South African Cyclist S’annara Grove Suspended for Doping During Tour of Britain
South African cyclist S’annara Grove received a provisional suspension from the International Testing Agency on Friday, August 21, 2026, after an out-of-competition sample collected at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow returned an adverse analytical finding for ipamorelin. The 32-year-old athlete, who rides professionally for the Smurfit Westrock team, was pulled mid-competition from the Lloyds Tour of Britain.
The Discovery of Ipamorelin and Anti-Doping Regulations
According to the International Testing Agency, the adverse analytical finding stems from a sample collected on July 28 in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games testing programme. Veloracycling.com notes that the sample produced a positive result for ipamorelin, a synthetic peptide that stimulates the body’s natural production of growth hormone. WADA lists ipamorelin as a growth-hormone secretagogue under section S2 of the 2026 Prohibited List, meaning the substance is prohibited both in and out of competition.
The International Testing Agency classifies the substance as a non-specified substance under anti-doping rules. Under Article 6.2.1 of the UCI Regulations for Results Management and the World Anti-Doping Code, Grove received a mandatory provisional suspension following the notification. The finding does not yet formally establish that an anti-doping rule violation occurred, and the rider retains the right to challenge the suspension and request its lifting through the results-management process.
Impact on the Smurfit Westrock Team and Race Schedule
The sudden roster change disrupts the Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team lineup midway through the Lloyds Tour of Britain, where the third stage took place on Friday. Grove entered the British multi-stage race following a busy summer calendar that included track cycling events at the Commonwealth Games. In Glasgow, she finished 13th in the women’s 10km scratch race final and 16th in the women’s 25km points race final, though she did not medal.
Before traveling to Scotland for the Games, Grove secured a victory at the Amashova National Classic, winning the 106km elite women’s race for a third consecutive year according to Veloracycling.com. Beyond the current British tour, the provisional suspension places her upcoming scheduled appearance at the road world championships in Montreal this September in immediate jeopardy. Neither Grove nor representatives for the Smurfit Westrock team have publicly addressed the International Testing Agency announcement beyond the regulatory notices.
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