How could a rising Olympic bronze medalist end up banned? Ana Barbosu faces a two‑year suspension after three whereabouts failures.
Romanian gymnast Barbosu, who clinched bronze on floor at the 2024 Paris Games, was first suspended by the International Testing Agency in May for missing three tests between September and December 2025.
The ITA oversees World Gymnastics’ anti‑doping program.
Barbosu, 20, appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld the sanction after an August hearing.
Her two‑year ban starts on 5 May 2026, and for my money the punishment is harsh but necessary.
Barbosu and World Gymnastics are also tangled in a separate CAS case concerning her Paris medal.
The U.S. team asked for a review of Jordan Chiles’ final score, a move that initially awarded the American bronze over Barbosu.
CAS later sided with the Romanian Olympic Committee, saying the U.S. request came too late, so Barbosu’s bronze was restored. The case remains open, and will the next hearing in May 2027 finally settle the medal dispute?
Ana Barbosu, Olympic bronze medalist, receives a two‑year ban after missed tests.