Due to a technicality, Emma Coburn’s steeplechase American record will not be ratified by the USATF, and therefore will not be counted as an official record. 

 

Coburn, who ran 9:11.42 in the 3k steeplechase on July 12 in Glasgow, Scotland to break Jenny Simpson’s old record of 9:12.50, did not take a post-race drug test as required by USATF after a record-breaking performance has occurred. Meet officials in Glasgow did not require Coburn to submit to testing, therefore Coburn was not made aware that she had broken protocol.

 

The rule that this decision is based on comes from USATF’s Protocol for Athletes who Establish American Records, which states that an official at the meet or an athlete competing outside of the U.S. where there is no testing must contact the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) immediately following a record-breaking performance. 

 

Following the discovery that Coburn did not take a drug test in Glasgow, her record was rejected immediately by USATF. Coburn took to Twitter to express her disappointment: 

Wish I was made aware I had to take a test that day. Thanks @newbalance for standing by me and my time! pic.twitter.com/NiMT7p57oM

— emma coburn (@emmajcoburn) February 5, 2015

While this rule negatively affects Coburn, it will surely serve as an example for athletes looking to break records in foreign countries for the future.

 

Information from a Runner’s World article by Peter Gambaccini was used in this report.