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4 November 2026
As reported by the ITA previously, Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Bărbosu was charged by the ITA with an ADRV under Article 2.4 of the World Gymnastics Anti-Doping Rules (World Gymnastics ADR) for committing three whereabouts failures within a twelve-month period.¹
Following the results management process conducted by the ITA on behalf of World Gymnastics, the matter was submitted to CAS ADD for adjudication.
The athlete disputed the occurrence of two of the three whereabouts failures and argued that no period of ineligibility should be imposed against her.
A hearing took place on 20 August 2026, in which the ITA represented World Gymnastics. After hearing the parties and considering the written submissions and evidence, on 4 November 2026, the single judge found that the athlete had committed an ADRV for committing three whereabouts failures within a twelve-month period in accordance with Article 2.4 of the World Gymnastics anti-doping rules.
As a result, CAS ADD imposed a two-year period of ineligibility on Ana Maria Bărbosu from the date of Provisional Suspension (i.e. 5 May 2026) until 4 May 2028.
The athlete and the relevant stakeholders, namely World Gymnastics/ITA, WADA and the Romanian Anti‑Doping Agency, have the right to appeal the CAS ADD decision before the Appeals Arbitration Division of CAS within the relevant time limits.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
¹ Athletes included in a Registered Testing Pool (RTP), such as Ana Maria Bărbosu, have the obligation to provide daily whereabouts as well as a specific daily 60-minute time slot where they will be available for testing. The purpose is to allow anti-doping organisations to locate athletes for unannounced out-of-competition testing. Any combination of three missed tests (which relate to the athletes’ unavailability with respect to their 60-minute time slot) and/or filing failures (which are caused by the athletes’ failure to provide accurate whereabouts) committed within a twelve-month period amount to an ADRV as per article 2.4 of the World Gymnastics ADR and World Anti-Doping Code
