At the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III American student track and field championships last weekend, Seth Clevenger of Rowan University dominated the men's 5,000m final with a lead of nearly 30 seconds. However, he received no acknowledgment from the other athletes on the medal stand.
Athletes leave the medal stand, refusing to be photographed with champion Seth Clevenger.
Those who finished from second to eighth refused to pose for a group photo with him, instead taking a separate picture, reportedly in protest of Clevenger's eligibility.
The 22-year-old athlete then went on to win a gold medal in the men's 3,000m event by more than 10 seconds. However, the boycott scenario was repeated as his competitors again refused to share the podium with him for photos.
Last year, Clevenger was suspended from competition by his former team at Iowa State University amidst a doping scandal. Two former teammates disclosed to LetsRun.com that during the 2025 cross-country season, the athlete admitted to using peptides—a banned substance—to aid muscle recovery. This admission reportedly led the coaching staff to immediately issue a suspension, immediately after he achieved what was described as "the best race of his career."
Another former teammate also reported seeing multiple packages labeled "EPO" in Clevenger's refrigerator. EPO is a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) due to its ability to enhance endurance by improving oxygen transport in the body.
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Athletes who finished from second to eighth in the men's 5,000m event left the medal stand instead of posing for a photo with champion Seth Clevenger.
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Afterwards, they stepped aside and took a separate group photo. *Photo: X / d3photography*
During the 2024-2025 season, Clevenger competed in only one event before Iowa State suspended several athletes for internal rule violations. The university did not disclose specific identities or reasons, but his subsequent absence from competitions suggested a connection to the incident.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) previously opened an investigation but lacked jurisdiction, as the NCAA system is not directly governed by WADA's code of rules.
According to NCAA regulations, internal disciplinary actions do not transfer to a new team when an athlete transfers universities. Therefore, after joining Rowan University, Clevenger was immediately eligible to compete and quickly dominated Division III—a division for universities that do not offer athletic scholarships, where students balance academics with highly competitive but non-professional sports.
Hong Duy (according to Canadian Running Magazine)
