Just days before the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina,the italian team is facing a notable challenge. Biathlete Rebecca Passler has tested positive for letrozole, an anti-doping violation that has led to her suspension from the team .This marks the second instance in Italian Olympic history, following a similar case involving race walker Alex Schwazer in 2012, raising concerns about anti-doping protocols and potential impacts on the teamS medal hopes.
Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler, 25, has tested positive for letrozole, the same substance that previously led to sanctions against tennis star Sara Errani. The Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) has replaced her on the team.
Just four days before the opening ceremony, the Italian Winter Olympics team faces a setback. For the second time in history, an Italian athlete slated to compete at the Games has been flagged for an anti-doping violation on the eve of entering the Olympic Village. In 2012, it was race walker Alex Schwazer. Now, it’s 25-year-old biathlete Rebecca Passler.
A surprise, out-of-competition control revealed that Passler, the least experienced of the five Italian biathletes named to the team, tested positive for letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor used in medicine to treat certain types of breast cancer. The substance gained notoriety in connection with the case of tennis player Sara Errani. Letrozole is prohibited because it elevates testosterone levels, artificially enhancing athletic performance whether due to therapeutic reasons or training.
Passler, who like Schwazer is a member of the Italian Carabinieri sports group, has been suspended and will likely be replaced, CONI announced on February 3rd. The news has shocked the Italian sporting world and a biathlon program hoping to contend for medals at the Anterselva Olympic venue, led by veterans Dorotea Wierer and Lisa Vittozzi, and rising star Tommaso Giacomel.
A Family Legacy
Born in Brunico in 2001, Rebecca Passler is the granddaughter of Johan Passler, who won two Olympic bronze medals and two World Championship gold medals in the late 1980s. While she enjoyed a successful junior career, Passler has yet to consistently break into the top ten in World Cup competition.
Understanding Letrozole
Classified as an S4 prohibited substance, athletes can attempt to prove unintentional use or contamination. However, even if successful, a penalty reduction is the likely outcome, as failing to properly monitor substances remains a violation.
Sara Errani successfully argued that letrozole entered her system through a Femara (the drug’s brand name in Italy) tablet inadvertently mixed into pasta made by her mother, who was undergoing cancer treatment. She received a 10-month suspension. Rower Niccolò Mornati was banned for four years (for the related substance anastrozole) despite presenting a contaminated supplement to the court.
Positive tests for letrozole are rare. Most recently, Belgian cyclocross rider Toon Aerts vigorously defended himself, submitting samples of a protein supplement purchased in the US that, according to his own lab analysis, was contaminated with the prohibited substance.
The tribunal found no evidence of tampering and stated that even if the product was contaminated, the dosage ingested by the athlete did not exceed the threshold. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed athletes that it is unaware of any contaminated supplements.
