England Bars Ben Johnson From Grand Prix Meet

Ben Johnson will be barred from Grand Prix and other invitational track meets in England even after his two-year suspension for steroid use ends in September.

The Amateur Athletic Assn., which governs the sport in England, said today that the ban will apply to any athlete found guilty of drug use by national or international federations.

They could participate in England only if chosen for a national team in an event such as the Olympics or Commonwealth Games or European or world track championships.

The statement reaffirmed a longstanding policy, the association said.

It has no affect on meets in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, but Press Assn., Britain’s domestic news agency, said the British Amateur Athletics Board is likely to follow the same policy.

Johnson tested positive for steroids at the 1988 Olympics and was stripped of the gold medal in the 100 meters.

He subsequently told a Canadian inquiry that he began using performance-enhancing drugs in 1981. That confession led to his 9.83-second world record in the 100 in 1987 being erased by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

The IAAF suspended Johnson for two years in September, 1988. He is back in training and scheduled to regain his international eligibility this fall.