SD Worx rider Chantal van den Broeck-Braak tested positive for a banned substance at the 2008 World University Championships, a newspaper report revealed Tuesday.

The Dutchwoman has had a long and successful career as a road rider, finishing second among the top five Dutchmen at the event in Nijmegen, in the country's east, and winning a silver medal, followed by an elite world title in 2017.

However, the Dutch newspaper AD (opens in new tab) reported that van den Broek-Blaak tested positive for the diuretic furosemide after a race in May 2008. Furthermore, she was not given any sanction or ban.

Furosemide is a drug used to treat fluid buildup due to heart, liver, and kidney problems and is banned by WADA both in and out of competition.

It is listed as a masking agent, meaning that it may be used to mask the presence of other drugs. Currently, a positive test for this substance carries a four-year ban, except for an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), which in 2008 carried a two-year ban.

Regardless of the tests and their results, the statute of limitations on sanctions has passed and van den Broeck-Blark will not be punished further.

The status of van den Broek-Blaak's test appears to be a mystery, the AD reported. Neither the International University Sports Union (FISU) nor the UCI have archived any records regarding the test.

Meanwhile, organizer Henk Kuiper told AD that van den Broek-Braak will lose the silver medal and move into second and third place behind Elise van Hage, who was won by Annemiek van Fruten and Loes Markerink.

"My conclusion is that it was right to hand over to FISU in 2008, and it is extraordinary that only the results of the relevant competitions were removed," Vincent Egbers, chairman of the Dutch Anti-Doping Agency, told the newspaper.

"It is not easy to ascertain whether there was any report to the UCI or the Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU) at the time. It certainly was not the custom at the time.

"Now the procedures have been revised and stricter rules apply. The Association and the International Federation now receive reports from us and we follow positive cases closely."

Van den Broeck-Braak, who was racing on the now-defunct AA Drink team at the time, said that she explained the situation to the (unnamed) agency involved at the time, and that the agency subsequently decided not to sanction her.

"At the time, I explained my story to the relevant people and agencies. They then decided not to impose a suspension on me," she told the AD.

"I don't want to talk about a 14-year-old incident that had nothing to do with doping. I want to emphasize once again that I have never used doping in my career and I can see myself in the mirror."

Cycling News reached out to Van den Broeck-Braak's current team SD Worx for comment on the matter and received the following response.

"Team SD Worx has spoken with cyclist Chantal van den Broeck-Braak about the incident regarding her positive test for the drug furosemide in 2008. This incident occurred seven years before she started riding with our team. The team was unaware of the incident

"Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak made it clear to the team that the incident had nothing to do with doping. She explained her story to the officials and authorities at the time. They subsequently decided not to suspend her. She further stressed to the team that she had never used doping throughout her career.

"There is absolute tolerance within the team for doping and the use of banned substances. Since the creation of the team, there has never been any doping within the team."

The team's president, Mr. Mosley, also stated that the team "has never had any doping within the team since its creation.