Vonn drug tested at fashion awards show — are public drug tests the new norm?

Published On June 5, 2013 | By Sarah Kirkpatrick

Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, taking a break from training for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, was in attendance at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards in New York City Monday night when she received a call from the International Olympic Committee.

There were drug testers waiting outside Lincoln Center and they needed to get inside the event “immediately” so they could perform a drug test.

Vonn, of course, had to oblige, and she met the testers at the bathroom for a urine test in her custom-made white Cynthia Rowley gown. The bathroom was shut down for five minutes while Vonn went about her business. She passed the test, was told by the IOC to “have fun,” and she returned to Alice Tully Hall to sit among Oscar De la Renta, Vera Wang and Anna Wintour.

Yeah, “have fun” after we interrupted your fun evening off with a not-so-fun procedure.

A few weeks ago, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman was drug tested before an appearance on Access Hollywood. Are public drug tests becoming the new norm?

Granted if the athlete isn’t using any form of drug, they should be ready for a drug test at any time. But should they really be interrupted when they’re doing something fun and taking a break from training or competition, like a TV appearance or at a fashion show? Not only is it inconvenient for the athlete to have to get up from an event to go pee in a cup (in a couture gown), it’s also beyond humiliating.

And is it so important that the drug test needs to be done immediately? If an athlete were using drugs, they’d still have them in their system the next morning.

Also, it’s funny how these public drug tests — at least thus far — are only happening to women. Just a thought.

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About The Author

Sarah is a Seattle native studying journalism at Boston University. She covers track and field, cross country and women’s hockey and is Sports Editor at The Daily Free Press, BU’s independent student newspaper. You can follow her on Twitter at @Kirkpatrick_SJ.