'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
100m world champion Christian Coleman will miss the upcoming Tokyo Olympics despite having his ban reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday. The American sprint champion, who was banned for two years for breaching anti-doping whereabouts rules, had his punishment reduced to 18 months.
Coleman was banned by an independent tribunal of track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in October last year, which was due to run until May 2022. After the reduction, it will end on November 14 of this year.
But with the Tokyo Olympics scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8, Coleman has to miss out on participating in the world's biggest sporting spectacle.
Even though the world body admitted that Christian Coleman has violated the anti-doping rules, it also underlined his ‘degree of negligence to be lower than that established in the challenged decision’. Any athlete who fails thrice in a year-long period to be present at a location provided by the anti-doping officials is believed to have caused a violation.
“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 on Friday.
Christian Coleman eyes 2022 World Championships at home
The winner of the 2019 World Championships 100m crown, Christian Coleman said he was disappointed to miss out on the Tokyo Summer Games. The 25-year-old thanked the arbitrators for reducing the ban and looks forward to the 2022 World Championships, which is to be held in United States for the first time.
“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 Christian Coleman in a statement.
“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 metres.”
Coleman’s absence paves the way for his compatriot Justin Gatlin to try his luck once again, although the US track and Field Association hasn’t announced their Tokyo squad yet. Christian Coleman, however, will return to competition in time to defend his world indoor and outdoor titles next year.
