US officials told to discipline Drummond

US track and field officials have been given until tonight to discipline sprinter Jon Drummond.

Drummond caused chaos in his 100 metres second round heat on Sunday night by refusing to leave the track after being suspended for false starting. His behaviour held up the World Championships for 58 minutes, the former American champion at one point lying on the track as part of his protest.

The International Association of Athletic Federations’ spokesman Nick Davies, said USAT&F had been asked to take action against Drummond and USAT&F administration officer Michael Cain, who ran on to the track to advise Drummond not to accept his disqualification.

USAT&F media director Jill Geer said yesterday: “We have been given until tomorrow night to take disciplinary action. Basically we are looking at our bye-laws and procedures to see how we might expedite our proceedings.”

Disciplinary proceedings in the USA can normally take up to a month to complete, which, in this case it seems, will not be acceptable to the IAAF.

The IAAF’s advisory board decided Drummond and Cain had brought the sport of athletics into disrepute.