Athletic champion Kerley temporarily barred from competition due to violation of required location reporting
Fred Kerley, the American sprinter who won the world title in the 100m last year and took bronze at the Paris Olympics, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for alleged anti-doping whereabouts failures.
The alleged violations mean Kerley missed three doping tests or filing failures within a 12-month period, which is a breach of World Anti-Doping Code Article 2.4. If upheld, this violation could lead to a ban of up to two years from the sport.
Kerley and his legal team have strongly contested the charges. They argue that one or more of the alleged missed tests should be dismissed because he was not negligent or because the Doping Control Officer did not make reasonable efforts to locate him at his designated whereabouts. Kerley has communicated his intent to challenge the suspension formally before a hearing panel and has refrained from further public comment out of respect for the process.
The AIU has not disclosed specific details or dates related to the missed tests.
A Turbulent Year for Kerley
This provisional suspension is part of a difficult year for Kerley, who has also faced legal issues unrelated to doping. In January, he was arrested in Miami after a confrontation with police became physical. He pleaded not guilty in the case. In early May, he was arrested again in Miami after an altercation at the official hotel for athletes competing in the Grand Slam Track, a new series launched by Michael Johnson this year.
Kerley withdrew from the US championships two weeks ago, ending his hopes for running at the World Championships at Tokyo in September. His withdrawal from the US championships and the subsequent suspension have added to an already chaotic 2025 campaign for him.
Coleman's Suspension
Another high-profile athlete, Christian Coleman, known for winning 100m silver in Tokyo 2021, bronze in Paris 2022, and the 2022 world 100m championship, has also been suspended by the AIU. Coleman has been suspended for failing to comply with his anti-doping whereabouts obligations. Coleman, aged 30, was the Diamond League champion in 400m in 2018 and finished third in the event at the 2019 worlds before focusing on running the 100m.
Coleman has stated that he will not comment further on the matter out of respect for the process and looks forward to presenting his case to the appointed hearing panel. He shared a letter last week stating his intention to contest the violation ruling, claiming that one or more of his missed tests should be set aside due to either his lack of negligence or the Doping Control Officer's failure to reasonably locate him at his designated location.
The World Championships for Kerley will not take place in Tokyo this year as he withdrew from the US championships. Kerley took bronze in the 100m at the Paris Olympics last year and won the world title in the 100m in 2022 on home soil at Eugene in 9.76 seconds.
As the suspensions of Kerley and Coleman unfold, the world of athletics awaits the outcome of their hearings. Both athletes have maintained their innocence and intend to fight the charges against them.
[1] The Associated Press [2] BBC Sport [3] ESPN [4] CNN
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