Spanish runner Katir provisionally suspended for missing doping tests

Spanish long distance runner Mohammed Katir has been provisionally suspended by World Athletics for three doping test whereabouts infringements, the athlete said in a statement on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old won silver in the 5 000 metres in the 2023 World Championships and 2022 European Championships and is expecting to take part in the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

"Today the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has issued me with a provisional suspension for what it considers to be a breach of the rules, based on three whereabouts violations in the last 12 months," said Katir in a statement.

"During the course of the disciplinary procedure, the AIU has issued a provisional suspension."

The AIU is an independent agency which carries out doping tests on behalf of World Athletics.

Katir, also a world 1500m bronze medallist in Eugene in 2022, said he believes he committed no such infringements and will appeal to be able to keep competing.

"I consider that there is no infringement arising from three failures to be located in the last 12 months," said Katir.

"In some of the whereabouts failures reported by the AIU, I was available at the place, date and time that I provided.

"During the last months and years I have been subjected to a large number of out-of-competition doping controls on both urine and blood samples, without the slightest problem having arisen on my part."

Spain's athletics federation (RFEA) said in a statement they had "immediately suspended the athlete's license" after being officially notified of a case being opened against him.

Katir also highlighted that the provisional suspension was not for "breaking doping rules or the use of banned substances".

The AIU did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.