Sarno banned for doping violation

MANILA, Philippines — Olympian weightlifter Vanessa Sarno will be out of the limelight for an indefinite period of time.

This after the Asian champion and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist accepted a two-year period of ineligibility for an alleged anti-doping rule violation and pregnancy.

“She got pregnant,” Samahang Weightifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella told The STAR.

The sanction was released by the International Testing Agency, a leading anti-doping program tapped by the International Weightlifting Federation.

ITA reported that Sarno’s sanction started last Aug. 4 and will end on Aug. 3 of 2027 after committing three whereabouts failures within the prescribed 12-month period and did not challenge the proposed punishment.

Puentevella, however, did not comment on the doping issue but said Sarno has been out of the national team indefinitely for months now.

“She’s out for failure to report,” said Puentevella.

Also out of the team was another Olympian, John Ceniza, for an undisclosed reason.