Ana Barbosu faces two-year ban after Paris medal dispute
The Romanian gymnast suspended in May 2026 for anti-doping violations returns to competition in May 2028, just before the Los Angeles Games.
By Justin Brooks ·
Ana Barbosu is banned from competition for two years, a ruling that effectively removes her from international gymnastics until May 2028. The suspension began in May 2026 and stems from administrative errors rather than the detection of banned drugs. This timeline places her return to eligibility two months before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
The penalty resulted from three separate failures to provide required availability windows for random drug testing. The International Testing Agency mandates that athletes designate a 60-minute slot each day where they can be located for sample collection. Barbosu missed these windows three times within a 12-month period, which constitutes a violation of anti-doping rules. She appealed the initial decision in August, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport partially upheld the original suspension.
Barbosu’s career has been defined by the controversy surrounding the bronze medal in the floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jordan Chiles, an American gymnast, initially finished fifth with a score of 13.666. Barbosu and her Romanian teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea scored 13.700 for third and fourth place, respectively. Chiles’ coach challenged the result, prompting judges to adjust Chiles’ difficulty score. This change awarded Chiles the bronze medal and dropped Barbosu to fourth.
The outcome was not stable. The Romanian Olympic committee contested the revised decision, leading to a reversal that moved Chiles back to fifth place. The legal battle over the medal remains unresolved. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled to re-hear the case in May 2027. A final determination on who holds the bronze medal is expected to follow that session.
Barbosu addressed the public confusion on social media in May. She explained that the suspension was unrelated to prohibited substances. "To be clear, this situation has nothing to do with prohibited substances, and I have been grateful for the guidance and support throughout the process," she wrote on Instagram. She noted that the transition to life in the United States and her enrollment at Stanford University added complexity to the process.
The current suspension is now in effect. Barbosu will compete in no official events until May 2028. The legal proceedings regarding the 2024 Olympic medal will conclude in May 2027, which is more than a year before her eligibility returns.
