Triathlon athlete Imogen Simmonds expressed immense relief after being cleared of a doping violation for testing positive for a prohibited substance. The 32-year-old was initially suspended by the International Testing Agency (ITA) following a positive test for ligandrol, a banned muscle-enhancing drug.
The ITA confirmed that ligandrol is a banned substance known to boost muscle growth and physical performance both in and out of competition. However, Simmonds has been granted permission to resume competing after an investigation concluded with a verdict of ‘no guilt or negligence.’
In a social media statement, Simmonds shared her relief over the ‘not guilty’ verdict, attributing the presence of ligandrol in her sample to accidental contamination from intimate contact with her partner, who unknowingly used supplements containing the prohibited substance. She described the emotional turmoil and loss of identity she experienced during the investigation.
The ITA released a statement acknowledging that Simmonds was not at fault for the adverse analytical finding, leading to no period of ineligibility being imposed, allowing her to compete immediately. Since the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to nullify. The matter has been closed by the ITA and IRONMAN.
Despite the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Simmonds is focusing on her return to triathlon competition. With 10 career victories and a previous ranking of seventh in the PTO’s World rankings in 2024, she is determined to resume her athletic pursuits after facing setbacks due to the doping allegations.