U.S. Skier Breezy Johnson Under Investigation For Doping Breaches

Breezy Johnson, a promising American downhill skier, is currently under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for potential doping violations. The investigation centers on Johnson's whereabouts, which are the locations she is required to provide to USADA officials so that they can conduct random drug tests.

Johnson, 27, is one of the top U.S. downhillers in recent years, having achieved seven podium finishes in World Cup races. She also placed seventh in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

In a statement released on social media, Johnson acknowledged the investigation and said she would not compete until the matter is resolved. She said she took the decision to step away from competition "out of respect for my fellow racers."

Johnson's statement did not specify the nature of the allegations against her. However, USADA can investigate athletes for a variety of doping violations, including failing to provide accurate whereabouts information, missing drug tests, and using banned substances or methods.

"Athletes are subject to testing 365 days a year and do not have "off-seasons" or cutoff periods in which testing does not occur," USADA says under its "whereabouts" section. "Whereabouts information (dates, times, locations, etc.) is information submitted to USADA by an athlete that allows the athlete to be located for out-of-competition testing."

If USADA finds Johnson to have violated doping rules, she could face a suspension of up to two years. The agency has the authority to impose harsher penalties for repeat offenders.

Breanna Noble "Breezy" Johnson (born January 19, 1996) is an American World Cup alpine ski racer on the U.S. Ski Team. She competes in the speed events of downhill and super-G.

Born in Jackson, Wyoming, Johnson grew up in nearby Victor, Idaho, and made her World Cup debut in December 2015. In her first World Cup season in 2017, she finished eighteenth in the downhill standings. At the World Cup finals in March at Aspen, Johnson crashed in the downhill and suffered a tibial plateau fracture to her left leg. Johnson quickly recovered from this injury and in the 2018 season she finished eleventh in the downhill standings and competed in the Winter Olympics, finishing seventh in the downhill and fourteenth in the super-G.

While training in Chile in September 2018, Johnson partially tore her right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and missed the 2019 season. After returning to snow, she tore her left posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her left knee in training in June 2019.

She returned to the World Cup circuit in January 2020 with a 25th in the downhill at Altenmarkt and consecutive top tens at Bansko. Her first World Cup podium came in December 2020 at a downhill in Val d'Isère, France.

She qualified to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics, but was injured and did not compete.

The Skiing Community Reacts to Johnson's Investigation

She got immediate support from teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who won the downhill Saturday at St. Moritz.

“We support you Breezy,” Shiffrin wrote in a reply to Johnson’s social media post.

The news of Johnson's investigation has been met with mixed reactions from the skiing community. Some fans and fellow athletes have expressed support for Johnson, saying they hope she is cleared of any wrongdoing.

Others have expressed disappointment, saying that doping is a serious issue that undermines the integrity of the sport. They have called for USADA to thoroughly investigate the allegations and take appropriate action if Johnson is found to have violated doping rules.

It remains to be seen how the investigation into Johnson will play out. However, the case highlights the ongoing battle against doping in skiing and the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all athletes.