Olympic Wrestling Star Gets Doping Ban
Aaron Brooks, a former Penn State wrestling star and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, received a two-year suspension from USADA after testing positive for an anabolic agent. The ban is retroactive to June 2025, sidelining the four-time NCAA champion until 2027, though he will be eligible for the LA 2028 Olympics. Brooks was considered a major contender for the U.S. in upcoming world competitions.
- The banned substance for which Brooks tested positive was Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a "non-Specified Substance in the category of Anabolic Agents." An independent arbitrator concluded that Brooks's use of the substance was unintentional. - Brooks stated that he purchased an over-the-counter supplement to help his recovery after being hospitalized for double pneumonia. He said he took the supplement for two weeks before researching it and discovering DHEA was on the prohibited list. - The positive test resulted from an out-of-competition sample collected on April 21, 2025. His two-year period of ineligibility began on June 13, 2025, the date of his provisional suspension, and will conclude on June 12, 2027. - As a result of the violation, Brooks has been disqualified from all competitive results subsequent to April 21, 2025, which includes the forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes. - Before turning professional, Brooks was one of the most accomplished collegiate wrestlers in history, becoming the seventh wrestler to win four NCAA Division I national titles. He was also awarded the 2024 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's most outstanding college wrestler. - Brooks had a decorated high school career at North Hagerstown High School in Maryland, where he won four state championships and compiled a record of 163-2. - At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Brooks defeated the reigning Olympic gold medalist David Taylor in the 86 kg finals to earn his spot on the Olympic team.
