Revealed: Doping ban forced Matildas star out of Olympics

An error by Italian club Pomigliano reportedly led to Matildas veteran Aivi Luik copping a three month doping suspension that forced her out of contention for selection in the Paris Olympics squad.
Luik claims the club administered a painkilling injection for a back injury in 2022 when she was playing for the Serie A club.
The injection contained a banned substance but she said she was told by the doctor and a specialist that it was permitted.
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Aivi Luik of the Matildas competes for the ball with Lucie Martinkova of the Czech Republic. Getty
The club applied to the country’s anti-doping authority for a therapeutic use exemption certificate but it was then rejected.
After being injected with the substance by the club, she was forced to sit out and was an unused substitute for a match played three days after receiving the drug.
She came off the bench in another match in April, but on the morning of their following game, was told by club officials she’d been stood down for two months, and missed the remainder of the season.
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“They told me that the TUE, the paperwork had been denied, and that I couldn’t play for two months. And so of course, in my head, I’m freaking out,” Luik told Tracey Holmes’ The Sports Ambassador podcast.
“What does this mean? What could it mean? Have I done something wrong? The substance that was used was fine to be used out of competition – which means, basically anytime except for game day. And this was done four days before my game.
“They later kind of clarified that I couldn’t play because of the fact that there’s a washout period for this substance, which is 60 days, and that’s the two months suspension.
Aivi Luik of Pomigliano during a Serie A match at Stadio Tre Fontane. AAP
“So I later came to understand that what they had told me was the suspension was actually just them saying: ‘OK, this is the washout period. You can’t play now.’ I didn’t feel, I guess, back then, per se … (like) a drug cheat.”
While her contract with Pomigliano expired at the end of the 2022 season, she continued her career at Swedish club BK Hacken FF and was part of the Matildas squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Luik thought the whole issue was behind her until she received an email in April this year about the charges relating to the ban and was forced to pull out of the Olympics because she was unable to have it overturned.
She is now considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and still has two months left to serve on the ban.
“I was terrified at the thought of this affecting the team, because we had a really great chance going into that tournament to do well and to medal finally… (if) this comes out during the Olympic tournament, and what that would do for the girls and the team in general,” she said.
“I had to call up Tony (Gustavsson) and pull my name from the selection, and I don’t know whether I would have made it or not. I think the hardest thing to take was just the fact that the chance was kind of robbed in that way.”
After the news emerged, the players’ union in Australia declared their support for Luik.
“Aivi’s case further highlights the need to establish an anti-doping system that respects the fundamental rights of athletes and is effective in pursuing its stated objectives,” said co-chief executives Beau Busch and Kate Gill.
“In speaking out Aivi has again demonstrated the courage and character she has always shown on and off the pitch.”