Triathlon athlete Imogen Simmonds has expressed immense relief after being cleared of doping allegations despite initially testing positive for a banned substance. The 32-year-old faced suspension by the International Testing Agency (ITA) earlier this year due to a positive test result for ligandrol, a substance known for promoting muscle growth and enhancing physical performance, both in and out of competition. However, following a thorough investigation, Simmonds has been exonerated and is now permitted to resume competing.

In a statement shared on social media, Simmonds revealed her relief over the ITA’s decision to declare a ‘no guilt or negligence’ verdict regarding the anti-doping rule violation from her out-of-competition test. She attributed the presence of ligandrol in her urine sample to inadvertent contamination through intimate contact with her partner, who unknowingly consumed supplements containing the prohibited substance. The ITA confirmed that Simmonds bore no fault or negligence for the violation, leading to no period of ineligibility being imposed, allowing her to return to competition immediately.

While the option to appeal the decision remains open through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Simmonds is refocusing on her triathlon career. With 10 career victories to her credit, she previously held the seventh spot in the PTO World rankings in 2024 but has since fallen to 124th. Her most recent performance was a fourth-place finish at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in New Zealand on December 14 of the previous year.