World Champion Christian Coleman to miss Tokyo Olympics despite reduction in ban


World Champion Christian Coleman to miss Tokyo Olympics despite reduction in ban

Christian Coleman

Champion American sprinter Christian Coleman was slapped a 2-year ban from athletics in October last year. Coleman was handed the ban following anti-doping violations. The World Champion sprinter was provisionally suspended for three ‘whereabouts failures’ in June.

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport did cut the 100-meter world champion’s ban from two years to 18 months. But the ban won’t expire until November, three months after the Olympics. The panel of three judges said 18 months “was the appropriate sanction in the circumstances” because Coleman was not entirely at fault for one of his three missed tests in a one-year period.

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Coleman had challenged the two-year ban imposed by an independent tribunal at track and field’s Athletics Integrity Unit. He will now be clear to compete in 2022 season including the world championships in Eugene, Oregon. Coleman was earlier slated to be banned till 16 May 2022.

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Christian Coleman not entirely responsible for one of the three missed tests

Christian Coleman
Christian Coleman

The AIU had found Christian Coleman guilty for missed tests in January and December 2019, as well as for a “filing failure” last April. In his defence, Coleman had stated that he was fully prepared for the test and he was not intimated about the test before hand.

The American further added that testers had visited when he was out shopping for Christmas presents nearby and it can be verified by his bank statements and receipts. “I was more than ready and available for testing and if I had received a phone call I could’ve taken the drug test and carried on with my night,” Coleman had said. “I was only made aware of this attempted drug test the next day on December 10th, 2019 by the AIU when I got this failed attempt report out of nowhere.”

The court found his objection justified. They said it was “reasonable for the athlete to expect” a telephone call from a sample collection official to return to his apartment during the 60-minute period he said he would be available on December 9, 2019.

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