Canada's Penny Oleksiak, the country's most decorated female Olympian, has announced her withdrawal from the upcoming world aquatics championships due to a whereabouts issue related to anti-doping regulations. Oleksiak made this revelation on social media on Friday, stating that the issue does not involve any banned substances, emphasizing her commitment to being a clean athlete.

The 25-year-old swimmer, who hails from Toronto and boasts an impressive record of seven Olympic medals and nine world championship medals, expressed her disappointment but clarified that she would not provide further comments on the situation at this time. Swimming Canada confirmed that Oleksiak had not faced any official sanctions; her withdrawal was made voluntarily.

In a statement, Suzanne Paulins, CEO of Swimming Canada, explained that Oleksiak's decision was based on an administrative error concerning her whereabouts information, which she failed to keep fully updated with World Aquatics. Paulins described the situation as an "administrative mistake" rather than a deliberate violation of anti-doping rules.

Paulins also expressed support for Oleksiak's decision, asserting that while the athlete is not currently sanctioned, her participation in the world championships could pose risks to team results if an anti-doping rule violation were discovered. This precaution underscores the importance of keeping accurate and up-to-date whereabouts filings, as athletes are fully responsible for adhering to these anti-doping regulations.

She further noted that these regulations are vital to maintain a level playing field among all athletes, reaffirming Swimming Canada’s commitment to enforcing and supporting anti-doping rules as defined by the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, World Aquatics, and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The world aquatics championships are set to take place from July 11 to August 3, 2023, in Singapore. Oleksiak's withdrawal from this prestigious event raises questions about the potential impact on the Canadian swim team and the expectations for their performance at the championships without one of their star athletes.