UPDATE 9 August 2024: Mazzolin has now been banned by NADO Italia until 22 September 2030.

After finishing third at the UEC European Gran Fondo Championships in July 2022, Anastasia Mazzolin won Gran Fondo Templari and was ordered to complete an NADO Italia anti-doping test. Mazzolin then violated anti-doping rules by tampering with the test (Article 2.5) and refusing to submit a biological sample (Article 2.3).

Subsequently, the Italian Anti-Doping Tribunal court found the amateur cyclist guilty of anti-doping violations and issued a 4-year ban ending 22 September 2026.

In June 2024 the National Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office added another 4 years to Mazzolin’s ban – without explanation.

While NADO Italia did not publicly announce the new 4 year ban or release details, the change was noted on the Italian Cycling Federation Sanctioned Riders List. The new sanction could be related to the original Article 2.5 “tampering” violation, requiring any associated ban to be served consecutively – or it may be due to new anti-doping violations not made public.

NADO Italia Article 11.9.3.3 states: “If NADO Italia establishes that an Athlete or other Person committed a violation of Article 2.5 in connection with the Doping Control process for an underlying asserted anti-doping rule violation, the violation of Article 2.5 shall be treated as a stand-alone first violation and the period of Ineligibility for such violation shall be served consecutively, rather than concurrently, with the period of Ineligibility, if any, imposed for the underlying anti-doping rule violation.”

In either case, Mazzolin is prohibited from participating in sport in any capacity until 22 September 2030, when she will be 46 years-old.

Photo Credit: Facebook/oradelciclismo

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