Cleared Olympic sprinter Erriyon Knighton's doping contamination case headed to appeal

The Athletics Integrity Unit, which polices anti-doping on a global level for track and field, announced Wednesday it was appealing the “no-fault” finding issued by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency before this summer's Olympic trials.

Knighton tested positive for a banned drug Trenbolone, which is often found in livestock and has been linked to a number of contamination cases over the years. Knighton said he ate oxtail from a bakery in central Florida that was contaminated.

After Knighton was cleared by USADA, he qualified for the 200 meters at Olympic trials, then finished fourth in Paris. He did not compete on the relay teams.

An independent arbitration panel issued the no-fault decision after reviewing results from tests conducted by USADA from the same shipment of that meat to the bakery where Knighton bought it. The panel concluded the meat could have caused the trace amount of the drug — an amount that still results in a positive test — to show up in Knighton's system.

The AIU did not disclose details of why it was appealing the case.

USADA released a statement from CEO Travis Tygart explaining its handling of the case.

“We understand the AIU’s reasons for appealing this case, as we assume they are the same reasons for which we charged and prosecuted the case,” Tygart said.

USADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency have been sparring over the way contamination cases are handled in the wake of the case involving Chinese swimmers who were cleared to keep competing despite testing positive for a banned heart medication.

Chinese authorities determined the positive tests were results of contamination, but WADA has been criticized because no public announcement was made and the details of the case were not revealed until reporting by The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD exposed details of the case.