Overview
- Reports published Monday and Tuesday said L'Équipe found that Samba-Mayela missed three anti-doping whereabouts or control checks within a 12-month period.
- Under the global whereabouts system athletes must give a daily 60-minute window for unannounced testing and three missed tests or filing failures in 12 months count as an anti-doping rule violation.
- The Athletics Integrity Unit has asked Samba-Mayela for an explanation and she is not currently suspended, while the athlete, the French federation and the AIU have declined public comment.
- If the alleged breaches are upheld a ban of up to two years can be imposed and, depending on its timing, that suspension could prevent her from competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
- This reported case involves missed filings rather than a refused test and so carries a lower maximum penalty than refusal cases, and the athlete can present evidence to challenge one or more missed checks as the process continues.