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Kensey McMahon's Fight Against a 4-Year Ban for a Dialysis Drug Not Found in America

An NCAA Champion for the University of Alabama, Kensey McMahon opens up about the devastating impact of her four-year ban from swimming after testing positive for Vadadustat.

Brett delves into the unexpected events leading to her ban, the challenges she faced in trying to clear her name, and her hopes for policy changes to prevent similar situations for other athletes.

Kensey recounts the shocking phone call she received in July 2023, notifying her of the positive test for a drug she had never heard of called Vadadustat, for patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. It wasn’t even FDA approved or available in America at the time of her positive test. Despite extensive efforts to prove her innocence, including testing various supplements and personal items, she couldn't determine how the substance entered her system.

Throughout the interview, Kensey discusses the emotional toll the ban has taken on her, highlighting the support from her family, coaches, and a small circle of friends who knew about the situation. She also talks about the financial and psychological challenges of fighting the ban, expressing her frustration with the current anti-doping policies and their impact on clean athletes.

Kensey's story is one of resilience and faith. She talks about how her belief in God and the love from her support network have helped her cope with the ordeal. Kensey hopes to use her experience to advocate for policy changes within USADA and WADA, aiming to create a fairer system for athletes.

"I also know the truth and I know that I am not a cheater and I didn't take Vadadustat and I wouldn't ever do anything to give myself an unfair advantage." - Kensey McMahon

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Time Stamps:
00:00 Hello Kensey McMahon! 01:15 Getting the phone call 04:30 USOPC help 06:26 Brett has dejavu 08:30 Vadadustat 10:00 How did it get in your system? 13:30 4 year ban 14:15 Realistic changes? 16:15 Appeal process 17:45 23 Chinese swimmers test positive 20:20 Swimming trajectory 22:30 Goal setting 24:30 Kensey's faith 26:00 Mental support from USADA 27:45 Going public with positive test? 29:00 4 years is harsh 30:00 Outside the pool 33:15 Are you ever going to swim again? 34:00 Advocating for change