Olympic champion Brianna McNeal suspended for 5 years over doping violation

Olympic champion Brianna McNeal suspended for 5 years over doping violation

Brianna McNeal

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Brianna McNeal has been suspended for five years, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Friday. The AIU added that McNeal has been slapped the penalty for tampering with the anti-doping testing process. The American athlete has appealed the suspension which backdates to August 2020.

“An update on the Brianna McNeal case: The Disciplinary Tribunal has sanctioned Brianna McNeal (USA) for 5 years, starting 15 Aug 2020, for tampering within the results management process, her second violation of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules,” the Athletics Integrity Unit tweeted.

“The athlete has appealed against the decision to CAS. Her appeal will be heard before the Tokyo Olympics. Yesterday, CAS granted the athlete provisional relief and temporarily stayed the DT decision to allow her to compete until the end of the USATF Olympic Trials on 27 June,” it added.

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Brianna McNeal can still take part in the US trials for the Tokyo Olympics

Brianna McNeal
Brianna McNeal

McNeal, who had been charged and provisionally suspended in January, was sanctioned by a Disciplinary Tribunal as it was her second violation of World Athletics’ anti-doping rules. She had missed the 2017 World Championships while serving a one-year ban for missing three drug tests. McNeal had in February protested her innocence.

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“The system is pretty messed up if you ask me but that’s another topic for another day,” she said in an Instagram post. “As far as my situation goes, I am still me! Very clean, very honest and transparent. Once all of this blows over I will provide more details of what’s actually going on.“

Thee 29-year-old can still take part in the US trials for the Tokyo Olympics later this month while she appeals the ban. Her appeal will be heard before the Olympics begin on July 23.

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