Serbian athlete Ivan Garaj has been suspended for three months due to the use of cocaine, it was confirmed in the announcements of the Serbian Athletics Federation and the Anti-Doping Agency of Serbia.
The Disciplinary Commission made the decision after the athlete admitted to using narcotics outside the competition period.
The announcement of the Serbian Athletics Federation detailed how the violation occurred.
“Athlete Ivan Garaj admitted to using cocaine out of competition for reasons not related to the improvement of sports performance, by stating that on February 23, 2026, at around 11 p.m., he consumed cocaine in five doses with 12 beers, for entertainment reasons, which was also confirmed by one present person,” the SAS statement reads.
Garaj was handed a three-month suspension, and the punishment officially began to run from March 20.
The athlete, who competes in the shot put and discus throw disciplines, achieved several notable results on the domestic and international scene during his career. He won a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, while last year he was the runner-up of the Serbian Cup in Kruševac.
Also, in 2023, he reached the gold at the Championship of Vojvodina, and even earlier, in 2015, he competed for the Serbian national team at the Balkan Championships in Pitești, Romania.
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Source: B92; Photo: AK Proleter