Christian Coleman sees ban reduced but will still miss Tokyo Olympics

World 100m champion was banned for breaching anti-doping whereabouts rules

Christian Coleman of the United States in action in February 2020 (Getty Images)

World 100 metres champion Christian Coleman has had his two-year ban for breaching anti-doping whereabouts rules reduced to 18 months, but the American will still be ineligible for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics this summer.

Coleman’s ban, which was set to last until 13 May 2022, will now end on 14 Nov this year, meaning he will miss the 23 July 23 – 8 August Tokyo Games – which were originally due to be held last summer.

The 25-year-old can return to competition in time to defend his world indoor and outdoor titles next year, however.

The sprinter had been handed a two-year suspension by an independent tribunal of track and field’s Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in October last year.

He appealed against his ban in November, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) announced on Friday that his punishment had been lessened.

“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 in a statement.

Cas said its Panel had determined Coleman 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.

Coleman, who won the 100m world title at the 2019 Doha world championships in 9.76 seconds and had been the hot favourite for Olympic gold in Tokyo, said he was disappointed that he would miss the Summer 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,” said Coleman in a statement to Reuters.

He said he would now focus on next year’s world championships, which will be staged in the United States for the first time.

“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 100 meters.”

Reuters