UPDATE 18 April 2026: Makrai’s suspension has now resulted in the Tour of Hungary excluding his team, MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort, from the 13-17 May race.
Hungarian cyclist Balint Makrai has been provisionally suspended following an apparent anti-doping rule violation, the International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Thursday. The case relates to an out-of-competition test sample collected on Sunday 30 March 2026, which revealed an adverse analytical finding for the banned substance metandienone.
Makrai, 19, recently joined UCI ProTeam MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort after emerging as one of Hungary’s top junior prospects in 2024. That season, he delivered several notable results, including a podium finish at the Hungarian National Junior Time Trial Championship and 12th place in the road race. The following year, racing in the U23 category, he finished 4th in the time trial and 5th in the road race at the national championships.
Metandienone—commonly known as Dianabol—is a synthetic anabolic androgenic steroid prohibited at all times under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List. Classified as a non-specified substance, it is linked to increased muscle mass, strength, and recovery, and carries potential significant sanctions when detected.
Neither Makrai nor his team has issued a public statement. He has the right to request analysis of his B-sample and is presumed innocent until the process is concluded. If confirmed, the case could result in a multi-year ban.
This is not the first cyclist associated with a metandienone case. In 2024, 54-year-old Italian rider Giuseppe Carotenuto received a three-year ban, while in 2025 Great Britain’s Matthew Hutt, 22, was banned for six years after testing positive for multiple substances including metandienone.
The case casts a shadow over a young cyclist whose early results suggested a promising future, now interrupted by an accusation of doping.
Photo Credit: Instagram/balint.makrai
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