THE SIDELINES : Ruling Due on Johnson’s Records

Ben Johnson will start the 1990s recognized as the world’s fastest man, but he may be formally stripped of his records a few weeks later.

Mike Gee, technical director for the International Amateur Athletic Federation, said it will be Jan. 19 at the earliest before the IAAF meets to decide whether to wipe Johnson’s name from the record books. Johnson’s records in the 100 meters and in the indoor 50- and 60-meter dashes risk being expunged. If Johnson is stripped of the 100-meter mark, the record would belong to American Carl Lewis for his 9.92-second dash at the Seoul Olympics.

Johnson, who lost his gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics when he failed a drug test, passed a doping test when he set the 100-meter world record of 9.83 seconds at the World Championships in Rome in August, 1987.