Olympic rider appeals four-year suspension caused by single missed drug test

British-based five-star eventer Vittoria Panizzon is appealing a four-year suspension for a missed out-of-competition human anti-dope test, stating that her career is “in tatters” through no fault of her own.

Italian rider Vittoria has been suspended from all competition by Italy’s national anti-doping organisation (NADO) for being deemed to have failed to comply with the World Anti-Doping Association’s (WADA) “athlete’s whereabouts” scheme by avoiding testing. Under the programme, athletes who are part of a registered testing pool must provide their location and availability at all times so anti-doping tests can be carried out, without notice.

WADA states that “knowing where athletes can be found for testing is crucial for ensuring effective anti-doping programs”.

In November 2023, after the eventing season had finished, Vittoria was abroad, and had recorded her whereabouts on the NADO software.

Vittoria told H&H she was at a “sprawling, rural property” that had bad phone signal – and when the NADO tester arrived at 5am, in the dark, “because of the multitude of gates and challenges accessing the property, the tester and I could not find each other according to the protocol, which allows no prior notice”.

Vittoria, a three-time Olympian, tried to explain the situation to NADO, but this was not accepted and she was suspended for four years. Under the suspension, which came into force 3 July 2024, Vittoria may not participate in any sport-related activity.

Vittoria said she is innocent and had “no intention nor any possible reason to avoid or evade testing”.

“I understand that the rules have been designed to ensure fair sport and the need to have a good system to protect sport, and I support that. But on this occasion it’s a misunderstanding. There is nothing to do with doping involved, it’s an unfortunate set of circumstances,” she told H&H.

“In 15 years I have undergone more than 60 no-notice out-of-competition tests – standard for those in the Italian registered testing pool – with negative results.”

Vittoria added that the consequences are “catastrophic”.

“I am losing the opportunity to compete in a sport that is my everything, therefore I will lose my career and whole livelihood. I have nothing to hide; I don’t drink, I have never smoked, and I don’t take any medicine unless I absolutely have to, so it’s hard to think what possible motive I could have for avoiding human testing,” she said.

Vittoria has appealed the suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“I am heartbroken that for reasons totally unrelated to my horses, my career is in tatters, along with the plans for the horses and the fun and enjoyment of everyone around me,” she said.

“My owners and supporters are an incredible bunch. I am humbled by the belief they have in my integrity and overwhelmed by how amazingly understanding and supportive they have been. However I am broken by this, the financial and emotional burden is very hard to bear. I hope no other rider ever has to go through this, but I suspect they will, through no reasonable fault of their own.”

French dressage rider Morgan Barbançon Mestre was suspended by the French anti-doping agency for three months for failing to update her whereabouts online three times; this was extended to 18 months by CAS (news, 4 July).

NADO told H&H that owing to “privacy reasons” it cannot provide information on Vittoria’s case.

An FEI spokesperson told H&H FEI anti-doping rules for humans provide for an “automatic binding effect” of decisions in human doping cases by WADA code signatures, such as the Italian NADO, so Vittoria’s suspension has been mirrored by the FEI.

A spokesperson for the Italian equestrian federation told H&H the organisation “believes that court rulings must be respected and not commented on”.

“We are awaiting the final verdict and trust in the correctness of our athlete’s behaviour, confident that this correctness will also be recognised by the court that will decide on the contested matters,” they said.

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