Vanessa Sarno suspended two years for anti-doping rule violations

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella clarified that national athlete Vanessa Sarno's two-year suspension announced by the International Testing Agency (ITA) is due to an anti-doping rule violation.

The ITA explained that Sarno committed three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period and did not report her quarterly training details as required for international competitions, leading to the suspension effective August 4, 2025.

Sarno's suspension will last until August 3, 2027, impacting her participation in upcoming events like the SEA Games in Thailand this December.

The SWP has decided not to appeal Sarno's case as she accepted the consequences proposed by the ITA, which also disqualifies all of her competitive results from January 1, 2025, until August 4, 2025.

Sarno, who is considered one of the top prospects for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and a successor to Olympic champion Hidilyn Diaz, still has the option to appeal the ban but has not responded to further inquiries.