Polish rider Daria Pikulik receives backdated suspension for missing three anti-doping tests, but keeps Olympic medal

The International Testing Agency (ITA) has revealed a backdated 18-month suspension for Polish rider Daria Pikulik, who committed three whereabouts failures in a period of 12 months.

Pikulik has accepted the suspension, which stretches back from December 9, 2024 to June 8 this year, and the disqualification of all her results in that period.

Riders on the UCI’s Registered Testing Pool, which is administered by the ITA, are required to provide their whereabouts to make themselves available for testing for a period of each day. Failure to do this three times in a rolling period of 12 months is an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV), and it is this regulation the 29-year-old has breached.

Riders are able to challenge ADRV decisions in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but Pikulik chose not to do so, accepting the sanction.

"The rider did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. Accordingly, the case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences," read a statement on the ITA’s website.

Pikulik is best known for her silver medal in the Omnium at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and has achieved a handful of other top 5 results in endurance track events, including winning the Omnium and Madison with her sister Wiktoria at the Cali World Cup in 2021. As a result of her ban starting after August 2024, Pikulik keeps her silver medal, having lost out to US rider Jennifer Valente.

On the road, she is known as a strong sprinter and rode for Women’s WorldTeam Human Powered Health from January 2023 until leaving the team in March 2026 after only five race days, riding the same amount as the previous season.

She has nine professional race wins to her name, including stage 1 of the 2023 Tour Down Under, her first race for the team, and the Tour of Guangxi at the end of that season. The team have made no comment.

In a statement written in her native language on her Instagram account, Pikulik explained both her absence from competition and the missed tests.

"I would like to explain why you haven't seen me at races since March. I was suspended for missing three doping control tests," she wrote.

"This happened to me twice in September 2023 and October 2023. Realising the seriousness of the situation, I tried to systematically update my whereabouts data in the system; however, due to my oversight and a significantly higher workload/obligations, it happened for the 3rd time in September 2024.

"I spent the last two years trying to defend my good name, and ultimately CAS issued a ruling in March 2026 without imposing a penalty, finding me guilty of missing a test.

"In September, I was ultimately suspended for the period from December 2024 to June 2026. It was a terribly difficult time for me and my loved ones. My intention was never to violate anti-doping regulations.

"In my entire career, I have had dozens of problem-free doping tests. However, I must accept what happened and put it behind me. I apologise to everyone I disappointed and thank everyone who was with me during this period."

Pikulik does not have a team for 2027 and has not raced on the track since her silver medal in Paris, so her future in the sport is unclear.

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