IN a sad development that has likely wiped out her chances of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Paris Summer Games weightlifter Vanessa Sarno has accepted a two-year ban for “an anti-doping rule violation,” the International Testing Agency reported last week.
“The ITA reports that weightlifter Vanessa Sarno has agreed to the consequences for her ADRV under Article 2.4 of the IWF (International World Federation) Anti-Doping Rules (IWF ADR),” the ITA reported, which was confirmed by weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella yesterday.
“Vanessa Sarno committed three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. The athlete did not challenge the ADRV and agreed with the consequences proposed by the ITA. Accordingly, the case was resolved via an acceptance of consequences,” the ITA explained.
As an Olympian, Sarno is required to report her whereabouts to the ITA, which conducts mandatory random dope tests on athletes on its list, and those who miss them without a valid reason are subject to warnings and penalties.
Since she struck out thrice, this meant that she would have to serve a mandatory two-year ban from all local and international competitions, according to Puentevella.
Puentevella said the ban would also mean that the 21-year-old native of Tagbilaran, Bohol would not be allowed to mingle with other national and international weightlifters for the duration of the ban based on ITA guidelines because they might get “contaminated.”
“The athlete’s period of ineligibility is from 4 August 2025 until 3 August 2027. Additionally, all the athlete’s individual competitive results from the date of commission of the ADRV (1 January 2025) until the start of the period of ineligibility are disqualified, including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes,” the world testing body said.
“The decision may be challenged before the appeal division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport by the parties with a right of appeal in accordance with Article 13.2.3 of the IWF ADR,” it added.
“The ITA will not comment further on this case.”
Puentevella, however, was quick to defend Sarno, a former Asian champion and two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, disclosing that the weightlifter got pregnant during the period when she was being sought by the ITA for testing.
“I would like to stress that Vanessa was not banned for doping or failing a doping test, but because she was pregnant at that time and could not be found. We suggest that we leave the new mother alone and give her some space, although this, indeed, is a very sad development,” he said.
A weightlifting association insider, who declined to be identified, said that fellow Paris Olympic weightlifter John Febuar Ceniza could be in the same boat as Sarno since he has also missed the summons of the ITA thrice.
Both athletes did not compete in the recent National Open weightlifting championships in Dumaguete, Negros Occidental.
With her youth, strength and skill, Sarno was considered an heir apparent to Tokyo Summer Games weightlifting gold medalist Hidylin Diaz-Naranjo, who, together with husband Julius, has gone into full-time coaching, setting up their HD training facility in Jalajala, Rizal.
