Swiss triathlete Imogen Simmonds has avoided a doping suspension after a ruling was found to be due to ‘sexual contamination’.
The 32-year-old tested positive for SARMS LGD-4033 metabolite Dihydroxy-LGD-4033 (ligandrol) but has agreed to a finding of No Fault after the International Testing Agency (ITA) gave a ‘no guilt or negligence’ verdict.
As described by the ITA, ligandrol is ‘a selective androgen receptor modulator which promotes muscle growth and enhances physical performance’ and is banned in and out of competition.
‘It is with indescribable amounts of relief that I announce the ITA has decided on a “no guilt or negligence” verdict regarding my ADRV from an out-of-competition doping control test on the 8th of December 2024,’ Simmonds posted on social media after the finding was confirmed. ‘I was informed of the presence of Ligandrol in a urine sample on the 5th of February 2025, which the ITA have ruled was due to sexual contamination.
‘At that time, the world I had spent my entire professional career building around me crumbled. The loss of identity I felt and the evaporation of my dignity has caused me a huge amount of pain and turmoil.
‘No doubt this news of a “not guilty” verdict will not reverberate in the same way as the initial news, but to me, this verdict means everything and proving my innocence has been what has kept me going.’
Simmonds has more than 10 career wins to her name and finished ninth in the T100 Triathlon World Tour last season.
Her success earned her a contracted place for this year, but she has not been in action since finishing fourth in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in New Zealand on December 14 last year.
She finds herself ranked 124 in the PTO’s world rankings, having finished 2024 in seventh.
The ITA statement reads: ‘As previously announced Simmonds provided a sample under the Testing Authority and Results Management Authority of IRONMAN during an unannounced out-of-competition doping control performed on 8 December 2024. This doping control yielded an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for ligandrol.
‘Ligandrol is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List as S1.2 Other Anabolic Agents, is is banned at all times (in- and out-of-competition) and is considered a non-specified substance. Ligandrol is a selective androgen receptor modulator which promotes muscle growth and enhances physical performance.
‘Over the course of the results management proceedings, the athlete was able to establish that the presence of ligandrol in her sample was due to inadvertent contamination through intimate contact with her partner who was taking supplements containing the prohibited substance without her knowledge.
‘The athlete was also able to establish that she bore No Fault or Negligence for the ADRV and, therefore, no period of ineligibility is imposed and the athlete is free to compete effective immediately.
‘As the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to disqualify.
‘The athlete accepted the finding of the ADRV, and the matter is considered as concluded from the perspective of IRONMAN and the ITA. Pursuant to the public disclosure requirement of the World Anti-Doping Code and the IRONMAN anti-doping rules, the case must be publicly reported.
‘The decision may be challenged before the appeal division of the Court of Arbitration of Sport by the parties with a right of appeal, in accordance with Article 13.2.3 of the IRONMAN anti-doping rules.
‘The ITA will not comment further on this case.’
