IAAF Decision on Reynolds Expected Today From London

The United States’ best 400-meter runners remained on hold Monday as they waited for track’s governing bodies to determine the status of Butch Reynolds.

The International Amateur Athletics Federation, governing body for track and field, polled its 25-member council to decide whether to suspend the “contamination” rule that would punish any runners competing against Reynolds in the Olympic trials. That rule postponed the trials from Saturday until at least today.

Jayne Pearce of the IAAF said the decision will be released today from the IAAF’s London offices.

Reynolds is under a two-year suspension from the IAAF for testing positive for steroids. Reynolds denies he ever used the performance-enhancing substances.

Last Saturday, he won an order from the U.S. Supreme Court compelling The Athletics Congress, governing body in the United States, to let him run.

But 30 other runners entered in qualifying heats in the trials have said they will not risk a suspension that would cost them the Olympics plus the lucrative European seasons.