Canada’s most decorated Olympian suspended for 2 years for anti-doping rule violation
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Penny Oleksiak, the most decorated Olympian in Canadian history, has accepted a two-year ban from competitive swimming for an anti-doping rule violation.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) made the announcement on Tuesday after the seven-time Olympic medalist made three localization errors between October 2024 and June 2025.
Oleksiak’s suspension will end on July 14, 2027, before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
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Canadian Olympic swimmer Penny Oleksiak on the SportsTrade stage during Collision 2023 at Enercare Center in Toronto. (Harry Murphy/Sports Archive)
“We are committed to enforcing and supporting all anti-doping rules as outlined in the Canada Anti-Doping Program and through World Aquatics and the World Anti-Doping Agency,” Swimming Canada CEO Suzanne Paulins said in a statement, according to ESPN.
“While we accept Penny’s explanation that these were unintentional errors and that she has not used banned substances, anti-doping regulations are in place to ensure a level playing field for all athletes.
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“We will miss Penny on the national team and hope to see her back in the group when she is eligible.”
A whereabouts failure, as defined by the World Anti-Doping Code, is when any combination of three failed tests or failures to appear occurs within a 12-month period.
The ITA informed Oleksiak of the whereabouts case earlier this year, leading to her taking a provisional suspension in July. That month he withdrew from the World Aquatics Championships.
Penny Oleksiak competes in the women’s 50-meter freestyle final during the 2024 Canada Olympic Swimming Trials on May 19, 2024, in Toronto. (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“I am and have always been a clean athlete and will not be making any further comments at this time,” Oleksiak said in July 2025 when she withdrew from the World Swimming Championships.
Oleksiak, 25, has won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals throughout his Olympic career. Her seven medals tie the most of all time, male or female, with sprinter Andre De Grasse.
Penny Oleksiak of Canada before competing in the women’s 100 meter freestyle final at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont at FMC Natatorium on March 6, 2025, in Westmont, Illinois. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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He also has nine world championship medals, winning two silvers and seven bronze medals throughout his career.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for News Digital.