The Montargis court delivered its verdict on 22nd January, sentencing former French cyclist Marion Sicot to a ten-month suspended prison sentence and a โฌ5,000 fine for the possession and importation of doping products. The decision came nearly six years after the 32-year-old first tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) at the 2019 French National Road Championships.
Reflecting on the court’s ruling, Sicot shared her relief with the Agence France-Presse (AFP), saying, โItโs a page that turns on six years of legal proceedings. The court understood my situation and took it into account. Iโm not banned from pursuing a sporting activity, so I still have a future in sport and am already looking towards the competitions of 2025.โ
Admission and context
Sicot, who rode for teams including Servetto Footon and Belgian outfit Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport, admitted during the trial that she had used banned substances from 2016 to 2019. Initially denying the allegations, she later confessed to ordering EPO online. Her positive test came after finishing ninth at the French National Road Championships in June 2019, leading to a four-year suspension from cycling that ended in March 2024.
During her testimony, Sicot reflected on her actions, saying, โI regret cheating and lying. I dirtied my sport. I wasnโt doing well, and I lacked confidence in myself. To perform at that level, I took the easy way out.โ She also acknowledged the pervasiveness of doping in the sport during her career, describing it as โan integral part of this sport,โ although she claimed it brought her โno personal gain.โ
Wider investigation and sentencing
The case extended beyond Sicot, involving a network that facilitated her doping. A friend and former amateur cyclist who assisted her with the importation of EPO received a ten-month suspended sentence and a โฌ10,000 fine. Additionally, a 51-year-old doctor accused of forging prescriptions was handed the same suspended sentence, fined โฌ20,000, and banned from practising medicine for six months.
A troubled career and future ambitions
Sicotโs career was further complicated by allegations of sexual harassment against her former team manager, Marc Bracke. She filed a complaint in 2020, but the case was dismissed in 2022. Shortly thereafter, Bracke took his own life. Despite her legal troubles and time away from professional cycling, Sicot expressed her desire to contribute to the fight against doping in the future. โWhenever I have the opportunity, I want to participate in anti-doping efforts,โ she said.
The case highlights differing approaches to doping enforcement worldwide. While France and the UK do not criminalise doping for athletes, Sicotโs sentence reflects the legal consequences tied to the trafficking and possession of banned substances.