The current 100m World Champion, Christian Coleman who was provincially suspended by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) yesterday has accused WADA of setting a trap to get him to miss a test in a lengthy statement on Twitter.
“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, he said.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed on Wednesday that it has imposed “a provisional suspension against Christian Coleman of the USA for whereabouts failures, a violation of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules,”
Three failures to properly file whereabouts information in a 12-month period can result in a one- or two-year suspension. Coleman, who also helped the United States to 4x100m 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 16 January, 2019 and 26 April, 2019. The sprinter said he was out Christmas shopping on 9 December.
“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,” said Coleman. “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.”
Coleman, a double silver medallist in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the 2017 worlds in London, escaped suspension last year when USADA, after receiving guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on how to calculate the 12-month window, withdrew the charge. 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.”
