Montverde Academy FL Coach Under Investigation After Three Athletes Test Positive For Banned Substance

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Edtor

Gerald Phiri, the architect of a powerhouse track program at Montverde Academy, has been provisionally suspended as of March 17 by the Athletics Integrity Unit. 

The suspension comes one day after the conclusion of New Balance Nationals Indoor, where Phiri was coaching his team. The Montverde Academy girls won the 4x200 relay championship on Saturday in Boston. 

Phiri, a former Olympian at Zambia and All-American at Texas A&M, came under the spotlight when three of his athletes returned Adverse Analytical Findings for the same substance, GW1516, also known as Cardarine, which is a metabolic modulator, according the AIU report. 

Phiri is a USATF licensed coach. The report states that between July 2023 and August 2024, the athletes tested positive. Notably, Issam Assinga failed a doping test after breaking the World U20 and national high school record in the 100 meters with a wind-legal 9.89 seconds. 

Assinga has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 

The AIU now alleges that Phiri has committed anti-doping rules violations for the possession of GW1516 when he was at athlte in 2018 and 2019; the possession of Meldonium, also a metabolic modulator, as an athlete support person in 2024; and for failing to cooperate with the investigation by providing fals and inaccurate information. 

Phiri has has the right under, World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, to make a written submission to the AIU.