Former French cyclist Marion Sicot has been handed a 10-month suspended prison sentence and a €5,000 fine, six years after testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned performance-enhancing drug. The sentence, handed down in Montargis court, marks the conclusion of a lengthy anti-doping case that has followed Sicot since her positive test at the 2019 French National Championships.
Sicot, 32, admitted to doping during her career, spanning from 2016 to 2019. Her trial began in November 2024, and she was sentenced this week after already serving a four-year ban from cycling, retroactively imposed by the French authorities. The ban, which will end in March 2024, followed an initial two-year suspension after Sicot’s 2020 admission of EPO use. The extended ban came from the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court.
The doping saga began with Sicot’s denial of using EPO after her positive test in 2019. However, she later confessed to using the substance and also admitted to taking clenbuterol, another banned drug, during her time racing with the Belgian team Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport in 2019. She explained that she resorted to doping due to a lack of self-confidence and pressure to perform at the highest level. “It’s very easy to dope, either you know someone, or you go on the internet,” Sicot stated during the trial, reflecting on the ease of access to banned substances.
Although doping itself is not a criminal offense in France, Sicot’s conviction stemmed from trafficking and possessing these substances, which are punishable by law. The court’s decision highlighted her role in importing and possessing doping products, which led to the suspended sentence. Sicot will only serve the prison term if she commits another offense during the 10-month period.
The case also involved other individuals convicted in connection with doping activities. A former semi-professional cyclist, who had aided Sicot, received a similar 10-month suspended sentence and a €10,000 fine. A 51-year-old doctor, suspected of illegally writing prescriptions for doping substances, was given a €20,000 fine, a 10-month suspended sentence, and a six-month ban from practicing medicine.
Sicot’s case underscores the ongoing challenges within anti-doping efforts, particularly in cycling, a sport that has faced repeated doping scandals. The Agence Française de Lutte Contre le Dopage (AFLD), an independent body tasked with enforcing anti-doping rules, has overseen the investigation and prosecution of Sicot’s case. Their efforts, along with increased legal scrutiny, are vital in ensuring that athletes are held accountable for violating the integrity of sport.
While Sicot’s sentence brings an end to this chapter of her career, it serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of doping and the importance of maintaining fairness in competitive sports.
