Milan Cortina, Italian Passler first doping case: excluded from the Games

First doping case in Milan Cortina. It is the Italian biathlon athlete Rebecca Passler who was found positive for letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, during an out-of-competition check. The athlete was immediately suspended. Here is the text of the statement.

"The National Anti-Doping Tribunal, accepting the request submitted by the National Anti-Doping Prosecutor's Office, proceeded to suspend the athlete Rebecca Passler as a precautionary measure for violation of Articles 2.1, 2.2," it said, also listing the banned substances. "The test was ordered by NADO Italy (National Anti-Doping Organisation)", it read.

Rebecca Passler has been excluded from the Games. Coni announced this at 17:30 in a statement: 'Having received notification from the International Testing Agency of the positivity of the athlete Rebecca Passler, CONI has ordered her immediate exclusion from the team committed to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. The Italian National Olympic Committee reserves the right to evaluate, where possible, the possible replacement'.

"The Italian Winter Sports Federation,' commented Fisi President Flavio Roda, 'is already investigating the incident in these hours, intending to support its athlete in all the appropriate venues. It is essential that we get to the bottom of the matter to clear the field of any misunderstanding that could heavily mark Rebecca's career and the federal image".

Rebecca Passler, born in Rasun-Anterselva (Bolzano) on 31 August 2001, is the third best Italian in the season among biathlon athletes and is 33rd in the overall World Cup ranking.