Sport Integrity Australia acknowledges that the Australian Weightlifting Federation has imposed a two-year and six-month period of Ineligibility on athlete Melanie Bennett for Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection.
Under Article 2.3 of the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy 2021 (ANADP), it is an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) if an athlete refuses or fails to submit to Sample Collection without compelling justification after notification by a duly authorised person.
Ms Bennett committed the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) during an Out-of-Competition doping control test on 20 January 2025.
On 10 July 2025, Ms Bennett accepted a voluntary provisional suspension. On 28 November 2025, Ms Bennett accepted the asserted ADRV and provided a signed Acceptance of Consequences Form.
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The Australian Weightlifting Federation has imposed a two-year and six-month period of Ineligibility (backdated by a period of three months in accordance with Article 10.13.1 of the ANADP for delays not attributable to the Athlete) commencing on 10 July 2025.
As such, Ms Bennett is ineligible to participate in any sports that have adopted a World Anti-Doping Code compliant anti-doping policy between 10 July 2025 and 11:59pm on 9 October 2027.
She is also not permitted to compete in a non-signatory professional league, or event organised by a non-signatory International or National level event organisation.
Additional information on the Anti-Doping Rule Violation
As set out in the ANADP, an athlete may be subject to a four-year period of Ineligibility for Evading Sample collection; or refusing or failing to submit to Sample collection without compelling justification after notification by a duly authorised person.