Why would Jamaican 400-metre sprinter Christopher Taylor choose to avoid a doping test in his own home? Is he disorganised and just decided to fly to the US or was he deliberatley evading doping control officers (DCO)?
It doesn’t matter at this point, as he may face a four-year suspension for refusing to submit to a test. Currently, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has provisionally suspended him.
Christopher Taylor (Jamaica) is provisionally suspended for Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection by an Athlete.
— Athletics Integrity Unit (@aiu_athletics) June 12, 2023
Details here: https://t.co/Cq4Q2MR0LJ pic.twitter.com/Av1gfHF9h2
In November 2022, Taylor was contacted by a DCO, who visited his home in Kingston to administer testing. He had indicated that his location would be “home.” Apparently, when the DCOs arrived, Taylor was at the Norman Manley International Airport, waiting to catch a flight to the U.S.
The World Anti-Doping Agency rules dictate that an athlete cannot miss three tests in a 12-month period of time. This is apparently, Taylor’s first; however, is considered to have deliberately evaded the test, which breaks a different rule worthy of a two to four-year ban. He has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Taylor refused to be tested at the airport due to not wanting to miss his flight.
The 23-year-old set five new personal bests during the 2022 indoor and outdoor seasons including a 44.63 400m outdoor performance. He is a 2022 Eugene World Athletics Championships silver medallist in the 4 x 400m relay. Taylor finished sixth twice in the Tokyo Olympic Games, in the 4 x 400m and the 400m individual.
