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Doping: World 100m champion Christian Coleman could miss Olympics

Christian Coleman was a winner in Qatar late last year.

Christian Coleman was a winner in Qatar late last year. Photo: AAP

World 100 metres champion Christian Coleman has been provisionally suspended and could miss the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after violating anti-doping whereabouts rules.

The American sprinter, in a lengthy statement on Twitter, had earlier hit back against the Athletics Integrity Unit, which acted after Coleman was unavailable for a test on December 9, 2019.

Three failures to properly file whereabouts information in a 12-month period can result in a one or two-year suspension.

“The AIU confirms a provisional suspension against Christian Coleman of the USA for whereabouts failures, a violation of the @WorldAthletics Anti-Doping Rules,” the AIU said in a tweet.

Coleman, who also helped the US to 4×100-metre gold at the World Championships in Doha, acknowledged the failure would count as his third in a 12-month span but said he was willing to take responsibility for only one.

“I want to make you all aware of a situation I’m currently dealing with,” Coleman said.

“A few days ago, the AIU came to a decision that I’ve been appealing for six months that I missed a test on December 9th, 2019.

“And now this might result in me being suspended from other filing failures that occurred well over a year ago at this point.”

The two other failures occurred on January 16, 2019, and April 26, 2019.

The sprinter said he was Christmas shopping on December 9, accusing anti-doping agents of setting a trap to get him.

“Don’t tell me I ‘missed’ a test if you sneak up on my door (parked outside the gate and walked through … there’s no record of anyone coming to my place) without my knowledge,” Coleman said.

“Knocked while I was Christmas shopping five minutes away at the mall (I have receipts and bank statements) and didn’t even bother to call me or attempt to reach me.

I was more than ready and available for testing if I had received a phone call,’’ adding he believed it was ‘‘a purposeful attempt to get me to miss a test’’.

Coleman, a double silver medallist in the 100-metre and 4×100-metre relay at the 2017 world championships in London, escaped suspension last year when USADA withdrew the charge, after receiving guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency on how to calculate the 12-month window.

The sprinter later demanded an apology from USADA.

“I have never and never will use performance-enhancing supplements or drugs,” said Coleman.

“I am willing to take a drug test every single day for the rest of my career for all I care to prove my innocence.”

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