Hey everyone,
As we prep for our upcoming podcast, I wanted to ask a question to the community especially those with experience in anti-doping policy, legal process, or athlete rights.
I also plan to send this question to the ITA, WADA, and T100, but I thought I’d reach out here first in case anyone has insight or can point me to specific language in the WADA Code or ITA policies.
Here’s the question I’m wrestling with:
If an athlete returns a positive test result (an AAF) but chooses to contest it and ultimately proves “no fault” — and the case was never made public during the process — is that case still required to be made public at the end? Or are there situations where, if the athlete is cleared and no sanction is imposed, the case remains confidential and never reaches the public sphere?
The reason I ask is because this case involving Imogen Simmonds feels like an unusual one. It was made public before a final ruling had been issued. Ultimately, she received a “No Fault or Negligence” decision after establishing the substance entered her system through intimate contact with her partner. She was cleared and received no sanction. But what stood out to me was that the case was made public during the ongoing process and I’m trying to understand whether that’s standard or more of an exception.
To be clear: I’m not looking to argue whether that was right or wrong. I’m just genuinely curious about how this typically works.
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Are all cases disclosed no matter what once resolved?
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Or is disclosure only required when a violation and sanction are officially confirmed?
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And in “no fault” outcomes, is it standard to publicly post those cases, or does it vary?
Would love to hear from anyone with background in this space and if you can point me to specific code articles or CAS precedents, even better.
Thanks in advance — appreciate any help or thoughts on this.