Italian Shot Putter Nick Ponzio Banned for Doping, to Miss Paris Olympics

Ponzio claims a phone app glitch caused him to miss surprise tests, marking the second suspension of an Italian athlete in less than a week.

Nick Ponzio, an American-born Italian shot putter, has been banned for 18 months by the Italian Anti-Doping Agency for drug-testing violations.
Ponzio's ban, which started last February, will prevent him from participating in the Paris Olympics scheduled for July 26 to Aug. 11, 2024.
Ponzio claims that he missed the surprise tests due to a glitch in the app on his phone that failed to notify him.
Ponzio, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics but didn't advance past the qualifying round, is the second Italian athlete to be suspended in less than a week.
The other suspended athlete is steeplechase runner Ahmed Abdelwahed, who received a maximum four-year ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit.