The Romanian Gymnastics Federation (FRG) announced on Friday that it is providing gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu - provisionally suspended by the International Testing Agency (ITA) - with "administrative support, procedural coordination and institutional assistance."
"The Federation fully respects the work of the competent bodies and the integrity of the ongoing process. At the same time, it considers it essential that any athlete benefit from balance, institutional support and full respect for procedural rights, without premature conclusions or labels. Throughout this procedure, the athlete is being offered administrative support, procedural coordination and appropriate institutional assistance, within the limits of the Federation's competencies and in strict compliance with international regulations," FRG said in a statement.
The Federation noted that the case highlights "the increasing complexity of administrative obligations" in elite international sport, where athletes constantly manage competitions, travel, training camps and international programmes "within a very strict anti-doping administrative framework."
FRG stressed that the procedure concerns three "whereabouts failures", not the detection of a banned substance. "This procedure does not concern a prohibited substance, but the athlete's administrative obligations regarding location and availability for out-of-competition testing," the statement said. Under international rules, Barbosu is currently under provisional suspension, a procedural measure that "does not represent a final decision", and she retains all rights to defence and appeal.
The Federation also underlined its strong cooperation with the National Anti-Doping Agency on prevention. "Protecting clean sport requires not only strict compliance with international rules but also a solid culture of education, prevention and responsibility. This cooperation will continue, with a focus on strengthening education, prevention and administrative support for elite athletes," FRG added.
Ana Maria Barbosu, currently a student at Stanford University, was provisionally suspended after three failures to provide accurate whereabouts information within a 12-month period. She has requested that the case be heard by the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where athletes may present explanations and evidence regarding the missed tests.
Under anti-doping rules, elite athletes must declare in the ADAMS system a daily 60-minute time slot and location where they can be tested. Failure to be found at the declared location counts as a violation; three such failures within a year trigger sanctions even without a positive test.
Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee president Mihai Covaliu told AGERPRES that the provisional suspension is "a difficult and unpleasant moment" for Romanian sport and should serve as a warning to federations regarding athlete education. According to earlier statements from Covaliu and FRG leadership, Barbosu could face up to two years of suspension.
