8B the university daily kansan
sports
wednesday, september 10,2003
Sprinter may lose gold medals after investigation
The Associated Press
LONDON — Track and field's governing body wants American sprinter Kelli White stripped of her two gold medals from the World Championships. Now it's up to U.S. anti-doping officials.
The International Association of Athletics Federations ruled yesterday that White committed a doping offense when she was positive for a stimulant and should lose her titles in the 100 and 200 meters.
The IAAF rejected White's explanation that she took the drug for a sleep disorder and sent the case to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for a hearing and disciplinary action.
Rich Wanninger, a spokesman for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said his organization had not received any information from the IAAF as of yesterday afternoon. Once that information is received, Wanninger said, the agency will begin a review process that could last months.
The IAAF made clear it expects U.S. authorities to remove White's medals.
"The proper sanction under IAAF rules will be a public warning and disqualification from the competition concerned." IAAF general secretary Gyulian Gyalai said.
Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"She is disqualified only at the end of the procedure because further legal issues need to be exhausted." Gyulai told The Associated Press by phone from IAAF headquarters in Monaco. "This can only happen after she has been given a hearing by her national federation."
White, the first American woman to sweep the sprint events at the worlds, tested positive for modafinil after winning the 100 on Aug. 24. She passed a drug test after winning the 200 four days later.
If the IAAF isn't satisfied with the U.S. action, the international body would take the case to the
The IAAF gave White until yesterday to produce medical documents explaining her drug use. She
said her personal doctor prescribed the medication for narcolepsy.
"The explanation has been studied and turned down." Gyulai said. "Our experts have determined the stimulant is performance-enhancing."
White was unavailable for comment yesterday. She said last week she would fight to keep her medals
"Whatever I have to do to keep them, I will do that," she said.
Modafinil is not on the sport's list of banned drugs, but the IAAF says it falls under the category of "related substances."
White denied taking the medication to enhance performance and said she didn't know it contained a banned substance. However, she did not declare modafinil on her doping control form as required or apply for a medical exemption to use the product.
The IAAF ruled last Wednesday that modafinil was a minor stimulant, similar to ephedrine, and carries a penalty of a public warning and disqualification. The decision allowed White to continue competing.
Had Modafinil, sold in the United States under the name Provigil, been classified as a stronger stimulant. White would have a two-year ban and be ineligible for the 2004 Olympics.
Although White was clean after the 200, the IAAF considers one positive test enough for disqualification from the championships
If White loses the medals, the golds would go to fellow American spinner Torri Edwards in the 100 and Russia's Anastasiya Kapachinskaya in the 200. White would also lose the $120,000 in prize money she won at the worlds.
Under the sport's policy of strict liability, athletes are deemed guilty of a doping violation if banned substances are found in their bodies, regardless of circumstance.
White competed at the Golden League meet in Brussels, Belgium, last Friday and won the 100 in 10.87 seconds. She is to run in the Grand Prix final in Monaco this weekend and a meet in Moscow on Sept. 20.
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