Seth Clevenger victory turns controversial after NCAA podium walkout by rivals amid peptide doping allegations from Iowa State days

Seth Clevenger won the national title at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. But instead of celebration, the moment quickly turned tense. Clevenger crossed the line first in the men’s 5000 meters on March 13 with a time of 13:35.55, setting a new meet record.

However, when he stepped onto the podium to receive his medal and trophy, something unusual happened. The other top athletes stepped off the podium moments later. The quiet protest came as doping allegations surrounding Clevenger continue to circulate in the college running community. While the runner has still been allowed to compete, some athletes have openly questioned his performance. The situation has created a big debate across NCAA track and field.

Fans, runners and coaches are discussing both his record breaking performance and the claims made by former teammates. Even with the controversy, the official result stands. Clevenger remains the national champion after his dominant race.

Seth Clevenger wins NCAA title ahead of Aidan Matthai and Theo Udelson Nee as podium walkout highlights doping controversy

When the race ended, Seth Clevenger stood clearly ahead of the field. His winning time of 13:35.55 not only secured the title but also broke the previous meet record. Behind him, Aidan Matthai from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse finished second in 14:03.

Theo Udelson Nee of New York University came third with a time of 14:06.But the medal ceremony soon became the talking point of the night. As Clevenger stepped forward to receive his NCAA trophy, the rest of the top eight athletes walked off the podium shortly after the medals were handed out. Normally, athletes stay for a group photograph, but this time that did not happen.Track and field commentator Alex Predhome shared a video of the moment on X and wrote, “Everyone on the podium just walked off.”

Later, another moment added to the tension. The other medalists reportedly took a separate group photo without Clevenger.Distance runner Owen Clark shared the picture on Instagram. The group stood together with their medals and posted the caption, “Real. All. Americans.” The controversy around Clevenger goes back to his earlier time at Iowa State University, where he competed from 2022 to 2025.According to a report by LetsRun.com, two of his former teammates claimed that Clevenger said he had used a peptide called BPC 157 during the 2025 season.

The substance is banned under NCAA anti doping rules. One former teammate told the outlet that Clevenger had given him pills and said, “He said everyone’s on it, it’s third party tested.”The athlete later said he used the substance for less than a week before stopping after learning it was not allowed under NCAA rules. Other teammates also claimed that Clevenger later admitted to the Iowa State coaching staff that he had used the peptide.

Reports said he was suspended from the team in October 2025 after the Nuttycombe Invitational, which was his final race for Iowa State.Soon after that event, several Iowa State athletes were suspended for what the program described as “breaking team rules.” Head coach Jeremy Sudbury confirmed that suspensions had happened but did not publicly name the athletes or give details about the violations.As the story spread across the college running world, many athletes called for a formal investigation. More than 500 Division III runners signed a petition asking officials to review the situation. The petition was started by Emmanuel Leblond, the 2025 NCAA Division III cross country champion.Despite the growing pressure and debate, Clevenger has continued to compete. For now, his championship win remains official, even as questions continue to surround his rapid rise in college distance running.