The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Wednesday that it has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case relating to American sprinter Erriyon Knighton who was allowed to compete at Paris 2024 after being cleared over a doping case.

Erriyon Knighton of the United States reacts after the men's 200m semi-final of Athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

Knighton tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone during an out-of-competition test on March 26. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) opted not to impose a suspension, attributing the positive result to contaminated meat. This decision allowed Knighton to compete in the Paris Olympics qualifiers, a move that has sparked widespread concern.

The 20-year-old eventually ranked fourth in the final of men's 200m in Paris, and he refused any interviews after the race, leaving reporters waiting in vain.

"I smell conspiracy. He was cleared in time for Olympics then immediately after his case resumes. If he was Kenyan he wouldn't have been even allowed for trials," commented a Twitter user.

"No surprise, I was pretty shocked about the silence around his presence in Paris," another user said.

Having been found in 2017, AIU is the independent organization that manages all threats to the integrity of the sport of athletics.