A doping case that once centered on a sprinter is now reaching a whole lot further.
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Federal authorities charged a Florida man with supplying banned substances to an athlete in a case tied to Olympic sprinter Marvin Bracy-Williams. The charge falls under the Rodchenkov Act, a 2020 law that allows U.S. prosecutors to go after doping tied to international competition.
Paul Askew of Jacksonville was indicted in Orlando. Prosecutors say he could if convicted. Court records show he's in the process of being assigned an attorney. He has not responded publicly.
The case connects back to Bracy-Williams, a 2016 Olympian and 2022 world championship silver medalist. He received a 45-month ban last year after testing positive for a banned substance following a whistleblower tip.
From there, the situation unraveled. Authorities say Bracy-Williams attempted to interfere with the investigation before eventually cooperating. That cooperation helped uncover additional cases, according to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Now we're seeing one of them. The indictment alleges Askew conspired with others from July 2023 through January 2024 to provide performance-enhancing drugs tied to major events. That list includes Olympic trials, the Paris Olympics, the world indoor championships and Diamond League meets.
In other words, this wasn't small-time.
USADA credited coordination between federal agencies and global track officials in building the case. The message is clear as the U.S. prepares to host major events in the coming years.
This isn't just about one athlete anymore. It's about cleaning up the whole system.
