Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler has been cleared to compete at the Winter Olympics after Italy’s anti-doping authorities overturned her provisional suspension, the Italian Ski Federation
announced on Friday.
Passler had been temporarily suspended following a positive doping test on January 26 for Letrozole, a substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations. However, Italy’s National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) accepted her appeal, allowing her to return to competition.
According to a statement from the Italian Ski Federation (FISI), the National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) Court of Appeal recognized the possibility that the substance entered Passler’s system through unintentional ingestion or accidental contamination.
As a result of the ruling, Passler will immediately rejoin the Italian biathlon team.
“Passler will rejoin her teammates starting Monday, February 16, when she will be available to the coaching staff for the remaining competitions on the Olympic programme,” FISI said.
The decision brings an end to uncertainty surrounding the athlete’s Olympic participation and allows her to prepare alongside her teammates just days before competition begins. Photo by Sandro Halank, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia commons.