Ahmed Hafnaoui Officially Suspended 21 Months for Whereabouts Violations
Tunisian Olympic gold medalist Ahmed Hafnaoui has had his provisional suspension for whereabouts violations enacted, which will keep him out of competition through 2026.
World Aquatics’ Integrity Unit affirmed the suspension on Monday. It is effective April 11 for a period of 21 months, keeping him out of competition until Jan. 10, 2026. Results by Hafnaoui since April 11, 2024 have also been disqualified.
Hafnaoui admitted three whereabouts violations over 12 months, in breach of Article 2.4 of the World Aquatics Anti-Doping Rules (pdf). He also accepted the sanctioning from the governing body. Hafnaoui was provisionally suspended in December. Hafnaoui missed the Paris Olympics last summer due to what was then termed an undisclosed injury, though had he competed, those results would’ve been nullified.
From the press release:
The AQIU reminds all athletes included in its Registered Testing Pool (RTP) of the importance of making sure they keep their Whereabouts information up to date at all times. The AQIU also invites the athletes included in its RTP to complete the anti-doping e-learning course “ADEL for Registered Testing Pool athletes” on the ADEL platform to ensure their whereabouts are filed and updated in accordance with the applicable rules.
Hafnaoui will turn 23 the month before the suspension is lifted. He was one of the stories of the Tokyo Olympics, pulling off a shocking gold in the men’s 400 freestyle from an outside lane. He backed up that promise at the 2023 World Championships, taking silver in the 400 free before winning gold in the 800 free and 1,500 free, nearly taking the world record in the latter. He was due to attend Indiana University in the fall of 2023 but only competed there briefly before being ruled ineligible. He was training in California in early 2024.
Hafnaoui also won silver at the 2021 World Short-Course Championships.