A tense and unusual moment at the NCAA D3 Indoor Track and Field Championships has gone viral online. The controversy involved former Iowa state runner Seth Clevenger, whose victory celebration turned into a silent protest from his fellow competitors.
This incident has sparked a broader debate about doping allegations in the NCAA. Let’s have a look at what happened after Clevenger won the 5000m race and why his podium moment is going viral.
What Happened After Former Iowa Star Won the NCAA D3 Race, and What is the Hostile Viral Podium Moment?
Clevenger, who was once an Iowa athlete, now competes for Rowan University, and his most recent outing was at the 5000m race at the NCAA Division 3 Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday. He delivered a commanding performance, running a meet-record time of 13:35.55.
Usually, this win would have been celebrated as one of the standout performances of the championships; however, the medal ceremony quickly became tense.
When he stepped onto the podium to receive his medal, the other medalists, including Aidan Matthai, Theo Udelson Nee and Owen Clark reportedly stepped in protest. The silent gesture stunned the audience.
An X user posted a video of the moment, showing that as soon as the former Iowa star received the championship trophy, all four contenders on the podium stepped down, leaving him alone.
Why Did Athletes Protest Against Ex-Iowa Athlete Seth Clevenger?
The protest is reportedly connected to doping allegations that have followed Clevenger since his time at Iowa State University. Several of his former teammates alleged that he admitted in 2025 to using banned substances.
These included a peptide called BPC-15, which is banned under NCAA rules, and possibly EPO (erythropoietin), which is a performance-enhancing drug.
Another runner also claimed that he offered him the peptide while recovering from injury. After these concerns were reported to the coach, he was suspended from the Iowa state team for violating team rules; however, the officials never publicly confirmed the exact reason.
How did Seth Clevenger Compete at the NCAA Championships Despite Doping Allegations?
After these allegations were leveled against Clevenger, he and his legal team strongly denied them. His lawyer, Louis Guzzo, posted a statement on the runner’s doping allegations, which read:
“Seth Clevenger is not taking and has not taken drugs to enhance his running performance. An inquiry was conducted during his time at Iowa State University, during which Seth underwent testing and was cleared of any wrongdoing.”
Justifying the video of the runner’s purchase receipt of the drug as ‘unequivocally false,’ he said that the creator is spreading misinformation. Clevenger underwent blood testing arranged by Rowan University, and the results came back negative for EPO. Following this, the university also said that Clevenger remains eligible to compete under NCAA rules.
He previously competed at Iowa State from 2022 to 2025, but after the controversy during the 2025 cross-country season, he transferred to Rowan University, which is a Division 3 program.
After transferring, he took over the D3 running by storm, recording the fastest time in multiple events, including the mile, 3000 meters, and 5000 meters, and also broke multiple records during the 2026 season.
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