National wrestler Kayaalp banned for 4 years over doping violation
ISTANBUL
Turkish wrestler Rıza Kayaalp has been handed a four-year ban after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
According to a statement from the International Testing Agency (ITA), Kayaalp’s sample, collected on May 28 last year, tested positive for “Trimetazidine,” a substance banned in sports due to its potential performance-enhancing effects.
Following an investigation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Anti-Doping Division ruled that the 36-year-old athlete would be suspended from all competitions from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2028.
Additionally, all results obtained by Kayaalp since May 28 last year have been annulled.
Reacting to the decision, Kayaalp insisted on his innocence and expressed his determination to challenge the ruling.
"I had actually retired from wrestling, but for some reason, they are targeting me. The substance was not taken before a match; it was during a training camp while I was recovering from an injury. The medication was prescribed to me as part of my treatment, and I consulted my sports doctor both verbally and in writing before taking it," Kayaalp explained.
He emphasized his clean record and stated that his career had been unjustly affected. "I have never won a medal unfairly. I do not understand why I am facing this at the end of my career."
The prominent wrestler has won three Olympic medals in his career, including bronze at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 and silver at Rio 2016, as well as several gold medals in European championships.
Kayaalp had previously been provisionally suspended and was unable to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics due to doping allegations.
