Olympic fencer cleared of doping after panel rules BF’s kiss likely to blame

French Olympic fencer Ysaora Thibus has officially been cleared of doping allegations, following an unusual case that traced the banned substance in her system to kissing her boyfriend. Thibus, 33, was initially suspended from competition after a January 2024 drug test revealed traces of ostarine, an illegal performance-enhancing compound known to mimic the effects of anabolic steroids and testosterone.

Why did Ysaora Thibus face a four year suspension from fencing?

The discovery put Thibus at risk of a four-year ban, potentially ending her fencing career. While the French Doping Disciplinary Tribunal (DDT) ruled in June 2024 that she bore “no fault or negligence,” the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) challenged the decision. WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that Thibus’ claim that she unknowingly ingested ostarine through intimate contact with her partner was insufficient to explain the positive test.

After an in-person hearing at CAS headquarters in Switzerland, the court sided with Thibus. On July 7, 2025, CAS released a statement confirming that scientific evidence supported the possibility of contamination through repeated kissing over several days. The panel noted that the amount of ostarine consumed by Thibus’ then-boyfriend could have transferred enough of the substance through saliva to result in a positive drug test. The court concluded that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional and reaffirmed that Thibus bore no fault or negligence. As a result, WADA’s appeal was dismissed, and the original DDT decision was upheld.

Thibus represented France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she placed fifth in her event. She previously earned a silver medal in the team foil competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The ruling not only clears Thibus of wrongdoing but also underscores the complex and sometimes surprising nature of anti-doping enforcement in modern sport.

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