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![\"Lizzy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AW7_0477.jpg\")
Lizzy Banks became the first British athlete to have a suspension overturned by UK Anti-Doping. Alex Whitehead \/ SWpix.com <\/p>\nFormer professional cyclist Lizzy Banks has described sport\u2019s anti-doping system as \u201cbroken\u201d after enduring the \u201cpsychological torture\u201d of having a two-year ban upheld despite being cleared of cheating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Banks says the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules \u201care not fit for purpose\u201d and must change. She believes the UK, French, German and US anti-doping agencies agree with her position, based on \u201cpersonal conversations and knowledge of other athletes\u2019 cases\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old made the allegations in a 13,000-word blog post published on her website today, where she outlined the \u201charrowing ordeal of living through any athlete\u2019s worst nightmare\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A two-year ban
\nLizzy Banks became the first British athlete to have a suspension overturned by UK Anti-Doping. Alex Whitehead \/ SWpix.com <\/p>\n
In 2023, Banks took a routine urine test that led to a positive finding of the diuretic chlortalidone, a banned substance Banks had never heard of.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Banks, a former medical student, said the only explanation is that one of the medications she had taken to treat asthma and pericarditis, or the paracetamol taken after dental treatment, was contaminated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year, Banks became the first British athlete to have a suspension overturned by UK Anti-Doping, which found \u201cno fault or negligence\u201d after establishing the source of chlortalidone as contamination.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), which said Banks had been unable to prove the source of contamination. CAS imposed a two-year ban, which was backdated and is now served.<\/p>\n
Banks said the \u201codds felt heavily stacked\u201d against her in the case and implied in her blog post that her case was used as a deterrent to others.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The post reads: \u201cWADA spoke first at the tribunal. They opened by claiming that if the appeal was not upheld, this would be the end for sport and fair play. Not because they thought I was a doper, but because they didn\u2019t want athletes to be able to \u2018get away with\u2019 claiming contamination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Banks said CAS allowed WADA to submit 600 pages of extra evidence the day after the hearing. \u201cThey had placed me in a position where they could assert whatever they wished regarding these cases and I had no fair opportunity to respond to or rebut their statements,\u201d she claimed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Banks had requested that WADA disclose files pertaining to the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who were cleared of doping offences on the grounds of contamination.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Banks said she also requested CAS appoint an independent expert witness, Professor Mario Thevis, an expert in contamination in anti-doping. In 2016, Thevis recommended a minimum reporting limit of 200ng\/ml for all diuretics. The estimated concentration of chlortalidone in Banks\u2019 sample was 70ng\/ml.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething has to change\u201d
\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/AW1_3754.jpg\")
Banks: \u201cSomething has to change.\u201d Alex Whitehead \/ SWpix.com <\/p>\n