The ITA reports that Canoeist Levan Tatunashvili has been sanctioned with a 3-year period of ineligibility
The International Testing Agency (ITA) leading an independent anti-doping program for the International Canoe Federation (ICF), reports that canoeist Levan Tatunashvili from Georgia has accepted a three-year period of ineligibility after testing positive for the prohibited substance meldonium.
The ITA, on behalf of the ICF, confirms that the athlete Levan Tatunashvili has agreed¹ to the consequences imposed for his anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).
As previously reported, the athlete tested positive for the prohibited substance meldonium after providing a sample on 23 May 2025 at the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup in Poznan, Poland. On 25 June 2025, upon being notified of the case, the athlete was provisionally suspended with immediate effect.
The athlete did not contest the ADRV and agreed to the consequences proposed by the ITA. Due to his early admission, he was entitled to a one-year reduction of the otherwise four-year period of ineligibility usually imposed for a violation involving the presence of meldonium, as set forth in Article 10.8.1 of the ICF Anti‑Doping Rules (ICF ADR).² Accordingly, the matter was resolved through an acceptance of consequences.
The athlete’s period of ineligibility runs from 25 June 2025 until 24 June 2028. In addition, all individual results obtained by the athlete at the 2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup and during the period from 23 May 2025 to 25 June 2025 are disqualified, including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes.
The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by any party with a right of appeal, in accordance with Article 13.2.3 of the ICF ADR.
The ITA will not comment further on this case.
The original press release can be found here: https://ita.sport/news/the-ita-reports-that-canoeist-levan-tatunashvili-has-been-sanctioned-with-a-3-year-period-of-ineligibility/
