Athletics
WORLD’S FASTEST MAN, COLEMAN IS SUSPENDED!
World’s fastest man Christian Coleman is suspended and faces a two-year ban for missing three drugs tests in a year – but he blames testers for failing to call him while he was out shopping!
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics to be held next year may produce new 100 metres champions as current fastest man; America’s Christian Coleman has been slammed with a provisional two-year ban.
The suspension, which stretches beyond the new dates for the Olympics will see him missing the games.
Coleman missing a third drugs test at the end of 2019 occasioned the suspension. He actually admitted missing the test.
In an astonishing statement, in which he appeared to accuse testers of a ‘purposeful attempt to get me to miss a test’, he detailed how he has collected ‘whereabouts’ strikes on January 16, 2019, April 26, 2019 and December 9, 2019.
The Athletics Integrity Unit has confirmed the 24-year-old has now been handed a provisional suspension, which could extend to a two-year ban if a charge is upheld. The American said he has been appealing the December 9 strike for six months on the grounds that he was ‘shopping five minutes away’ and testers ‘didn’t even bother to call me’.
In the rambling social media post, Coleman, who won the 100m world title in Doha under a cloud last year after escaping a previous whereabouts charge on a technicality, accepted in a lengthy social media post that he now faces a possible suspension. If that proves correct, he will almost certainly miss the Olympics.
In detailing the events, Coleman wrote: ‘I want to make you all aware of a situation I’m currently dealing with. 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 9, 2019.
‘And now this might result in me being suspended from other filing failures that occurred well over a year ago at this point.
‘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. Knocked while I was Christmas shopping 5 mins 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 and if I had received a phone call I could have taken the test and carried on with my night.’
In what seems to be a claim that the authorities were acting against him, Coleman added: ‘I think the attempt on December 9 was a purposeful attempt to get me to miss a test.’
Coleman posted the testing report from December 9, in which it details AIU testers visited his home in Lexington, Kentucky for an hour from 7.15pm. They knocked every 10 minutes and received no answer. Coleman suggested testers may have gone to the wrong house, posting: ‘He put down the wrong address (on the testing report) so who knows if he even came to my spot.’
Coleman went on: ‘I’ve been contacted by phone literally every other time I’ve been tested. Literally. (I don’t know) why this time was different. He even said he couldn’t hear the doorbell so why wouldn’t you call me?’
Coleman insists he has ‘never’ used performance-enhancing drugs.
Under whereabouts rules, an athlete is expected to list where they will be for an hour of every day. Three missed tests or filing failures in a year will trigger a charge.
Coleman almost missed the world championships last year because of a whereabouts violation only for the US Anti-Doping Agency to drop its charges against him on the advice of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
He controversially appeared to escape punishment in that instance because of a technicality under anti-doping rules, which state the date of a first missed test should be pushed back to the first day of a testing quarter.
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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Nigeria has aligned with the global athletics community in supporting World Athletics’ decision to reject 11 applications for nationality transfer to Türkiye, a move that includes sprinter Favour Ofili and signals a broader clampdown on the recruitment of foreign athletes.
Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie
London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.
For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.
Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.
The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.
Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.
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A former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has commended World Athletics for rejecting the application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.
Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.
“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.
The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.
Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.
“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.
The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.
Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.
“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.
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