In Lausanne, Switzerland, a two-year ban has been imposed on Russian wrestler Dmitry Baboryko after he was found to have used a cancer treatment drug that mitigates steroid effects. Baboryko’s positive test for the drug tamoxifen occurred during the under-23 world championships held in Albania last October, according to the International Testing Agency, acting on the authority of the United World Wrestling governing body.
Consequent to this, he has been barred from competing for two years, facing disqualification and being stripped of the silver medal he secured in the 130-kilogram heavyweight category of Greco-Roman wrestling, as reported by the ITA.
Russian wrestlers have been allowed to compete under the banner of “Approved Neutral Athletes,” provided they haven’t been involved with or shown public support for the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This group, however, had no contenders in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Despite being formally excluded from the official medal tally led by Iran, the team representing “Authorized Neutral Athletes” were standout performers at the under-23 championships, securing the highest number of medals. Baboryko’s suspension is effective until December 2026.