Adverse analytical finding

An adverse analytical finding (AAF), also known as a testing positive, occurs when a laboratory accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) "identifies the presence of a prohibited substance and/or its metabolites or markers in a sample".^[1] A related concept is the atypical finding (ATF) when the result is inconclusive, a category introduced in 2008.^[2] Not all AAFs result in anti-doping sanctions; the rate varies by sport.^[3] In athletics, the rate of AAFs does not vary significantly by event and averages 0.95 percent of samples analyzed. However, sprinters were more likely to test positive for anabolic steroids while middle- and long-distance runners were more likely to test positive for peptides and growth factors.^[4]