USA sprinter who Usain Bolt tipped as the next big thing could face four-year ban after competing at Olympics

USA sprinter Erriyon Knighton could face a four-year ban from athletics - despite competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 20-year-old, who specialises in the 200m but also runs over 100m, qualified for the Olympics after finishing in third place in the 200m with a time of 19.77 seconds at the US trials.

At the Games themselves, Knighton won his heat but could only run a time of 19.99, which placed him fourth behind Botswana's winning athlete Letsile Tebogo and team-mates Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles.

It wasn't the American's first attempt at an Olympic Games, as he also ran in Tokyo three years earlier and also finished fourth in the 200m final, recording a time of 19.93.

But there was, at one point, doubt over the sprinter's participation in Paris after he tested positive for a banned substance just days before the US trials.

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) permitted him to compete after an arbitrator found the positive test was 'likely' caused by contaminated meat.

He received a no-fault violation, meaning that no ban was imposed after he was provisionally suspended following the positive test.

A statement at the time read: "After the hearing, the arbitrator determined that Knighton's positive test was more likely than not caused by consuming meat contaminated with trenbolone, which is a known livestock growth promoter that is used legally in beef cattle produced in and exported to the United States.

"Knighton tested positive despite any fault or negligence, so he will not face a period of ineligibility.

"Since the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to disqualify."

The 20-year-old claimed that the presence of a metabolite of the banned steroid trenbolone was due to eating oxtail from a restaurant in Florida.

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Speaking to reporters prior to the Olympics, Knighton commented: "You know, in my heart I never did [anything] wrong.

"I've always been a good athlete, so I'm going to be able to run ... it's kind of a relief that I made the team. You know, I'm always grateful to step on the track."

But now, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has appealed the arbitrator's initial decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

According to The Times, Knighton could be banned from athletics for up to four years if he is found to have been at any fault for the violation.

Earlier this year, Jamaica sprint legend Usain Bolt tipped Knighton as the one current sprinter that could get close to his 200m world record time of 19.19 - but not beat it.

He told The Obi One Podcast: "There is one kid who had my attention for a while. His name is Knighton, from the States. He ran 19.40-something.

"He's only just turning 20. So he was pretty good.

"But it's all about developing the talent. You have to find a good coach, someone to nurture and understand how to nurture the talent and help to build that talent."