Olympic Medalist Cleared of Doping After Positive Test Came From Kiss

An Olympian’s doping suspension has been thrown out after it was deemed the silver medalist tested positive for a banned substance after kissing her boyfriend. 

French fencer Ysaora Thibus, who won a silver medal in team foil at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, had been given a four-year suspension after testing positive for ostarine, a prohibited muscle-building substance, in January 2024.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the suspension on Monday, July 7, finding “that it is scientifically established that the intake of an ostarine dose similar to the dose ingested by Ms Thibus’ then partner would have left sufficient amounts of ostarine in the saliva to contaminate a person through kissing.”

Thibus’ then-boyfriend, United States fencer Race Imboden, was taking ostarine at the time of the positive drug test. 

The presence of ostarine in Thibus’ test was ruled “not intentional,” and CAS ruled she “bears no fault or negligence.”

CAS dismissed an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which was seeking a four-year suspension.

Thibus was still able to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after the International Fencing Federation’s doping disciplinary tribunal (DDT) found her not liable, where she finished fifth in the team foil event. 

She and Imboden, who was inducted into the U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame last month, have not been pictured together since last year. 

Thibus reflected on her unique Olympic journey in a social media post after the Summer Games in her home country. 

“This year, I have shown immense courage and unwavering perseverance!” she wrote in September 2024 alongside a picture of herself standing in front of the ​​Arc de Triomphe. “I have had to fight against injustice, injury, and time!! 👏🏽🥹.”

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Thibus recognized those who “believed in me, in my truth, and who never stopped supporting me.”

In particular, Thibus thanked members of the French national fencing team for their faith in her story. 

“I can never thank you enough,” she wrote. “You made the courageous choice to keep me on the team, when everything seemed uncertain just days before the competition. This gesture is the greatest recognition of my career. You proved to me that, in this world of performance, there is also room for humanity.”

Thibus added, “Life is full of uncertainties, but I will never stop aiming high. Hard work, resilience, and hope have brought me to where I am. I am convinced that I still have many beautiful pages to write, in sport and beyond!✨🪐”