World 100 metres champion Christian Coleman has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for violating anti-doping rules on whereabouts.
"The AIU confirms a provisional suspension against Christian Coleman of the USA for whereabouts failures, a violation of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules," the AIU confirmed on Wednesday after Coleman had released a lengthy statement on Twitter on Tuesday night.
According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency website, 'any cumulation of three missed tests or filing failures in a 12-month period can result in a potential ADRV and a period of ineligibility of up to two years for a first violation'. Thus Coleman could face the prospect of missing next year's Tokyo Olympics as well.
In the statement put out on Twitter, Coleman 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 and April 26 in 2019. The 24-year-old sprinter said he was out 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," 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.
"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."
The sprinter further said: "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."
( With inputs from IANS )