Has Erriyon Knighton failed a doping test? All about why AIU filed a case against sprinter in CAS following Paris Olympics 2024

Erriyon Knighton tested positive for a banned substance in March 2024 but was allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics after an individual arbitrator ruled that the positive test was more likely than not caused by consuming contaminated meat. However, the case has recently been brought to the spotlight again, and the Athletics Integrity Unit has now filed an appeal against the sprinter in the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

The controversy began when Knighton tested positive for the metabolite trenbolone in an out-of-competition test three months ahead of the U.S Olympic Trials. The American claimed that the positive test was due to contaminated meat.

The USADA confirmed this claim after an investigation where they obtained and tested the meat, and conducted interviews with Knighton, his girlfriend, his mother, and the manager of the bakery. The agency concluded that the contaminated meat came from oxtail at a bakery in central Florida.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency had expressed concern over the USADA’s findings, stating that they were awaiting a fully reasoned decision as they considered an appeal to CAS.

Ultimately, Erriyon Knighton was allowed to compete at the U.S Olympic Trials and subsequently, the Paris Olympics, where he finished fourth in the 200m finals. The controversy about the sprinter’s positive drug test sparked again when the Global Times published a report on the doubts about the Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the sprinter's case, with the China Anti-Doping Agency jumping on the report to accuse the USADA of hypocrisy.

“The Knighton case just shows that USADA’s rhetoric about fairness and clean sport runs counter to its actual practices,” the CHINADA said in a lengthy official statement on August 6.

A few days later, the agency called for more rigorous testing of American athletes, with a statement on their website reading,

“Given the deep-rooted stains in the U.S. athletics and USADA’s repeated disregard for procedures and standards, there is reason to suspect that there is a systematic doping problem in track and field in the United States and the positive cases therein deserve continuous investigation and attention.”

Following this, on August 14, the Athletics Integrity Unit announced that they were filing an appeal concerning Erriyon Knighton’s case, stating,

“The AIU has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the case relating to Erriyon Knighton (USA). This appeal is against the decision of an arbitration tribunal in the United States that the Athlete established No Fault or Negligence after USADA brought charges against the Athlete for the Presence of epitrenbolone and Use of trenbolone.”

USADA CEO's response to Appeal of Erriyon Knighton Case

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 13 - Source: Getty

Meanwhile, in the latest development of the Erriyon Knighton controversy, USADA CEO Travis Tygart called the appeal by AIU the right of the WADA and an example of the system at work.

Tygart went on to add that the USADA had done what the rules demanded, and had maintained full transparency throughout the process. He went on to add that the same couldn't be said for CHINADA and their handling of the 23 swimmers who tested positive for TMZ.

Tygart concluded the statement by holding the WADA accountable for their refusal to change laws around contamination while adding that the agency ‘secretly changed rules’ for certain countries.

“The real issue in this case is WADA’s bad rule. Trenbolone, the substance in Knighton’s case, is a known livestock enhancer and known to be found in the meat supply. The level in the athlete’s sample was below 1ng/ml, and the meat he ate was proven to be from the same supplier of meat at the restaurant that was later analyzed and tested positive for trenbolone.”

“We have advocated for the rules around contamination to formally change for years, and WADA has refused to act swiftly. But the world now knows WADA has secretly changed the rules for certain athletes and countries, as seen in the 23 TMZ and two methandienone Chinese cases.”

As of now, Erriyon Knighton is yet to respond to the controversy.