Ban cut but Coleman misses Tokyo ticket

LAUSANNE • World 100m champion Christian Coleman had his two-year ban for breaching anti-doping whereabouts rules reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday but will still be ineligible for the Tokyo Olympics.

The American sprinter's ban, which was due to run until May 13 next year, will now end on Nov 14, meaning he will miss the July 23-Aug 8 Tokyo Games but can return to competition in time to defend his world indoor and outdoor titles next year.

Coleman had been handed a two-year suspension by an independent tribunal of track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) last October, before appealing against his ban a month later.

"Christian Coleman's appeal was partially upheld and he will serve a reduced period of ineligibility of 18 months as from May 14, 2020," CAS said.

The court added its panel had determined the 25-year-old had committed an anti-doping violation but found his "degree of negligence to be lower than that established in the challenged decision".

Three failures in a 12-month period to be at a location provided to anti-doping officials is considered a doping violation.

As part of his appeal, Coleman claimed that anti-doping officials had not followed procedure when he missed them after going Christmas shopping in 2019 at a time when he indicated he would be at home.

But doping control officers testified that they were present during the whole of the allotted hour in front of his house and receipts showed he was at a Walmart seven minutes after the scheduled meting was up, contrary to his claim he had already returned home.

Coleman, who won the 100m title at the 2019 Doha world championships in 9.76 seconds and had been the hot favourite for Olympic gold in Tokyo, expressed his disappointment that he will not be part of the Games.

"While I appreciate that the arbitrators correctly found that I am a clean athlete, I am obviously disappointed that I will miss the Olympic Games this summer," the American said.

He added he would now focus on next year's world championships in Eugene, Oregon.

"I look forward to representing the United States at both world championships in 2022, especially the first ever world championships held in the United States next summer where I plan to defend my world title against a new Olympic champion in the 100m."

Compatriot and 2004 Athens Games gold medallist Justin Gatlin did not compete in the Beijing Olympics four years later after incurring a four-year doping ban, making him the last 100m champion who did not defend his title.

Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt, who won the 100m gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games, has since retired.

Coleman, who is also the 60m world record holder, only ran in the 4x100m relay heats in his first Olympic appearance five years ago.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS