Saunders, 26, committed three "breaches of the location obligation" in the space of 12 months. His sanction, which is due to end in February 2024, gives him a chance to participate in the Paris 2024 Games.
An athlete with an exuberant look – she wore a Joker mask at the Tokyo Olympics – Saunders is as well known for her athletic performances as for her commitments, particularly in defending the rights of the LGBT community and dealing with mental health issues.
Her violations were committed while she was part of a USADA control group and she had to inform authorities of her whereabouts in order to be located for random out-of-competition testing.
Saunders missed tests on January 8, May 26 and August 15 last year. His 18-month suspension began with the third offence and all results from that date onwards were overturned.
© 2023 AFP