Coleman must be more responsible after missed tests, feels Lyles

London, Aug 2 Hot on the heels of Christian Coleman being provisionally suspended for breaching whereabouts rules, World 200 metres champion Noah Lyles said his fellow American sprinter must show more responsibility.

World 100 metres champion Coleman was provisionally suspended in June by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for violating anti-doping rules on whereabouts.

According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency website, "any cumulation of three missed tests or filing failures in a 12-month period can result in a potential ADRV and a period of ineligibility of up to two years for a first violation". Thus, Coleman could face the prospect of missing next year's Tokyo Olympics as well.

"You are just hoping for a little more responsibility," Lyles told the BBC. "It hurts because we want to go to Tokyo and aim for the world record."

"You don't wish anyone to be missing tests. That's the quickest way to an accidental suspension. It hurts to see it in the track world," Lyles added.

"The whereabouts system has been pretty easy for me. I believe I've had two instances where I missed tests, one their fault, one mine. They happened in completely different years and ever since then I haven't had any missed tests.

"If you have missed one, definitely get someone to watch over that for you, to be that nagging voice in your ear," he said.

In the statement put out on Twitter, Coleman had acknowledged the failure would count as his third in a 12-month span but said he was willing to take responsibility for only one.

"I want to make you all aware of a situation I'm currently dealing with," Coleman said. "A few days ago, the AIU came to a decision that I've been appealing for six months that I missed a test on December 9th, 2019.

( With inputs from IANS )