of the Christian era . Following centuries of contention between the Bulgarian , Byzantine , and Serbian Empire , it was part of the Ottoman dominion from the mid-14th until the early 20th century , when following the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 , the modern territory of North Macedonia came under Serbian rule .
Stanozolol ( abbrev . Stz ) , sold under many brand names , is an androgen and anabolic steroid ( AAS ) medication which was derived from dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) , it is used to treat hereditary angioedema . It was developed by American pharmaceutical company Winthrop Laboratories ( Sterling Drug ) in 1962 , and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for human use , though it is no longer marketed in the USA . It is also used in veterinary medicine . Stanozolol has mostly been discontinued , and remains available in only a few countries . It is given by mouth in humans or by injection into muscle in animals . Unlike most injectable AAS , stanozolol is not esterified and is sold as an aqueous suspension , or in oral tablet form . The drug has a high oral bioavailability , due to a C17α alkylation which allows the hormone to survive first-pass liver metabolism when ingested . It is because of this that stanozolol is also sold in tablet form . Stanozolol is one of the AAS commonly used as performance-enhancing drugs and is banned from use in sports competition under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations ( IAAF ) and many other sporting bodies . Additionally , stanozolol has been used in US horse racing .
Metandienone , also known as methandienone or methandrostenolone and sold under the brand name Dianabol among others , is an androgen and anabolic steroid ( AAS ) medication which is mostly no longer used . It is also used non-medically for physique- and performance-enhancing purposes . It is often taken by mouth . Side effects of metandienone include symptoms of masculinization like acne , increased hair growth , voice changes , and increased sexual desire , estrogenic effects like fluid retention and breast enlargement , and liver damage . The drug is an agonist of the androgen receptor ( AR ) , the biological target of androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) , and has strong anabolic effects and moderate androgenic effects . It also has moderate estrogenic effects . Metandienone was originally developed in 1955 by CIBA and marketed in Germany and the United States . As the CIBA product Dianabol , metandienone quickly became the first widely used AAS among professional and amateur athletes , and remains the most common orally active AAS for non-medical use . It is currently a controlled substance in the United States and United Kingdom and remains popular among bodybuilders . Metandienone is readily available without a prescription in certain countries such as Mexico , and is also manufactured in some Asian countries .
19-Norandrosterone , also known as 5α-estran-3α-ol-17-one , is a metabolite of nandrolone ( 19-nortestosterone ) and bolandione ( 19-norandrostenedione ) that is formed by 5α-reductase . It is on the list of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency since it is a detectable metabolite of nandrolone , an anabolic-androgenic steroid ( AAS ) . Consumption of androstendione products contaminated with traces of bolandione may also result in testing positive for nandrolone . Traces of 19-norandrosterone may be naturally present in human urine . An experiment conducted on athletes showed that after a prolonged intense effort , the 19-norandrosterone concentration can be increased by a factor varying between 2 and 4 , but another study failed to replicate the result . Concentration also increases in the urine of female athletes during menstruation . The consumption of edible parts of a non-castrated pig , containing 19-nortestosterone , has been shown to result in the excretion of 19-norandrosterone in the following hours , so athletes should prudently avoid meals composed of pig offal in the hours preceding doping tests . Consumption of boar meat , liver , kidneys and heart also increased 19-norandrosterone output .
José Rocha ( born 6 July 1976 ) is a Portuguese long-distance runner who competes in track , cross country running and half marathons . He was third at the 2009 European Cup 10000m and was the bronze medallist at the 2011 European Cross Country Championships . He also won a bronze medal at the 2006 Ibero-American Championships . He has a 5000 metres best of 13:47.78 minutes and a 10,000 metres best of 28:15.44 minutes .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
Michael Rodgers ( born April 24 , 1985 ) is an American professional track and field sprinter who specializes in the 100 m and the 60 m. He won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019 . He is also the Pan-Am Games Champion .
Methylhexanamine ( also known as methylhexamine , 1,3-dimethylamylamine , 1,3-DMAA , dimethylamylamine , and DMAA ; trade names Forthane and Geranamine ) is an indirect sympathomimetic drug invented and developed by Eli Lilly and Company and marketed as an inhaled nasal decongestant from 1948 until it was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in the 1970s . Since 2006 methylhexanamine has been sold extensively under many names as a stimulant or energy-boosting dietary supplement under the claim that it is similar to certain compounds found in geraniums , but its safety has been questioned as a number of adverse events and at least five deaths have been associated with methylhexanamine-containing supplements . It is banned by many sports authorities and governmental agencies . Despite multiple warning letters from the FDA , as of 2019 , the stimulant remains available in sports and weight loss supplements .
