Olympic medalist Alysha Newman has been handed a 20-month ban due to missed drug tests, with track and field authorities acknowledging her retirement from pole vaulting. Newman, 31, secured a bronze medal for Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics and last participated in two Diamond League competitions in Qatar and Morocco in May of the same year.
The Athletics Integrity Unit revealed that Newman failed to appear for an unannounced doping test in February last year, as well as missing two more tests in August. According to anti-doping regulations, three “whereabouts” failures within a 12-month period constitute a violation. During the third incident, Newman informed a sample collection official that she had to depart immediately for a television game show shoot.
Athletes are required to designate a one-hour daily window for potential drug testing under the global anti-doping framework. Newman’s ban, set to expire in August 2027, was reduced from the standard two-year term typically imposed for such cases, as the AIU recognized her decision to retire as a significant mitigating circumstance.
The AIU stated that Newman’s retirement was a unique and exceptional factor that factored into the assessment of her culpability in the matter. In addition to her Olympic success, Newman has also achieved notable results in competitions such as the world championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games.
