Here’s a detailed breakdown of how Penny Oleksiak has responded her “side of the story”  following the sweeping news that the celebrated Canadian Olympic swimmer has been handed a two-year ban.

 What Happened: The Ban & Violation

• In November 2025, the International Testing Agency (ITA) announced that Oleksiak accepted a two-year ban from competitive swimming.

• The ban stems from three “whereabouts failures”  between October 2024 and June 2025  rather than a positive doping test. (ESPN.com)

• The ban is retroactive to July 15, 2025.

• As a result, any competition results (medals, points, prizes) from June 16, 2025 onward will be disqualified. (The Star)

• The whereabouts rule requires elite athletes to file and update their location (with a 60-minute availability window) so they can be available for unannounced drug tests.

• Failing to keep this information up to date  through missed tests or filing failures  constitutes a violation, even without use of banned substances. (The Star)

What Oleksiak Says: Her Explanation & Defense

In interviews after the ban was announced, Oleksiak has publicly:

• Denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs. She insisted:

“It’s never been me to do performance-enhancing drugs or even think about doing performance-enhancing drugs.” (CityNews Toronto)

• Emphasized the violations were “genuine mistakes”  scheduling and administrative oversights  not an attempt at concealment.

• She said that the notion of a whereabouts violation automatically being conflated with doping “paints the picture a certain way,” which she argues is misleading. (Yahoo News Canada)

• Expressed regret and disappointment.

“First and foremost, I’m sorry that this happened.

It wasn’t something I ever wanted to happen. It wasn’t something I ever expected to happen.

I did do something wrong  and I do have regret around it.” (Yahoo News Canada)

• Acknowledged the responsibility that comes with being an elite athlete, and admitted that she “wasn’t able to pull it to the standards that I normally would.” (Yahoo News Canada)

• Clarified that the missed tests arose from concrete events: one instance was due to a training schedule change (from afternoon to morning), and another was because she had work obligations outside swimming. (Yahoo News Canada)

Life Under Suspension: Challenges & Her Outlook

The ban complicates her life as an elite athlete here’s how she says she’s coping:

• Because of the terms of her suspension, Oleksiak is not allowed to train with her coach or teammates.

• She has relocated to Los Angeles, but must rely on public pools and training alone. (Yahoo News Canada)

• She described this period as a kind of “reset.” Rather than giving up, she says she’s using the time to rebuild  mentally and physically  preparing for a potential comeback when her ban ends. (Yahoo News Canada)

• Her goal? The next big target: the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

• She’s determined to return and compete again. (CityNews Toronto)

Why She Feels the Punishment Is Misunderstood

Oleksiak argues that:

• Whereabouts failures are treated the same as doping violations under anti-doping rules even though no banned substances were used.

• The public and media reaction tends to equate “anti-doping rule violation” with drug use, which she believes unfairly tarnishes her reputation. (Yahoo News Canada)

• The system is strict and unforgiving, leaving little room for human error, even among top-level athletes juggling training, competitions, and other obligations.

• The missed tests  she says  happened because of schedule shifts and obligations outside of swimming, not because of wrongdoing. (Yahoo News Canada)

• She has a track record of declining performance-enhancing drugs or even considering it  i.e., doping has “never been in her DNA.” (CityNews Toronto)

Thus, in her view, the ban reflects “errors in administration and compliance,” not a moral or ethical failing.

What This Means for Her Legacy  And What’s Next

• The ban tarnishes an otherwise stellar record. As of 2025, Oleksiak was Canada’s most decorated female Olympic swimmer, with seven Olympic medals (including Olympic gold in 2016) and multiple world championships medals. (ESPN.com)

• By admitting the violation and accepting the sanction, she avoids the uncertainty and controversy of a prolonged legal or appeals battle.

• Her path forward: live training, rebuild, stay ready for 2027 ban-lift and aim for a return in 2028.

• As she put it: this could be “another little reset  show Canadians and even the world where I really am at the best point in my career while still being at the worst point in my career.” (Yahoo News Canada)

• But there’s also a reputational risk: some critics and members of the public might view three missed tests (especially by a high-profile athlete) as negligence, not an honest mistake. As one Reddit commenter put it:

“Even if it was unintentional, she’s a professional athlete and this is part of the job.

One mistake can happen but three in a year is negligence.” (Reddit)

That underlines the challenge she faces: regaining trust.