Venezuela ( /ˌvɛnəˈzwɛlə/ ( listen ) ; American Spanish : [ beneˈswela ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( Spanish : República Bolivariana de Venezuela ) , is a country on the northern coast of South America , consisting of a continental landmass and many small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea . It has a territorial extension of 916,445 km2 ( 353,841 sq mi ) . The continental territory is bordered on the north by the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean , on the west by Colombia , Brazil on the south , Trinidad and Tobago to the north-east and on the east by Guyana . The Venezuelan government maintains a claim against Guyana to Guayana Esequiba , an area of 159,542 km2 ( 61,600 sq mi ) . For its maritime areas , Venezuela exercises sovereignty over 71,295 km2 ( 27,527 sq mi ) of territorial waters , 22,224 km2 ( 8,581 sq mi ) in its contiguous zone , 471,507 km2 ( 182,050 sq mi ) of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean under the concept of exclusive economic zone , and 99,889 km2 ( 38,567 sq mi ) of continental shelf . This marine area borders those of 13 states . The capital and largest urban agglomeration is the city of Caracas . The country has extremely high biodiversity and is ranked seventh in the world 's list of nations with the most number of species . There are habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains in the west to the Amazon basin rain-forest in the south via extensive llanos plains , the Caribbean coast and the Orinoco River Delta in the east . The sovereign state is a federal presidential republic consisting of 23 states , the Capital District ( covering Caracas ) , and federal dependencies ( covering Venezuela 's offshore islands ) . Venezuela also claims all Guyanese territory west of the Essequibo River , a 159,500-square-kilometre ( 61,583 sq mi ) tract dubbed Guayana Esequiba or the Zona en Reclamación ( the zone under dispute ) . Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America ; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north , especially in the capital ( Caracas ) which is also the largest city in Venezuela .
Zudikey Rodríguez Núñez ( born 14 March 1987 in Valle de Bravo , State of Mexico ) is a Mexican sprinter and hurdler . Her personal best time for the 200 metres is 23.18 seconds , achieved in May 2007 in Puebla . Then she moved up a distance to run 400 metres . She was member of the silver medal-winning Mexican 4×400 relay team at the 2007 Pan American Games . She also placed eighth in the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and represented Mexico at the 2008 Summer Olympics . In 2010 , she switched to the 400 metres hurdles event . In her first competitive race , she set a Mexican record of 56.10 seconds ( previous record was 57.78 by Mayra González ) . She went on to become the hurdles champion at the 2010 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics . During the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games where she won the silver in the 400 meters hurdles and bronze in the 4 x 400 meters relay , she tested positive for a banned substance , methylhexanamine , commonly used as nasal decongestant , she was consequently suspended for six months from 3 August 2010 to 4 February 2011 .
Mexico ( Spanish : México [ ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; Nahuatl languages : Mēxihco ) , officially the United Mexican States ( UMS ; Spanish : Estados Unidos Mexicanos , EUM [ esˈtaðos uˈniðoz mexiˈkanos ] ( listen ) , lit . Mexican United States ) , is a country in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers ( 770,000 sq mi ) , the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world . With an estimated population of over 129 million people , Mexico is the tenth most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world , while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states plus Mexico City ( CDMX ) , which is the capital city and its most populous city . Other metropolises in the country include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana , and León . Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8000 BC and is identified as one of six cradles of civilization and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya , and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its politically powerful base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan ( part of Mexico City ) , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . The Roman Catholic Church played a powerful role in governing the country as millions were converted to the faith , although King Charles III expelled the Jesuits in the 1770s . The territory became a nation state following its recognition in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence . The post-independence period was tumultuous , characterized by economic inequality and many contrasting political changes .
Methylhexanamine ( also known as methylhexamine , 1,3-dimethylamylamine , 1,3-DMAA , dimethylamylamine , and DMAA ; trade names Forthane and Geranamine ) is an indirect sympathomimetic drug invented and developed by Eli Lilly and Company and marketed as an inhaled nasal decongestant from 1948 until it was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in the 1970s . Since 2006 methylhexanamine has been sold extensively under many names as a stimulant or energy-boosting dietary supplement under the claim that it is similar to certain compounds found in geraniums , but its safety has been questioned as a number of adverse events and at least five deaths have been associated with methylhexanamine-containing supplements . It is banned by many sports authorities and governmental agencies . Despite multiple warning letters from the FDA , as of 2019 , the stimulant remains available in sports and weight loss supplements .
Marielys Rojas ( or Marierlis Rojas , born April 30 , 1986 ) is Venezuelan athlete specializing in the high jump . Her personal best in the event is 1.90 meters achieved in 2008 in Ponce . This is the current national record .