Romanian XC racer Vlad Dascalu has been found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation by the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal for "committing three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period" and has been given a 17-month suspension. This means that he will not be allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics, the rest of the 2024 XC World Cup season, and the entire 2025 XC World Cup season.
The Trek Factory Racing rider is always a contender for the XC World Cup podium and finished 10th in the XCO at round one in Mairipora and 9th in the XCO at round two in Araxa.
Dascalu is one of over 1000 pro cyclists who are part of the UCI Out-of-Competition Testing Program. An essential part of the anti-doping program is that Anti-Doping Organisations (ADO) must be able to "locate athletes at any time and to conduct tests on a no advance notice basis."
As a member of the Registered Testing Pool, Dascalu must supply the International Testing Agency with a three-month schedule of his whereabouts information before each quarterly period and be "available for Testing at the location and time specified in the 60-minute time slot identified in their Whereabouts Filing for the day in question."
A late or incomplete submission is a Whereabouts Failure, insufficient/inaccurate information is a Whereabouts Failure, and 3 Whereabouts Failures in 12 months is an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
