The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has upheld an appeal by Japanese race walker Koki Ikeda against World Athletics, effectively clearing the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist of an anti-doping rule violation and restoring his eligibility to compete immediately. The 28-year-old had faced mounting scrutiny after being provisionally suspended in late 2024.

Ikeda was initially handed a four-year sanction by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in February 2025 for allegedly utilizing a prohibited substance based on abnormalities detected in his Athlete Biological Passport. Rejecting the accusations, the athlete challenged the ruling at CAS, presenting comprehensive medical and expert evidence during hearings in Lausanne.

While the CAS panel acknowledged certain irregularities in Ikeda’s biological profile, it concluded there was a reasonable, non-doping explanation for the findings. Consequently, the appeal body overturned the four-year ban, stating that the anti-doping charge had not been legally established.

In a separate development within the sport, Ethiopian marathon runner Ruti Aga was handed a six-year ban by the AIU. The suspension stems from a positive test for the prohibited steroid methylprednisolone, compounded by additional penalties for allegedly misleading investigators and submitting a fabricated medical prescription.

Source: www.aljazeera.com