U.S. Runner Shelby Houlihan Blames 4-year Doping Ban on Tainted Pork Burrito

When in doubt, blame the burrito. American runner Shelby Houlihan posted on social media that she’s been banned for four years following a positive test for what she concluded was a tainted pork burrito. Houlihan’s announcement on her Instagram account is only days before the start of U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Oregon, where the top three in each event earn a spot to the postponed Tokyo Games.

Houlihan made a list of all the food she ate leading up to a Dec. 15 test that resulted in the failed test.

“We concluded that the most likely explanation was a burrito purchased and consumed approximately 10 hours before that drug test from an authentic Mexican food truck that serves pig offal near my house in Beaverton, Oregon,” Houlihan wrote. “I notified the AIU that I believed this was the source.”

“I want to be very clear. I have never taken any performance enhancing substances. And that includes that of which I am being accused,” Houlihan wrote. “I believe in the sport and pushing your body to the limit just to see where the limit is. I’m not interested in cheating. I don’t do this for the accolades, money, or for people to know my name. I do this because I love it. I have so much fun doing it and it’s always the best part of my day.”

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Maybe next time don’t eat anything off a food truck before a test?

Shelby Houlihan finished 11th at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the 5,000 meters.

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