American sprint sensation Erriyon Knighton, once tipped by Usain Bolt as a potential world record breaker, has been handed a four-year ban from athletics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal against his earlier no-fault ruling.

The 21-year-old, who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics and finished fourth in the men’s 200m final, tested positive for a metabolite of the banned steroid trenbolone just before the U.S. Olympic trials. Despite being provisionally suspended in April 2024, Knighton was cleared by an arbitrator who ruled the substance likely entered his system through contaminated oxtail consumed at a Florida restaurant.

However, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), supported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and World Athletics, appealed the decision, arguing Knighton’s explanation lacked proof and was statistically implausible. CAS agreed, stating there was no evidence to support the contamination claim, and ruled that he must now serve a four-year ban effective September 12, 2025.

This sanction sidelines the rising star until July 2029, forcing him to miss the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics—a devastating blow for a sprinter once seen as the next big thing in global athletics.

Notably, CAS rejected calls to annul Knighton’s results from March 2024 onwards, meaning he will keep his fourth-place finish at Paris 2024.

Usain Bolt, who praised Knighton’s 19.49s personal best in the 200m back in 2022, had spoken highly of the American prodigy just last year on the Obi One Podcast:

> “He’s only just turning 20. He had my attention for a while. But it’s all about developing the talent. You need the right coach to nurture and build that talent.”

For now, however, Knighton’s career faces a long and uncertain pause, with the athletics world left wondering if he will ever fulfil the promise that once drew the admiration of the greatest sprinter in history.