British Paralympic hopeful cyclist banned for three years for doping offence
Erin McBride, who joined the British Cycling team after switching from athletics this year, tested positive for a banned substance


A British Paralympic hopeful cyclist has been banned for three years for a doping offence.
Erin McBride, a former track runner who joined the British Cycling Paralympic team earlier this year, tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine in March, and has now been banned for three years.
UK Anti-Doping announced on Friday (October 22) that McBride has been banned from competition for three years after she tested positive for the substance, traditionally used in the treatment of muscle wastage and osteoporosis.
McBride, who is visually impaired, joined the BC Paralympic World Class Programme in early 2021, but tested positive for Ostarine shortly before signing with the team in an out of competition test on March 3. After British Cycling received notification of the test on April 15, McBride was immediately suspended.
She has never competed for Great Britain on the bike. Before switching to cycling, McBride competed in the International Paralympic Committee World and European Championships, winning bronze in the 400m in the 2013 Euro Championships and 100m gold at the Worlds the following year.
Her suspension remained private until UKAD formally announced her ban this week, which runs from April 23, 2021 until April 22, 2024.
A spokesperson for BC said: “Following today’s announcement of the decision by UK Anti-Doping to suspend Erin McBride – a visually impaired sprinter inducted into British Cycling’s Paralympic World Class Programme in early 2021 – as the result of an adverse analytical finding for the banned substance Ostarine, we are able to comment on a matter which until now has been protected by her right to confidentiality.
“British Cycling offers our full backing to UKAD’s decision – as the UK’s anti-doping regulations make clear, each athlete is responsible for any banned substances found in their body unless they are able to fully demonstrate otherwise.
“All riders on the Great Britain Cycling Team are given anti-doping education that follows the most recent version of the UKAD Clean Sport Curriculum as we want to ensure that all our riders are fully aware of the risks associated with supplements and how they can reduce those risks. This includes the warning that supplement products can pose a significant risk to athletes in terms of unintentional doping. In many cases the presence of a prohibited substance in a supplement arises from unintentional contamination. We advise our riders to be vigilant in their decision to use any such products and remind them that no guarantee can be given that any particular supplement is free from prohibited substances.”
McBride signed with the British Cycling Paralympic team on March 16 this year, after her test was taken on March 3. She never got a chance to compete for GB before her suspension a month later.
Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator and in athletes produces similar effects to anabolic steroids.
It was banned in 2008 by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but can be found in many off-the-shelf gym supplements like pre-workout.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex is the digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter and now as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output.
Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) and joining CW in 2018, Alex has covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.
Away from journalism, Alex is a national level time triallist, avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
Is this Ineos Grenadiers' Tour de France team? Geraint Thomas teases with eight-man training squad photo
It would not be a surprise to see the same faces in Copenhagen
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Vincenzo Nibali rolls back the years with shark attack on stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia
37-year-old up to fifth on general classification with five stages left
By Adam Becket • Published
-
British Cycling receives £26.6m investment from Sport England
British Cycling will focus on increasing participation in the sport by tackling inequalities and issues of access into cycling
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
British Cycling call for Russian and Belarusian riders to be suspended from races after invasion of Ukraine
UK's governing body urged UCI to stop Russian and Belarusian riders from competing
By Adam Becket • Published
-
British Cycling announces team for UCI Cycling E-sports World Championships on Zwift
The line-up features 10 women and five men all competing for equal prize money and to become world champion
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
British Cycling announces 2022 calendar for National Road Series and National Circuit Series
The National Road Series begins on May 8, while the National Circuit Series gets underway on June 29
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Trial begins into French doctor and two others accused of attempting to dope cyclists
Bernand Sainz has been involved in cycling circles for the best part of six decades
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Johan Bruyneel: 'Lance Armstrong was the perfect target to be sacrificed' to clean up cycling
The former rider and team boss says in his era the choice was 'either you adapt and you dope yourself, or you disappear'
By Jonny Long • Published
-
Olympic gold medal sprinter Phil Hindes announces retirement at 29
Hindes was an essential part of the GB team sprint squad, winning gold in London 2012 and Rio 2016
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
British Cycling staff carried out unauthorised doping tests in 2011, investigation confirms
The World Anti-Doping Agency has released its report into alleged wrongdoing at British Cycling and UK Anti-Doping
By Alex Ballinger • Published