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By Vy Anh  February 17, 2025 | 10:24 pm PT
Laura Barquero in action at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Photo by Reuters
Figure skater Laura Barquero has been suspended for six years after testing positive for clostebol, the same banned substance that tennis star Jannik Sinner was found to have used but which only got him a three-month ban.
Barquero's suspension follows an agreement between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Skating Union (ISU) and the 23-year-old skater.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, her case is also under review by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), just like Sinner, the current number one player in world tennis.
Both athletes were exposed to clostebol unintentionally. Their cases are strikingly similar, as Barquero tested positive after training in Italy due to exposure to Trofodermin cream, the same medication that Sinner received from a therapy assistant.
Barquero claimed the substance transferred onto her skin through personal belongings, a scenario supported by expert research. Her positive test occurred in 2023, a year after she finished 11th at the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Initially, the ISU handed Barquero a one-year ban, but WADA pushed for a longer suspension, arguing that cases like hers should get at least a four-year ban. In contrast, WADA initially sought a suspension of 1-2 years for Sinner before ultimately agreeing to a three-month ban.
"The only difference between the two cases is that Barquero previously tested positive for Trofodermin, making this a repeat offense," AS noted. "However, despite both cases being deemed unintentional, the drastic difference in their punishments has raised eyebrows."
Sinner was handed a three-month ban on Feb. 15 after WADA reached an agreement with the International Tennis Integrity Authority (ITIA) and the tennis champion. This ruling allows him to compete in all four Grand Slams this year, with his suspension ending just 10 days before the Roland Garros begins.
