Statement by Kyoko Ina

October 21, 2002


The action proposed to be taken against me by the United States Anti-Doping Agency ("USADA") is not about drugs. It is about a flawed process that needs fixing, so another innocent person is not punished and humiliated for doing nothing wrong.

I do not take drugs or any banned substances, and never have. I'm not a rule breaker. As a three-time Olympian who has been tested many times, all with negative results, I am a strong anti-drug advocate, and I support the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's drug-free goal. But, now, after experiencing first-hand how USADA works, I understand all to well that its practices and procedures must be improved.

Through a series of breakdowns in the agency's systems and communications, I was told by the person who showed up unannounced at my home at 10:30 at night that I had to sign an "Athlete Refusal Form" when I was unable to produce a urine sample on demand by 11:15 P.M. I did not at any time "refuse" to take a drug test; I was simply unable to produce a sample at that time, very late at night. We discussed that I would give the sample at the ice rink where I train the very next morning; and I was very much surprised when she did not show up as I thought we had agreed.

I had and have nothing to hide, and did nothing wrong. Those who know and work with me know that I would not sacrifice my career for anything. Please, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, if you insist on sending people to an athlete's home at bedtime to test an athlete for a urine sample, rather than to the athlete's training site, at least send an official who is properly credentialed and knows the rules. When questions arose that the person USADA sent could not answer, we both called the supposed-24-hour advice line to find out how to proceed, and no one answered. I signed the "refusal form" only when the supposed USADA official told me I had to. But I made it clear on the form that I was not refusing, and wanted to know from the 24-hour advice line (which did not answer) if I could give the sample the next morning.

Later, I found out that that the supposed USADA official had not had any training in over a year, and that her credentials to act on behalf of USADA had expired It is simply unreasonable and improper for USADA to send a person to an athlete's home late at night who not only is uninformed, but unlicensed -- accompanied by her boyfriend -- to observe me all night until I could perform a bodily function.

My only consolation is that, hopefully, my experience will save someone else from this kind of mistake by the USADA.