Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall Speak Out on Drug Testing in Track and Field
Tara Davis-Woodhall, an Olympic long jumper, knows firsthand how strict and relentless drug testing can be. In 2023, she lost her national indoor title due to a positive test for T*C and received a one-month suspension. This experience has made her, along with other track and field athletes, highly aware of the challenges that come with anti-doping regulations.
The Reality of Drug Testing in Athletics
Out-of-competition drug testing in track and field is rigorous, unannounced, and unavoidable. Athletes can be tested at any time—whether they are in the middle of a meal, sleeping, or relaxing. To make things even more unpredictable, testers can visit multiple times in a short span, sometimes conducting three tests within 12 hours.
Several athletes, including Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, have spoken out about the exhausting nature of these tests, and now Davis-Woodhall and her husband, Hunter Woodhall, are sharing their experiences as well.
Their Latest Encounter with Drug Testers
After spending time in New York, Davis-Woodhall returned to Kansas State University on February 4th, where she works as an assistant coach. Despite suffering from food poisoning, she and Woodhall still went to the gym, documenting their day in a vlog on their YouTube channel, Tara and Hunter. However, what stood out was their frustration with the relentless drug-testing process.
Davis-Woodhall explained the strict rules they must follow:
> “As professional athletes, we have to be in a drug-testing pool to make sure we’re not doping, which we’re not. We have to submit a calendar detailing our daily locations, including a one-hour time window where we must be available for testing.”
But what happened next highlighted just how disruptive these tests can be.
Woodhall described an incident where they were interrupted late at night:
> “Tara and I were watching MrBeast videos at 9:00 p.m. when we heard a knock on the door. Who would show up that late? Drug testers. They stayed until 11:30 p.m. because the test took longer than expected. We finally went to bed, only to be woken up at 9:00 a.m. the next morning by another knock—another test. Three tests within 12 hours.”
This constant surveillance leaves little room for peace or rest.
Other Athletes Have Raised Concerns
Davis-Woodhall and Woodhall are not alone in their frustrations. Many track and field athletes have voiced similar concerns about the impact of drug testing on their lives.
Athletes in the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool must report their whereabouts at all times. This means they can be tested at any hour, on any day, including holidays. They are required to update their schedules daily through an app. Failing to be available during a testing attempt counts as a missed test, and accumulating three missed tests within a year is treated the same as a positive doping result.
Triple jumper Tori Franklin once explained how intrusive this system can be:
> “On any given day, at any given time, a USADA employee can knock on our door. There’s no warning. If we’re not available, it counts as a missed test.”
This level of surveillance has caused frustration for numerous athletes, including Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles.
Sha’Carri Richardson’s Frustration with USADA
Richardson, who was suspended in 2021 for testing positive for T*C, has been vocal about the challenges of the drug-testing process. In 2022, she expressed her frustration on social media:
> “USADA acts more like a probation officer but claims they care about the sport.”
In 2024, she continued to deal with surprise tests. On Easter, her holiday was interrupted by an unexpected test, and just two days later, she was tested again. Even when she was in Paris celebrating the unveiling of her Nike statue, she faced yet another test.
Noah Lyles’ Frustration After a Major Race
Sprinter Noah Lyles has also shared his difficulties with drug testing. After anchoring Team USA’s gold-medal-winning 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Relays, he was immediately subjected to testing.
Lyles vented on Instagram about how exhausting the process can be:
> “Just when you think the job is done, doping control comes to take away the fun. It’s 1 a.m., I haven’t eaten, haven’t slept, and haven’t showered. All I want is to go home.”
His experience echoes what many athletes feel—while clean sport is essential, the constant disruptions can be overwhelming.
The Debate Over Drug Testing
With the track and field season approaching, the debate over drug testing continues. While anti-doping measures are crucial for maintaining fairness in sports, many athletes argue that the system is too invasive and places unnecessary stress on them. The question remains: how can clean competition be ensured while also respecting the well-being of athletes?