SWIMMER BANNED AND FINED FOR DOPING
Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI) has imposed, on 9 September 2026, a four-year ban on a swimmer for the possession and attempted use of GW501516 (Cardarine) and ordered the payment of a fine.
During a postal inspection, a package addressed to a swimmer containing 60 capsules of the prohibited substance GW501516 (Cardarine) was seized by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) and forwarded to SSI.
In accordance with the Federal Act on the Promotion of Sport (Sport Promotion Act), SSI ordered the destruction of the product at the athlete’s expense as part of an administrative law procedure.
The athlete was subsequently informed, within the framework of the disciplinary proceedings, that the possession and use of prohibited substances constituted a potential violation of the Swiss Olympic Anti-Doping Statute.
The athlete, who had submitted a statement following the initial notification, did not respond to the notice of charge. Consequently, the proposed sanctions were confirmed in a results management decision.
The sanctions include a four-year ban, a fine of 120 francs, the disqualification of results from the date of the violation, and the publication of the sanction. The ban took effect on 30 January 2026 and applies to all sports and all roles within sport worldwide.
SSI reminds all athletes to exercise extreme caution regarding products marketed as easy shortcuts or miracle cures for achieving a perfect body. Although these products are presented as harmless and can be easily purchased online or via social media, they often contain prohibited substances that have not been tested for human use—or have undergone only very limited testing. To guard against any violation of anti-doping rules—and, in particular, to protect one’s own health—SSI, therefore, strongly advises against their use.
We act in doping cases in Switzerland and further information is available from either Dr Lucien Valloni or Kim Gamboni by emailing them at valloni@valloni.ch and gamboni@valloni.ch respectively.