Olympic champion Brianna McNeal banned for five years: Details here
Olympic 100m hurdles champion Brianna McNeal has been handed a five-year ban from athletics for breaking anti-doping rules. An Athletics Integrity Unit disciplinary tribunal found the athlete guilty of "tampering within the results management process". The 29-year-old had won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, besides being a world champion in 2013. Here are the major details.
McNeal has appealed against the decision
The celebrated USA athlete has appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The appeal will be heard before the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. Interestingly, McNeal can still take part in the US Olympic Team Trials on June 27 while she appeals the ban. The released judgment was actually made at end of April. The ban is backdated to August 15, 2020.
McLean was provisionally suspended in February 2021
In February this year, McLean had said she was clean despite her provisional suspension from athletics for breaking anti-doping rules. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) had accused the American of "tampering within the results management process". McLean had said the system is pretty messed up. "The system is pretty messed up if you ask me but that's another topic for another day," she said.
Second time McLean has been banned for breaching anti-doping rules
This is the second time McLean has been banned for breaching anti-doping rules. Earlier, the star athlete had missed the 2017 World Championships while serving a one-year ban for missing three drug tests. The ban was handed by USADA in 2016.
What next for McNeal?
As per BBC, tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control carries a ban of up to four years if proved. Since she has served a ban if found guilty she could face a ban of up to eight years.
