Banned Substance
On May 23, 2009, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica's first woman to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 100 meters, tested positive in her drug test in Shanghai . Before leaving for Shanghai to compete at the Diamond League in the women's individual 100 meter race, Fraser-Pryce had three teeth filled in Jamaica, causing her toothache pain . In order to avoid withdrawing from her individual race, Fraser-Pryce sought help from the medical officials to cope with the pain . Unfortunately, the medication given to her by the medical officials did not ease the pain of her toothache . And so, Fraser-Pryce considered withdrawing from the Diamond League meet in Shanghai once again . Stephen Francis, her world renowned coach, urged her to stay entered and run the race despite her tooth pain. Francis convinced Fraser-Pryce to take a painkiller that he was taking for his Kidney Stones . Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was later drug tested and the test came back positive. She failed her dug test due to the painkillers her coach gave her . The painkillers were narcotics called Oxycodone . Oxycodone is an opioid pain medication that is used to treat pain on scale from moderate to severe pain . Oxycodone is a banned substance in the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) . As a result, Fraser-Pryce was provisionally suspended in June 2009. The IAAF confirmed that she could not return to competition until January 7, 2010 .
Fraser-Pryce took the painkiller, not realizing that it contained a banned substance. Despite the devastating consequences of her six month ban at age 23, Fraser-Pryce refuses to blame Stephen Francis for giving her the banned substance . Although she felt that her reputation was tarnished, she takes full responsibility for her actions. She says, "I'm a professional athlete. One who's supposed to set examples - so whatever it is I put in my body it's up to me to take responsibility for it and I have done that" . As a professional athlete, Fraser-Pryce handled the difficult situation and interviews in a respectable manner, setting a good example for all athletes.
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