Penny Oleksiak withdraws from swimming worlds, citing whereabouts case with World Aquatics
Seven-time Olympic medal winner Penny Oleksiak has withdrawn from the upcoming world aquatics championships due to being in a whereabouts case with World Aquatics.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canada’s Penny Oleksiak has withdrawn from the world aquatics championships due to being in a whereabouts case with World Aquatics, she announced on social media Friday.
The 25-year-old Toronto native said “it does not involve any banned substance” and “I am and always have been a clean athlete and will be making no further comment at this time.”
The world championships are set to begin July 11 and end Aug. 3 in Singapore.
Oleksiak received support of her decision from Swimming Canada CEO Suzanne Paulins, who said the organization believes Oleksiak “is a clean athlete who made an administrative mistake,” in a statement on social media.
Paulins did, however, say it was “disappointing news.”
Paulins said athletes are responsible for completing whereabouts and submitting filings on time to comply with anti-doping rules to avoid sanctions.
Oleksiak is a seven-time Olympic medalist and nine-time world championship medalist.
