Anti-doping agency drops charges against sprinter Coleman

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Monday that it had withdrawn a  whereabouts charge leveled against American sprinter Christian Coleman, the favorite to win the 100 meter dash at next month's world championships in Qatar.

"USADA has determined that under the applicable rules, and in order to ensure that Coleman is treated consistently with other athletes under the World Anti-Doping Program, Coleman should not be considered to have three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period," the agency said, following advice from the World Anti-Doping Agency on how it applies the 12-month time frame.

A whereabouts violation relates to informing the body of where an athlete will be at a given time so that a doping test can be carried out. The charges had been due to enter into arbitration on Wednesday.

Coleman, 23, became the fastest man to do the 100m this year, and won the silver medal at the 2017 world championships, prompting some to dub him the next Usain Bolt.

Had the arbitration panel upheld the charges, Coleman would have received a two-year ban, which would have seen him miss the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Speaking before the charges were dropped, the runner said: "I am confident the upcoming hearing on September 4 will clear the matter and I will compete at the world championships in Doha this fall."

es/msh (AP, Reuters)