American athletics can breathe. Christian Coleman, one of his best triggers, world number 1 in the 100m, will be traveling to Doha, Qatar, at the end of September. He will participate in the outdoor world championships. His case was settled by a sleight of hand by his lawyers. But his image took a big hit.
Recall of facts. Wednesday August 21, the English daily Daily Mail reveals that Christian Coleman, 23, world vice-champion in 2017, credited with a time of 9 sec 81 this season over 100 m, missed three anti-doping controls in less than 12 months. He faces a suspension of at least one year, or even two years. Subsequently, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirmed that it had opened a disciplinary file against him. The athlete contests.
The sprinter was to be heard on Wednesday September 4. It won't be. His lawyers did a good job. By digging into the regulatory texts of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), they found the loophole.
One of three no-shows of Christian Coleman was recorded on June 6, 2018. But the WADA regulations specify that this offense must be postponed to the first day of the quarter in which it was committed, i.e. April 1, 2018, when the athlete American registered its location information in the ADAMS system. The last of his three breaches dating back to April 26, 2019, Christian Coleman fell between the drops. His three no-shows no longer all fit into the same 12-month period.
In terms of form, the conclusion of the case is unstoppable. Christian Coleman no longer risks anything. He can aim for the world title in the 100m this season in Doha. He can also already have his eye on the Tokyo Games in 2020.
On the merits, however, the way the case was resolved raises questions. Quick to point the finger at the slightest case of doping in Russia, the American agency contented itself with the arguments, otherwise very skillful, of Christian Coleman's lawyers. She can still take the case to the CAS, but it seems unlikely that she will do so.
« Enforcement of anti-doping rules is essential in all cases, explained Travis Tygart, executive director of USADA, in a press release. In this situation, we applied the rule to Mr. Coleman's case as we understood it to be applied to any other athlete at the international level. We must approach every settlement in a way that is fair to athletes, demonstrating consistency and transparency to maintain their trust. »
Visibly embarrassed by the argument presented by the Coleman case, USADA asked WADA for confirmation of their reading of the regulations. The response was sent to them at the end of August.
Irony of history: the regulation in question is currently being rewritten, in order to avoid further confusion in the future. The new version will take effect in 2021.
In the meantime, Christian Coleman will appear as favorite in the 100m at the end of the month at the World Athletics Championships in Doha. He will share this status with another American, Justin Gatlin, the reigning world champion, also very present during his career in the doping section. Meanwhile, Russian athletes compete under neutral flags and colors.
