Sport & Anti-Doping – Annual Review 2025/26
Welcome to the anti-doping law chapter of the LawInSport Annual Review 2025/26. This chapter focuses on the high-profile anti-doping cases of the past twelve months and, with one exception, their notable absence from winter sports.
For the first time since 1998, a Winter Olympic Games was completely free of in-competition doping violations. The International Testing Agency (ITA) collected more than 3,000 samples from 1,848 athletes during the February 2026 event, yielding no violations. Although the games were clean, that does not rule out the potential for violations being revealed in future re-analysis of samples, as has been the case at previous Winter Olympics. For more details on the Winter Olympics, please see this LawInSport article.[1]
Chapter/Case Overview
- Key Trends Shaping the Anti-Doping Landscape
- Ysaora Thibus (Fencing) - Contamination
- Elizabeth Banks (Cycling) - Source not established
- World Athletics (AIU) v Fredrick Kerley (Athletics) - Whereabouts failures
- Diribe Welteji Kejelcha (Athletics) - Failure to submit to testing
- Mohamed Katir (Athletics) - Whereabouts failures
- Erriyon Knighton (Athletics) - Contamination
- Diribe Welteji Kejelcha (Athletics) - Provisional measures
- Issam Asinga (Athletics) - Contamination
- Dato Piruzashvili (Wrestling) - Sabotage defence
- Nika Kentchadze (Wrestling) - Sabotage defence
- Irina Fetecău (Tennis) - Contamination
- Jannik Sinner (Tennis) - Contamination
- Looking Ahead
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- Tags: ADRV | Anti Doping | Athletics | CAS | Contamination | Cycling | Fencing | Tennis | WADA | WADA Code | Wrestling
Written by
Dr David Sharpe KC
Dr David Sharpe KC is a barrister at 12KBW Chambers and specialises in clinical negligence, professional negligence, serious personal injury, construction, sport, inquests & inquiries and property law. David practices within all areas of England & Wales and works for claimants and defendants.
Finn Selman
Finn joined 12 KBW Chambers in October 2025 following the successful completion of his pupillage under the supervision of Catherine Peck, Dan Tobin and Kweku Aggrey-Orleans. He has experience in all core areas of Chambers’ expertise with a particular interest in personal injury, clinical negligence, employment and indemnity.
Bébhinn Murphy
Bébhinn ia a barrister at 12 KBW. She specialises in sports disputes and personal injury law. She has notable rapport building skills across diverse client profiles, and is praised for her attention to detail, strong advocacy and ability to work well in teams.
