The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) is contemplating an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) after American sprinter Erriyon Knighton was not banned for using a prohibited substance, In March, the young athlete tested positive for trenbolone, a banned drug used to build muscle.
A Wada spokesperson declared: “Once Wada has the full reasoned decision, it will study that, along with the case file, with its usual scepticism and diligence.”
Knighton most likely ingested the material by eating tainted meat, according to a decision made by an impartial arbitrator. This ruling made the sprinter eligible to race in the American Olympic trials, which began in Oregon on Friday (June 21).
Athletes and illegal drugs
Trenbolone is a well-known growth enhancer for livestock. It is permitted for use in beef cattle raised in and exported from the United States. Wada said that it would be “extremely rare” for someone to test positive for this drug by just consuming contaminated meat.
However, with Knighton cleared by an impartial arbitrator, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief executive Travis Tygart declared that “justice” had been served.
The same day Knighton was cleared, China selected for its Paris Olympics swimming squad 11 competitors involved in a doping controversy.
Tygart called for penalties against Chinese athletes following the clearance of 23 competitors who had accidentally consumed the cardiac medicine trimetazidine (TMZ) at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Tygart’s severe criticism of Wada over the matter—he had claimed there had been a “cover up”— led to threats of legal action from the anti-doping organization.
Tygart argued that the 23 Chinese athletes’ case was different from the Knighton case.
Tygart said, “Unlike the China TMZ 23, in this case, as the rules required, we provisionally suspended the athlete, presented the issues before an independent arbitrator, and publicly announced the outcome. It is sad to see, but Wada has truly lost it and is crumbling before the world’s eyes.”
Source: BBC