British cyclist Daphne Schrager, a silver medalist at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, has received a two-year ban after testing positive for Ligandrol. The substance, which is prohibited for its muscle and bone-building properties, was identified during an out-of-competition screening last year.
The suspension began on June 2, 2025, and concludes on June 1, 2027. This timeline allows the 25-year-old athlete to potentially compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. However, she has been excluded from the current England squad competing at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) officials determined that while Schrager did not intentionally ingest the substance, she failed to sufficiently prove her claim of environmental contamination. Schrager had suggested the substance might have been picked up during massage therapy or within her shared home. Despite investing in hair and nail analysis to clear her name, the tribunal concluded the source of the contamination remained unverified.
Schrager, who lives with cerebral palsy, maintains her innocence and emphasized that the trace amount detected provided no athletic advantage. Consequently, the governing body has not disqualified her previous race results. She expressed deep emotional distress regarding the loss of her contract and team, describing the ordeal as one of the most challenging periods of her life. She remains committed to resuming her cycling career in 2027.
