French Olympic Taekwondo Champion Althéa Laurin Suspended 20 Months for Three Anti-Doping Location Violations

The French anti-doping agency suspended Olympic taekwondo champion Althéa Laurin for 20 months on Thursday, June 4, after she failed three times in a 12-month period to meet her location obligations for doping controls. The 24-year-old athlete accepted the punishment, which runs until October 9, 2027, the AFLD said.

All of her results obtained between September 23 last year and February 9 have been annulled.

Laurin told RMC radio station that the suspension creates immediate hardship. "This is a difficult time to go through. When you face this situation, it's difficult to accept," she said. "Having such a long break will obviously affect my career," she added.

She attributed two of the missed tests to a faulty intercom at her home, according to RMC. The agency confirmed the three violations occurred within the required 12-month window. Laurin won France's first Olympic gold medal in taekwondo on home soil two years ago.

Once the ban ends, she will face a race against time to qualify for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, Le Monde reported.