Tokyo Olympics 400-meter freestyle champion Ahmed Hafnaoui has received a 21-month suspension for three whereabouts failures, the Aquatic Sports Integrity Unit said.
Aquatic Sports Integrity Unit said that Hafnaoui admitted to committing the whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. The Tunisian swimmer's ban runs until Jan. 10, 2026, and all his results since April 11, 2024, have been disqualified, it added.
Reuters has contacted Africa Aquatics and the Tunisian Olympic Committee for comment.
In 2021 at the age of 18, Hafnaoui stunned the world by winning the 400-meter freestyle gold from Lane 8 at the Tokyo Olympics after being the slowest qualifier in the final.
As well as winning the 400 free title in Tokyo, Hafnaoui won 800 and 1,500 gold and 400 silver at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
He did not take part in the Paris Olympics due to an undisclosed injury.