Athletics: Competitor tests positive for endurance-booster

An athlete competing in Edmonton has tested positive for the endurance-boosting hormone EPO and has been ruled out of the rest of the World Championships.

The name, event and nationality of the athlete have not yet been released,

pending a test on a second sample from the athlete.

It is the first positive drug test at these championships.

"He did compete, but won't again. You wouldn't know the name," IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said. "We can't yet release the name. We have to talk to the country's federation."

Britain's Paula Radcliffe meanwhile staged a solo protest against tainted runner Olga Yegorova before the start of the 5,000 metres heats in the World Championships.

Radcliffe was angry that Yegorova was allowed to compete in the championships following the Russian's recent drugs furore.

Radcliffe sat in the seats allocated to the British athletes and held up a banner which read: "EPO cheats out."

"We decided the girls in the race should not have to make a protest, they should be able to concentrate on the race. So we decided to make our protest here instead," said Radcliffe.

"To all intents and purposes she (Yegorova) had failed an EPO test and she

should not be racing here.

"I think we have made our protest. We have got it on television. The security guards came along and told me if I did not hand my banner over they would have to take me away, so I gave it to them."

Yegorova was originally suspended after she tested positive for the banned

hormone erythropoetin (EPO) following a meet in Paris on July 6.

The IAAF were forced to lift her suspension, however, on a technicality, because the French laboratory tested only her urine, not her blood.

Yegorova was then one of nine athletes tested here in Edmonton, but that came back negative, so she was allowed to compete in the race.

Romanian world and Olympic champion Gabriela Szabo originally threatened to

boycott the race if Yegorova was allowed to compete, but she backed down

"for the sake of my fans" and agreed to run.

British runner Kathy Butler was also upset that Yegorova was cleared to run, and had threatened to stage a sit-down protest before the start of the race.

But the race took place without incident, other than Radcliffe's banner protest. Yegorova finished second, with Szabo fourth, which means both women qualify automatically for the next round.