World champion sprinter Coleman's ban lowered

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Men's world 100-meter champion, Christian Coleman's two-year ban for breaching anti-doping rules was reduced to 18 months on Friday, he still can not join the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said in a statement that US sprinter Coleman, who previously was found guilty for anti-doping whereabouts rule failure in 2020, appealed to the sports court in Switzerland's Lausanne as his sanction was lowered to 18 months.

"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.

Last October, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said that the Disciplinary Tribunal banned Coleman for two years for "3 Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period", which meant a breach of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules and Coleman took this issue to the CAS.

So his ban will end on Nov. 14, 2021, which means that the 25-year-old athlete is ineligible to join the Tokyo Olympics.

The multi-sport event is now scheduled from July 23 until Aug. 8, without overseas spectators amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Coleman won gold in the 100-meter and 4x100-meter relay in the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in the Qatari capital Doha.