COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay of Minnesota State University-Mankato has accepted a six-month period of ineligibility for an anti-doping violation, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said.
McKay, a senior goaltender for the Mavericks, tested positive for ostarine (enobosarm) following a Jan. 23 testing during which he was one of four selected as alternates for the U.S. Olympic team. The USADA said testing took place Jan. 23, a day after McKay backstopped the Mavericks to a 7-1 win over St. Thomas in Mankato.
The USADA said ostarine is a nonspecified substance in the class of anabolic agents and prohibited at all times under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the International Ice Hockey Federation Anti-Doping Regulations, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.
USADA has indicated I am unable to avoid a penalty because I, as an athlete, am responsible for what goes into my body.
On Monday afternoon, McKay responded to the sanction via Twitter.
“On February 1, much to my surprise, I was notified that my urine sample was contaminated with minute levels (trillionths of a gram) of a substance I had never heard of before called Ostarine. The level was explained to me by my attorney, as so small it is comparable to a grain of salt in a swimming pool, therefore providing NO performance enhancing benefit to me whatsoever,” McKay said on Twitter.
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— Dryden McKay (@drydenmckay) April 18, 2022
McKay said he was increasing his vitamin D levels by drinking a vitamin immune booster to help shield himself against COVID-19.
“I know the source because I had all the supplements I was taking shipped to an independent lab immediately to find the source of contamination. The lab found Ostarine contaminants in my opened bottle of the "all-natural" vitamin D3 immune booster I was taking,” McKay said in his tweet.
During USADA’s investigation into the circumstances of the case, USADA received results from a WADA-accredited laboratory that a supplement product McKay was using prior to sample collection, which did not list ostarine on the Supplement Facts label, was contaminated with that substance at an amount consistent with the circumstances of ingestion and his positive test.
"USADA has indicated I am unable to avoid a penalty because I, as an athlete, am responsible for what goes into my body," McKay said. "The all-natural vitamin D immunity booster a non-approved NSF supplement; therefore am dealing with the consequence."
McKay said his suspension was lifted by an independent sports arbitrator on Feb. 3, allowing him to complete the college season. The goaltender said Minnesota State and the NCAA were informed of the possible violation. The NCAA also cleared McKay to resume play in a separate decision.
Minnesota State issued a statement Monday night, which said "despite USADA's decision to re-open the case and impose a suspension we continue to believe Dryden McKay is an impressive young man, with unquestionable character and integrity who was unequivocally committed to the standards of fairness that come with competing drug free."
McKay has compiled a 110-20-4 record with an NCAA record 34 shutouts in his career at Minnesota State.
The USADA said McKay was also granted a three-day credit for a provisional suspension served from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. In addition, McKay’s competitive results obtained on Jan. 23, the date his positive sample was collected, have been disqualified, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.
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This story has been updated to correct the day McKay's sample was collected, which was Jan. 23.
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