Azerbaijani racer suspended after testing positive for methamphetamine at Rwanda World Championships

The UCI have announced that Azerbaijani racer Artyom Proskuryakov has tested positive for methamphetamine in two samples collected at the 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda.

The 18-year-old competed in the junior men's road race and time trial in Kigali, taking 41st place in the latter and not finishing the former.

Proskuryakov's samples were taken as a result of "intelligence-led testing", the UCI said, on September 23, 2025, the day of the junior time trial.

Earlier in the year, he won the Azerbaijani junior road and time trial titles, and later competed in the junior races at the UEC European Road Championships.

He has now been provisionally suspended from racing pending possible analysis of B samples.

Methamphetamine is banned under class S6 of the WADA Code, which prohibits various stimulants – including cocaine, cathinones, and strychnine, among others.

"The UCI announces that Azerbaijani rider Artyom Proskuryakov has been notified of an Adverse Analytical Finding for Methamfetamine (D-) and its metabolites* in two samples collected – as a result of intelligence-led-testing – during the 2025 UCI Road World Championships (Men Junior road race) on 23 September 2025," the UCI announced on Tuesday.

"In accordance with the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the rider has been provisionally suspended. He has the right to request the analysis of the B samples.

"The UCI will not comment further while the proceedings are ongoing."