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CAS rejects Gatlin's doping appeal

06/06/2008

American sprinter Justin Gatlin's appeal against his four-year ban from athletics has been turned down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Gatlin, the Olympic champion over 100m at the 2004 Games in Athens, was hoping to overturn the ban in order to try out for the United States' Olympic trials later this month.

However, the 26-year-old's suspension, which will expire in 2010 having been implemented two years ago, will stand - although it will now end in July rather than May after the CAS pushed the start date forward to when Gatlin voluntarily accepted a provisional ban.

The sprinter tested positive for excessive testosterone at the 2006 Kansas relays event, his second violation of the doping laws which triggered the ban.

The CAS rejected calls for the athlete to be handed a life ban.

A statement following the hearing concluded: "The four-year ban and the retroactive cancellation of results as from April 22nd 2006 decided by the AAA panel have been maintained; only the commencement date of the period of ineligibility has been changed by the CAS."

The ruling means Gatlin's hopes of appearing at the Beijing Olympics this summer are now over, although afterwards he vowed to continue fighting his corner and reaffirmed his stance that he has never been involved in intentional doping.