Italian Biathlete Rebecca Passler Provisionally Suspended After Positive Doping Test Before Milan-Cortina Games

Rome, Italy (JN) – Italy’s Winter Olympic preparations have been jolted by a provisional suspension handed to biathlete Rebecca Passler after an out-of-competition test returned positive for a banned substance just days before competition begins in Anterselva. The case, confirmed by Italy’s anti-doping authorities, places the 24-year-old athlete’s participation in her home Games in immediate doubt.

The development comes at a sensitive moment for Italian sport as the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics open this week, drawing global attention to the country’s organization and athletes. Officials emphasized that the case is being handled through established anti-doping procedures while the athlete’s federation begins its own review.

Passler, who had been scheduled to compete in the mixed team relay on Sunday, has not previously won a medal at a major championship but was considered part of Italy’s emerging biathlon generation.

Positive test outside Games-time program

Italy’s national anti-doping agency said the positive result came from a sample collected on January 26, outside the official Games-time testing framework. The substance identified was letrozole, a medication commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer but also known in anti-doping contexts for its potential role in masking or counteracting the effects of steroid use.

Under anti-doping rules, a positive finding of this kind triggers an immediate provisional suspension pending further disciplinary proceedings. The Biathlon Integrity Unit confirmed that the case will be managed by the Italian anti-doping agency in accordance with established procedures.

Out-of-competition testing is a routine element of anti-doping enforcement designed to detect prohibited substances beyond the narrower window of competition-day controls.

Federation begins internal review

The Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) said it had begun examining the circumstances surrounding the test result and indicated it would provide support to the athlete as the case proceeds.

FISI president Flavio Roda said in a statement that the federation had “already started investigating the incident” and aimed “to support its athlete in all the appropriate places.”

“It is essential that we get to the bottom of the matter to clear up any misunderstanding that could heavily affect Rebecca’s career and the federal image,” Roda said.

The federation also noted that it has long emphasized education and prevention in its anti-doping efforts, stating that it works with athletes from a young age to ensure compliance with the rules.

Impact on Italy’s Olympic biathlon plans

Passler had been due to compete in biathlon events in Anterselva, one of the key venues of the Milan-Cortina Games and a well-known center for the sport in northern Italy. Her scheduled participation was set to begin with the mixed team relay.

While she has yet to secure a podium finish at a major international championship, Passler has been viewed as a promising competitor within Italy’s biathlon squad. Her absence would require adjustments to team selections at short notice.

The case also places additional scrutiny on Italy’s Olympic program at a time when host nations typically seek to project organizational confidence and sporting integrity.

Sporting background and family legacy

Passler comes from a family with established links to Olympic biathlon. Her uncle, Johann Passler, won two bronze medals at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary in the men’s individual and relay events.

That family connection has been part of her sporting profile as she progressed through Italy’s winter sports system. The current proceedings now cast uncertainty over what had been expected to be a significant moment in her career — competing at an Olympic Games on home soil.

Disciplinary process to follow established procedures

The Biathlon Integrity Unit stated that disciplinary management of the case rests with the Italian anti-doping agency, which will oversee the process in line with national and international anti-doping regulations.

Typically, such cases allow the athlete to request analysis of a B sample and to present any relevant medical or procedural explanations as part of the review. No further details have been released regarding Passler’s response at this stage.

As is standard practice, the provisional suspension remains in effect while the case is examined.