Portugal Colonial - US decathlete Scantling out of World Championships after doping suspension

Scantling, who finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics last year, was suspended due to his "conduct during an investigation into his third potential whereabouts failure," USADA said in a statement.

No further information about the circumstances of his anti-doping rules breach was provided.

Under anti-doping rules, athletes must provide authorities with their whereabouts each day during certain windows in order to be available for out of competition drug tests. An athlete missing three testing appointments during a 12-month window can be suspended for up to two years.

USADA said Scantling had accepted his suspension and agreed to have information about his case published.

"Under the provisional suspension, Scantling is prohibited from competing in any competitions under the jurisdiction of World Athletics, USA Track & Field, or the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, pending the resolution of his case," USADA said.

"As such, he will not compete in the decathlon event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon," the agency added.

Scantling finished just outside the medals in fourth place in the heptathlon at at the world indoor championships in Belgrade in March and was an outside contender for a medal in Eugene.

P.Sousa--PC