The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has announced that British Virgin Islands sprinter Adaejah Hodge has served a period of ineligibility following anti-doping rule violations, with the athlete also stripped of her medals from the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships.

The sanctions stem from in-competition samples provided by Hodge on 28 August and 30 August 2024 at the championships in Lima, which resulted in adverse analytical findings for GW501516 sulfone and GW501516 sulfoxide, metabolites of the prohibited substance GW501516.

The substance is classified as non-specified and is banned at all times.

The AIU notified Hodge of the findings on 22 November 2024 in Georgia, United States, and imposed an immediate provisional suspension.

She attended an interview with AIU representatives and provided an explanation, later submitting additional information and participating in a further interview on 17 January 2025.

The AIU, the athlete and the World Anti-Doping Agency subsequently entered into a case resolution agreement under World Athletics anti-doping rules.

Under the agreement, Hodge acknowledged that she committed anti-doping rule violations under Rule 2.1 and Rule 2.2.

The parties accepted that, on the balance of probabilities, she ingested the substance unknowingly and that the violations were not intentional.

She accepted a two-year period of ineligibility, which began on 28 August 2024 and ran until 27 August 2026.

However, seven months of the sanction were suspended for substantial assistance, making her eligible to return to competition from 28 January 2026.

All of Hodge’s competitive results between 28 August 2024 and 22 November 2024 have been disqualified, including the forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

The controversy also comes against the backdrop of a separate investigation involving Hodge’s former coach at Montverde Academy, Gerald PhiriGerald Phiri, who was provisionally suspended in 2025 after multiple athletes tested positive for the same banned substance.

The AIU also alleged additional anti-doping rule violations against Phiri, including possession of banned substances and failure to cooperate with investigators.

The AIU said Hodge has no right of appeal following the case resolution agreement, and the outcome has been published in accordance with its rules.