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The Court of Arbitration for (CAS) Sport has reinstated the suspension of sprinter Alex Wilson, which the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had originally suspended.
Wilson’s sample was test out-of-competition on March 15 2021 returned positive for the presence of a metabolite of an anabolic steroid – trenbolone. Anti-Doping Switzerland imposed the provisional suspension.
Brett Clothier, Head of the AIU said, “The AIU has the responsibility for overseeing all national-level cases alongside the cases in its direct jurisdiction. We were not satisfied with the national-level decision to lift the mandatory provisional suspension on the athlete and so together with WADA we appealed the decision. Today’s ruling by the CAS Ad Hoc division is the right outcome and demonstrates a proper application of the rules. This case reflects the AIU’s commitment to protecting the interests of clean athletes and ensuring a level-playing field in Tokyo.”
Like the Shelby Houlihan and Ajee Wilson cases, Alex Wilson claimed that the presence of the prohibited substance was ingested from the consumption of contaminated beef. He allegedly ate at a Jamaican restaurant in the USA. and therefore challenged the suspension at the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Olympic which rendered a final decision on July, 2 and lifted the provisional suspension on the athlete.
The AIU, on behalf of World Athletics, and WADA both filed an application against the Disciplinary Chamber’s decision with the CAS Ad Hoc Division in Tokyo requesting that the provisional suspension be reinstated. The case will now be remitted to the Disciplinary Chamber for a hearing on the merits in due course.
The 30-year-old Wilson has run the 100m sprint in the time of 9.84, which would be the European record however, was wind-aided. He has run the 200m in 19.89 the national record. The former Jamaican has competed in the 2012 London Olympics, three World Championships, and earned a bronze medal in the European Championships.
