Romanian cyclist Vlad Dascălu to miss Paris Olympics due to 17-month suspension

Rider Vlad Dascălu, one of Romania’s hopes for a medal at the Paris Olympics, got a 17-month suspension from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Anti-Doping Tribunal for an anti-doping rule violation. If the suspension stands, he will miss the 2024 Olympic Games and other upcoming international competitions.

UCI said in its statement that Vlad Dascălu committed three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period.

According to Cyclingmagazine.ca, this type of anti-doping violation requires a rider to miss an anti-doping test three times over 12 months. “Athletes on the anti-doping list are required to keep anti-doping authorities up to date on their location in order to make important out-of-competition testing possible,” the publication explained.

The suspension period starts on the day of notification of the decision, in this case, May 21, 2024, and will remain in force until October 20, 2025. The Romanian Cycling Federation, however, announced that Dascălu decided to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Trek Factory Racing also reacted to the news, saying in a statement that, following this suspension, it “has indefinitely suspended Vlad Dascalu from all team activities.”

Vlad Dascălu, 26, was the 2023 European XCO champion and ranked 7th at the Olympic Games in Tokyo (2021), according to Hotnews.ro. He also made it to the podium in several world and national competitions.

(Photo source: Facebook/Federatia Romana de Ciclism)