Samba-Mayela restructures coaching team following Paris Olympics
Samba-Mayela changes coaching staff in Texas post-Paris Olympics amid suspension and injury recovery.
Event / Sports
Cyréna Samba-Mayela Doping Suspension
French Olympic hurdler provisionally suspended for location reporting violations with potential two-year ban affecting 2028 Olympics eligibility
3 reported locations
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2026-09-25 to 2026-11-02 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 25 Sept, 14:36 UTC
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What happened
Samba-Mayela changes coaching team after Paris Olympics
Following the Paris 2024 Olympics, Cyréna Samba-Mayela left her Irish coach John Coghlan, with whom she had been training in Orlando, Florida since late 2023. She joined coach Tonja Buford-Bailey in Texas, where she trains alongside American sprinter Gabby Thomas, the Olympic 200m champion from Paris 2024.
French hurdler Cyréna Samba-Mayela provisionally suspended for doping rule violations
Cyréna Samba-Mayela, France's sole athletics medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics where she won silver in the 100m hurdles, was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on September 18, 2026. She was sanctioned for three failures to meet her mandatory location reporting obligations within a 12-month period. Under World Athletics anti-doping regulations, three such violations constitute an anti-doping rule breach, carrying a potential suspension of up to two years, with a minimum of one year depending on the severity of the violation.
Samba-Mayela withdrawn from 2026 European Athletics Championships due to calf injury
Cyréna Samba-Mayela withdrew from the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham from August 10-16, 2026, due to a calf injury. The 25-year-old athlete was unable to compete despite being the defending European champion in the 100m hurdles, having won the title at the Rome 2024 European Championships.
Samba-Mayela could miss 2028 Los Angeles Olympics due to suspension
If the maximum two-year suspension is imposed on Cyréna Samba-Mayela for her anti-doping rule violations, she could be unable to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics scheduled for July 2028. The suspension period would extend into the Olympic Games year.
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2 alternative perspectives
Samba-Mayela withdraws from European Championships due to calf injury
Samba-Mayela withdraws from European Championships due to calf injury.
French hurdler faces provisional suspension over doping violations
French hurdler Samba-Mayela provisionally suspended for doping; 2028 Olympics participation at risk.