Foto: Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa
It is not known what exactly Christian Coleman bought at Walmart before the fastest man in the world wanted to have a cozy football TV evening on the sofa at home in Lexington on December 9, 2019. But the exact times. At 7:53 p.m., the 100-meter world champion first paid for smoked chilies, then he went shopping for 16 other things, according to the receipt at 8:22 p.m. But it is precisely this second purchase that is a huge problem for Coleman – and therefore also for athletics.
Because with Coleman, the top favorite for the most coveted sprint gold threatens to miss the Olympic Games in Tokyo because of violations of doping rules. The American has been banned from the World Athletics Federation for two years. He was charged with two missed tests on January 16 and December 9, 2019, and Coleman committed a reporting violation on April 26, 2019.
As in the previous year, the sprinter caused a huge stir, but again protested its innocence. His agent Emanuel Hudson described the verdict as “unfortunate”. Otherwise Coleman had “nothing to say until the matter can be heard in the competent court.”
No regrets and nothing learned
Coleman again. At the World Cup in Doha a year ago, the 24-year-old was only allowed to start because of a formal error, although he had previously missed three tests. However, a breach of the reporting obligation was subsequently re-dated and thus no longer fell within the period of twelve months. Coleman took gold. Afterwards, he showed little remorse – and that he had learned nothing from the shock.
Because a few months later, Coleman should be available to the anti-doping hunters on December 9, 2019 between 7.15 and 8.15 p.m. for a sample, as Coleman himself had stated in the reporting system for doping controls. The inspectors also stood in front of the man’s door, who with 9.76 seconds is number six on the all-time world best list over 100 meters. They rang every ten minutes, but Coleman was shopping at Walmart.
“The consequences for an athlete who has missed three tests are draconian,” said the verdict in the case of the repeat offender. “But instead of learning from his experience, the athlete’s attitude to his obligations can be described as completely careless at best, and even reckless at worst.”
Coleman had previously stated on the record that he was back home shortly before 8.15 p.m. between his two confirmed purchases, after all, he saw the start of the football game (8.15 p.m.). Rather, the inspectors would have left his place of residence shortly before the compulsory attendance expired. The fact that inspector Brian George took another photo of the building complex in which Coleman lives at 8:21 p.m. speaks against it.
Court doesn’t believe Coleman’s version
In any case, according to the verdict, Coleman drove home at 7:53 p.m. after shopping, parked the car, watched the game start and paid again at 8:22 p.m., even if the store wasn’t far from his Apartment is located.
Coleman will still challenge the two-year ban before the Cas International Sports Court in Lausanne. This was announced by his agent Hudson in a Twitter message on Wednesday. However, if the sprinter also loses in this instance, he may no longer start in competitions until May 13, 2022. Then he could not win Olympic gold in Tokyo. However, the suspension would end just in time for a title defense at his home World Cup in Eugene. SID/nd
.
