Attorney calls Olympic sprinter Erriyon Knighton ‘collateral damage’ in widening anti-doping feud

The doping case involving U.S. sprinter Erriyon Knighton’s claims of eating contaminated meat is being appealed and will be sent to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while Knighton’s attorney suggested the sprinter could be “collateral damage” in an ongoing feud between anti-doping authorities across the globe.

The Athletics Integrity Unit, which polices anti-doping on a global level for track and field, announced Wednesday it was appealing the “no-fault” finding issued by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency before this summer’s Olympic trials.

Knighton tested positive for a banned drug Trenbolone, which is often found in livestock and has been linked to a number of contamination cases over the years. Knighton said he ate oxtail from a bakery in central Florida that was contaminated.

After Knighton was cleared by USADA, he qualified for the 200 meters at Olympic trials, then finished fourth in Paris.

His case was singled out last week by anti-doping authorities in China, who suggested U.S. and Chinese athletes aren’t held to the same standard — an argument made in the context of the withering criticism the country and the World Anti-Doping Agency have faced over the handling of contamination cases involving Chinese athletes.

“The very public battle between WADA and USADA, which has recently caught the attention of the IOC, rightly leads to the question of whether U.S. athletes like Erriyon Knighton are collateral damage in a series of coordinated efforts against USADA’s attacks,” said Knighton’s attorney, Howard Jacobs. “ Erriyon will vigorously defend himself against this baseless appeal.”

An independent arbitration panel issued the no-fault decision for Knighton after reviewing results from tests conducted by USADA from the same shipment of that meat to the bakery where Knighton bought it. The panel concluded the meat could have caused the trace amount of the drug — an amount that still results in a positive test — to show up in Knighton’s system.

The AIU did not disclose details of why it was appealing the case.

Knighton’s case became public as tension between USADA and WADA was ratcheting up over the way WADA and China handled the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who were cleared to keep competing despite testing positive for a banned heart medication. China won 12 swimming medals at the Paris Games, many of which involved swimmers from that case who were not sanctioned.

Chinese authorities determined the positive tests were results of contamination, but WADA has been criticized because no public announcement was made and the details of the case were not revealed until reporting by The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD exposed details of the case.

USADA released a statement from CEO Travis Tygart explaining the “stark contrast” between how it handled the Knighton case versus China and WADA’s handling of the swimming cases.

“We understand the AIU’s reasons for appealing this case, as we assume they are the same reasons for which we charged and prosecuted the case,” Tygart said.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games