On The Sidelines : Longer Drug Suspension Sought

Britain plans to pressure world track and field chiefs to ban first-time drug cheats for four years, fearing that the present two-year suspension is no deterrent.

Last week’s bans by the International Amateur Athletic Federation on American world record-holders Butch Reynolds and Randy Barnes suggest that two-year suspensions are not long enough, said Tony Ward, spokesman for the British Amateur Athletic Board.

“The fact that Barnes and Reynolds got caught shows that two years is no deterrent,” Ward said. “But people may well be persuaded not to cheat when they know they will be out of action for four years. A four-year ban would take in a whole Olympic cycle. Anyone who gets caught would know they will miss an Olympics and a World Championships.”

Ward said the BAAB decided at its weekend meeting to propose the increase when the IAAF congress meets next year during the World Championships in Tokyo.