How frequent is drug testing?

[Query]

It's amazing how in a generation or two, top level skaters have moved from doubles to quads. No doubt it's mostly due to improvements in training, but as a purely theoretical question:

Is there any reason to believe that banned performance enhancing drugs (including substances derived from the athlete's own bloodstream) occur at the top levels of figure skating?

How frequently does the typical figure skating athlete who goes to Nationals get tested for performance enhancing drugs?

Same question for ISU Grand Prix?

This gives some ISU and USFSA rules, but actual testing frequency isn't discussed. E.g., it's not all that clear whether they are likely to be tested out of season.

Has any well known skaters failed tests within the past decade?

[Skittl1321]

I know that anyone who medals at these events gets tested - and so do a few random draws.

Any athlete in the international selection pool has to be available for testing at pretty much all times- the ones named to the Olympic team are more likely to be tested.  Why not try tweeting a few and see if they will answer?  Some track athletes say that the testers seem to show up at least once a month if not more, but that is a historically doped sport.  I've seen lots of skaters complain about doping control on twitter during comps, but never outside of them- so that leads me to believe it isn't that common.

The only skaters I've heard of failing drug tests have had excuses such as cold medicine, and didn't have phenomenal programs that scream doper- but the test is still a fail...  They weren't huge names, as I can't recall who it was.

It's amazing how in a generation or two, top level skaters have moved from doubles to quads.

I don't think we've gone from doubles to quads all that quickly. Kurt Browning did the first quad in 1988-  that was 24 years ago. Dick Button did a triple look in 1952- 60 years ago.  It has been quite some time since it was all doubles.

[sarahspins]

I think more skaters doing more quads has to do with improvements in technique and training as well as better equipment (stronger/stiffer boots that can take the pounding).  Look back at the jumps being done back 20-30 or even 40-50 years ago and very very few skaters have the jump technique that most of the top skaters have now... that is just part of the evolution of the sport.

[Query]

So drugs probably aren't a big factor in figure skating...

[sarahspins]

I would think not, however I also can't say it probably hasn't been tried, but I don't get the impression that it's ever been particularly prevalent among top level skaters.. it's certainly not in the US.  You can see how many skaters have been tested (there are a lot!) and there has yet to be a positive result for doping (there was one sanction in 2002 for refusal of testing, but if you read into it more it seems like more of a misunderstanding than anything else).

Skaters requiring a medication that is considered a banned substance may also be allowed to use it under therapeutic use exemptions. I take one of those medications myself, and it would be no problem to get the proper paperwork in order if I was in a situation where I might be tested for doping.

[irenar5]

I think advances in training have also a lot to do with slow motion video analysis.  Coaches can dissect easier (and also show the athlete) what makes the triple or quad work.

[AgnesNitt]

I can't remember where I just read it, but there was an article about the lack of drugs in figure skating. The conclusion was that it was impossible to find a drug that made you strong without reducing your flexibiliity. Or a drug that increased your stamina without reducing your reflexes.
I thought it was Skating magazine, but apparently not.

[jjane45]

The conclusion was that it was impossible to find a drug that made you strong without reducing your flexibility. Or a drug that increased your stamina without reducing your reflexes.

That's a tough sport to please!