Track legend of Greece banned for adverse finding in a re-analysis of a sample from Rio Olympics
Track Cycling
Christos Volikákis (37) has represented Greece at four Olympic Games between 2008-2021. The representant in Keirin and Sprint disciplines was issued a three-year ban following an adverse finding in his sample from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
The sample was found to contain selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), which are supposed to induce muscle growth and fat loss. The samples taken from each Olympic Games are kept for up to ten years and routinely re-analysed as part of a programme mandated by the IOC.
Volikákis has now been banned for three years. The Greek is one of the first athletes to be found guilty of banned substances based on the retesting of the Rio Olympics. His suspension expires on March 14, 2027, having already been provisionally suspended for one year.
Volikákis never scored a big medal at the Olympic Games, however he has medals from World and European Championships and one World Cup victory from 2011 in his finest discipline - Keirin. His last start was in 2023 and so we shouldn't expect the Greek to return to active racing after the expiration of his ban.
The statement on the case from UCI:
"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the Greek rider Christos Volikákis has been sanctioned with a period of ineligibility of three years following an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the presence of Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) of LGD-4033 metabolite.
In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code) and the UCI Anti-Doping Regulations (UCI ADR), the period of ineligibility started on 15 March 2024 and is effective until 14 March 2027 (included).
The ADRV results from the reanalysis of a sample collected on 16 August 2016 during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games, an event from which the rider was disqualified.
The case has been resolved by way of an acceptance of consequences as provided for by the Code and the UCI ADR."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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