Court Dismisses Issam Asinga's Lawsuit Against Gatorade

A federal judge in New York dismissed sprinter Issam Asinga’s lawsuit against Gatorade, in which he alleged that contaminated recovery gummies provided by the company led to his four-year doping ban and the loss of his track records. The judge ruled that Asinga could not pursue strict liability or negligence claims since he did not suffer a physical injury, and found no evidence that Gatorade intentionally caused him to ingest a banned substance. Asinga’s arguments for economic loss and emotional distress were deemed insufficient for this type of case. The decision was acknowledged as unsatisfying by the judge, who noted Asinga may be deprived of his athletic career without recourse, but stated the legal claims made did not fit the circumstances. Asinga’s attorney criticized the outcome, saying it left him with no way to seek justice, while Gatorade and its parent company PepsiCo did not comment. Asinga is continuing his efforts to overturn his doping suspension through sports arbitration channels.