Triathlon athlete Imogen Simmonds has expressed immense relief after being cleared of a doping violation despite testing positive for a prohibited substance. The 32-year-old was initially suspended by the International Testing Agency (ITA) earlier this year after a positive test for ligandrol, a substance that enhances muscle growth and physical performance and is forbidden in and out of competition. However, following a thorough investigation, Simmonds has been allowed to resume competition as a ‘no guilt or negligence’ verdict was reached.
In a statement on social media, Simmonds shared, “I am incredibly relieved to announce the ITA’s ‘no guilt or negligence’ decision regarding my ADRV from an out-of-competition doping test in December 2024. The presence of Ligandrol in my urine sample in February 2025 was deemed to be due to sexual contamination, as ruled by the ITA.”
Simmonds reflected on the impact of the initial suspension, stating, “The world I had built around me throughout my career came crashing down. The loss of identity and dignity I experienced caused immense pain and turmoil. While the ‘not guilty’ verdict may not resonate as loudly as the initial news, it means everything to me, as proving my innocence has been my driving force.”
The ITA affirmed, “During the results management process, it was established that the presence of ligandrol in the athlete’s sample resulted from inadvertent contamination through intimate contact with her partner, who unknowingly used supplements containing the prohibited substance. As a result, no fault or negligence was attributed to the athlete, and she is cleared to compete immediately.”
The ITA further stated that since the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to invalidate. While the decision can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Simmonds is now focusing on returning to triathlon competition. With 10 career victories and a previous seventh-place ranking in the PTO’s World standings in 2024, she aims to resume her competitive journey after her last performance at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in New Zealand.
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