Randolph Ross: USA sprint star and Olympic gold medalist banned for three years

USA sprint star and Olympic gold medalist Randolph Ross is banned for three years for FAKING an email to anti-doping authorities… and he’ll now miss the 2024 Paris Games

United States sprinter and Olympic gold medalist Randolph Ross has been banned for three years for ‘whereabouts failures’ and faking an email to anti-doping authorities.

The Athletics Integrity Unit announced Tuesday that the back-to-back NCAA champion from North Carolina A&T will be suspended until June 30, 2025, meaning he’ll be ineligible for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Ross had been provisionally suspended on the eve of his 400-meter preliminary race at the world track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon, on July 16, about a month after officials could not locate him to take a doping test – his third whereabouts failure in a 12-month period.

Randolph Ross won a gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Tokyo Olympic Games

Ross is also the back-to-back NCAA champion; he is pictured at the event on June 10, 2022

Ross is also the back-to-back NCAA champion; he is pictured at the event on June 10, 2022

Ross then provided a copy of an automatic email from the whereabouts system that showed he had given new contact details, but he later admitted he had doctored it when he was questioned by the AIU representatives, the unit said.

Ross won his second straight title in the 400 meters at NCAA championships on June 10.

When his ban was announced on Tuesday, it was confirmed that his results will not stand from June 18 onwards, meaning he is still the NCAA back-to-back champion. 

Ross (right) did not run in the final of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but still received a medal

Ross (right) did not run in the final of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but still received a medal

He will now not be able to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics after his three-year suspension

He will now not be able to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics after his three-year suspension

Ross won an Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x400m squad at the Tokyo Games in 2021, though he didn’t compete in the final. In the 400, he was eliminated in the heats in Tokyo.

His Olympic gold, and those won by his teammates in the 4×400, will not be affected as they fall outside the period of his whereabouts failures.

As reported by the BBC, AIU head Brett Clothier said: ‘It is fundamental to the proper administration of the sport that athletes are honest in their dealings with the AIU during any investigation.’