Shelby Houlihan Removed From U.S. Olympic Trials amid Appeal Over Failed Drug Test

Shelby Houlihan won't be racing in the U.S. Olympic Trials after all.

The U.S. record holder in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter distances, Houlihan was originally listed among competitors in those races ahead of Friday's preliminaries despite the four-year ban she was handed for testing positive for trace amounts of nandrolone, a performance enhancer.

Houlihan was appealing the ban, blaming the test on a pork burrito, and USA Track and Field originally said she could compete because of the active appeal. But they reversed course and removed her from the start list, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). 

"Despite how frustrated people might be with the CAS decision, she is serving a sanction," USADA CEO Travis Tygart said, per the AP. "Under the rules, she's not allowed to compete. It would be illegal for her to do so, unless a court orders differently."

Houlihan could have appealed that decision to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, but there was no change to her status as of 4 p.m. ET. The 1,500m preliminaries are slated to begin at 7:03 p.m. ET in Eugene, Oregon. 

She posted an update on Instagram Friday morning and said she will "continue to believe that truth will prevail" and she will appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

"This ruling means that my goal of making another Olympic team is over for now," she wrote. "I can't begin to find the words to express how disheartening this is. It absolutely breaks my heart to have my dreams and career taken away for something I did not do." 

Houlihan placed 11th in the 5,000m at the 2016 Olympics. Under the current ruling, the 28-year-old is also ineligible to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.