UK Anti-Doping agency expresses concern for Lizzy Banks' well-being and promises to "look into what it can do to better support athletes" going through the same as Banks

UK Anti-Doping has admitted it is concerned with riders' well-being and will review its support to athletes going through the trial, after cycling Elizabeth Banks revealed her life had been turned upside down by a 10-month case which concluded she was at 'no fault or negligence' for a positive doping test.

The 33-year-old cyclist has represented Great Britain at the 2019 and 2020 World Championships. Banks, who had been racing for then WorldTour team EF Education-Tibco-SVB, when she was notified of the result last July, has published a lengthy blog post about an ordeal which she says has cost her around £40,000.  

Her post launched a wave of heartwarming support towards Banks, while another wave hit UKAD with harsh criticism for ruining the athlete's life for a mistake of their own system, not even offering any sort of compensation or help for the affected athlete.

In a statement, UK Anti-Doping said: "Following concerning reports in the media and comments made by professional cyclist Ms Elizabeth Banks on Tuesday 21 May 2024, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) confirms that Ms Banks has committed anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) and that the applicable period of ineligibility has been eliminated on the basis that Ms Banks bore no fault or negligence for those ADRVs."

"UKAD also notes Ms Banks’ comments with concern and will be looking into what it can do to better support athletes going through anti-doping rule violation proceedings."

Anyhow this will be too little and mainly too late for Banks, who has already announced her retirement following an exhaustive period in her life, after which in her words she "could not risk putting (her) family both through anything like this again."