Erriyon Knighton: How Long US Sprinter Must Wait for CAS Doping Verdict After Court Appearance

Erriyon Knighton

Erriyon Knighton: How Long US Sprinter Must Wait for CAS Doping Verdict After Court Appearance

Abigael Wafula 12:30 - 25.06.2025

Erriyon Knighton is awaiting a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport after appearing in court to contest a doping-related appeal.

World 200m silver medallist Erriyon Knighton appeared in court on Monday, intending to defend himself from being banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit.

A ban at this time would mean that Erriyon Knighton would not be in action at the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in September.

The 21-year-old tested positive for trenbolone, a banned substance used for muscle growth, and was provisionally suspended, but then avoided a ban and was cleared to run at the Paris Olympic Games.

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Erriyon Knighton: Why Was the Youngster Cleared to Compete at Paris Olympics

Erriyon Knighton doping
Erriyon Knighton at the 2023 Golden Gala. Image source: Imago

At the time, an American tribunal ruled he was not at fault for the positive test, a steroid used in livestock farming.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency and Athletics Integrity Unit challenged that ruling in combined appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"This appeal is against the decision of an arbitration tribunal in the United States that the athlete established no fault or negligence," the AIU said in a statement at the time.

What's Next for Erriyon Knighton?

Erriyon Knighton
Erriyon Knighton is part of the golden era of 200m runners

Following his appearance in court on Monday, ESPN reported that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has scheduled the appeal hearing for two days and said a verdict is likely within several weeks.’

Erriyon Knighton's lawyer, Howard Jacobs, suggested the sprinter may have been caught in the middle of a broader dispute between WADA and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

He pointed to the handling of a contamination case involving Chinese Olympic swimmers as a possible factor in the situation.

After Erriyon Knighton tested positive in March of last year, USADA took up his initial case, accepting a "no-fault" ruling based on allegations that the prohibited substance originated from tainted oxtail purchased from a bakery in Florida.

They tested the meat and interviewed Knighton, his family, and the manager of the bakery, all of whom defended the American sprinter.

In contrast, WADA decided that it would be challenging to win any appeals at CAS because of restricted access in China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the case of the Chinese swimmers, a similar contamination explanation involving a banned heart drug in a hotel kitchen was accepted without independent evidence.

Erriyon Knighton, once compared to the fastest man alive, now faces a dilemma in his career. He remains one of the most talented 200m runners, and at the past two Olympic Games, he made the final. He also claimed a silver and a bronze in the past two World Championships.