Zharnel Hughes beaten to 200m gold by athlete under anti-doping investigation

Zharnel Hughes was all smiles after sprinting to European 200m silver because perhaps there’s a chance a gold might one day be in the post.

Hughes was beaten to the 200m title by German sprinter Owen Ansah, who is racing at the Alexander Stadium despite facing a possible four-year ban.

Last month, shortly before competing at the Diamond League in Monaco, Ansah allegedly failed to submit to a doping test at home. Germany's anti-doping agency has alleged an anti-doping rule violation and is seeking a four-year suspension, which he contests.

Sports law is all about process, though sometimes that process can produce deeply unsatisfactory situations. The capacity crowd at the Alexander Stadium may well have to wait weeks, months or even years to know whether the result they witnessed will ultimately stand.

"I hope everyone will know my name now," said Ansah. "This race was just more for me. At a championship you never know what can happen."

Hughes came in ranked first in Europe and was seeking to complete a first-ever sweep of the men's and women's 100m and 200m European titles for Great Britain.

After winning 100m bronze, Ansah said he was “not afraid” of potentially losing the medal later. However, German officials have decided not to select him for Saturday’s men’s 4x100m relay amid concerns that any subsequent sanction could affect his team-mates.

Ansah, the first German sprinter ever to run under 20 seconds for 200m and under 10 seconds for 100m, remains free to compete while the German agency carries out what it called a “results management process”.

The case concerns a rule barring athletes from evading, refusing or failing to submit to doping tests. Ansah denies the allegation, claiming testers turned up at his home as he was leaving for the airport. He said he could not provide a urine sample as he had recently used the bathroom and said he was not informed of the consequences of not providing one. In a separate case, former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova was recently given a four-year ban for refusing a test.

Hughes, the European champion over the distance four years ago, was beaten square. Whether the result ultimately stands is another matter and he gave a diplomatic “no comment” to enquiries about whether Ansah should have been on the start line.

"A medal is a medal and I’m on the podium, that’s all that matters to me," he said. "I’ve had an up-and-down season where my body just hasn’t been feeling right, to be very honest with you.

"I’m a little healthier now. Credit to my team, who have helped me massively and done their very best to give me the best chance possible to be here.

“It’s just been feeling a little nervy. There are times when I’ve felt like, ‘OK, my body’s feeling well,’ and then shortly after that my body might feel off again and not be firing the way it’s supposed to."

At 31, Hughes admits his best days may not be ahead of him. It's three years since – in the space of less than a fortnight – he became the first European to break 9.85 for 100m and 19.85 for 200m.

And while silver here was an improvement on his showing at the recent Commonwealth Games, where he came home a distant sixth in his semi-final, he still thinks there is more to give.

“You can’t live in the past," he added. "Unfortunately, this year, it’s just sport. You have to work through it and move on.

“In this sport you can't dwell on anything. You have 24 hours to feel your emotions and go through everything you have to go through, then it’s history.

“I really gave it my best and I want to make these last few years count. I’m 31 now and people say I’m getting old, but I don’t feel old. I still feel like I’ve got plenty of youth left in me.”

Ansah's future is also unclear, though he insists he “will not accept” any sanction levelled against him.

“Our client has at no point refused to undergo a doping test,” said his lawyer, Rainer Tarek Cherkeh, who also represented Hamburg defender Mario Vuskovic during his unsuccessful challenge to a doping ban following a positive test for EPO.

“He has at no point refused to provide a sample. And he has at no point said, or given the impression, that he did not wish to undergo a doping test.”

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