Atwood was one of the 12 American track and field athletes who abruptly left Caracas after it became known that there would be stricter and improved drug testing at the 1983 Pan American Games.[2]
In August 1985 Atwood tested positive for a prohibited stimulant at a competition in Koblenz, Germany. He was subsequently banned for life by IAAF for the anti-doping rule violation.[3] At the time IAAF banned athletes for life for the first doping offence, but the athlete could apply to have the ban reduced, something IAAF would routinely grant. Atwood got his ban reduced and was able to compete again in 1987.
^Caroccioli, Tom; Caroccioli, Jerry (2008). Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Highland Park, IL: New Chapter Press. pp. 243–253. ISBN978-0942257403.
The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notes
Kenneth Churchill had the longest throw in the 1932 competition (which doubled as the Olympic Trials), ahead of Malcolm Metcalf. However, Churchill qualified for the final only due to a late rule change by the U.S. Olympic Committee, allowing eight rather than five finalists. As this rule change applied only to the Olympic Trials, Churchill is considered to have won at the Trials and Metcalf at the national championships, even though they were the same meet.
