Two-year ban for US runner Harrison

CALVIN HARRISON, a member of America’s 2000 Olympic Games gold medal-winning 400 metres relay team and a potential member of this year’s squad, has been suspended for two years for a second doping violation.

According to a release from the US Anti-Doping Agency, Harrison tested positive for the prohibited stimulant modafinil at the 2003 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Stanford, California on June 21.

The 30-year-old begins his suspension from all sanctioned competition immediately, after an arbitration panel rejected his appeal on July 26 this year.

Harrison’s first offense also involved a prohibited stimulant and occurred at the 1993 US Junior National Championships.

As a two-time offender he was hit with the two-year suspension. In addition to being ruled ineligible for the Athens Olympics, he forfeits all winnings from the date of the positive test.

That includes a second-place finish in the 400m at the Stanford event and the United States’ gold medal-winning relay performance at the World Championships in August 2003.