Canadian Olympic swimmer Penny Oleksiak has received a two-year suspension for anti-doping rule violations, the International Testing Agency (ITA) announced Tuesday.
The suspension, effective until July 2027, stems from three “whereabouts failures” committed within a 12-month period, spanning from October 2024 to June this year.
Oleksiak accepted a voluntary provisional suspension in July and did not contest the arbitration decision, agreeing to the ITA’s proposed consequences.
While acknowledging the violations were “unintentional” and that Oleksiak did not use prohibited substances, Suzanne Paulins, Executive Director of the Canadian national swimming team, emphasized the necessity of anti-doping rules to ensure fair competition.
As a result of the ruling, all individual results achieved by Oleksiak since June 16 will be nullified.
The 25-year-old athlete, a seven-time Olympic medalist, remains eligible to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, as the suspension does not preclude her from aiming for a fourth consecutive Olympic appearance.
Oleksiak is the Canadian record holder for Olympic podium finishes among women. She did not earn medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Her previous Olympic successes include four medals at the Rio 2016 Games and three at the Tokyo 2020 Games, which were held in 2021.
At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Oleksiak notably became the first athlete born in the 21st century to win an individual gold medal, tying for first place in the 100-meter freestyle with American swimmer Simone Manuel.
The decision can be challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).