IAAF: Boycott Major Meets, Out of Games

Track and field’s world governing body warned Saturday that any athlete boycotting a major meet would be banned from the Olympics and gave Butch Reynolds one month to retract allegedly libelous statements and call off his legal action or face further sanctions.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) amended its regulations to make participation in certain meets a requirement for athletes hoping to qualify for the Olympic Games. The meets included outdoor world championships, the World Cup and area championships.

The IAAF’s decision came after leading U.S. athletes threatened to boycott this year’s world indoor championships at Toronto and world outdoor championships at Stuttgart, Germany, in a dispute over prize money.

The IAAF said Reynolds, the 400-meter world record-holder, had 30 days to retract what it called libelous statements made during and since his 28 1/2-month drug ban. If he doesn’t, he faces more trouble, probably in the form of a libel action.

Reynolds, banned after testing positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone, has repeatedly criticized the IAAF, claiming his innocence and saying the drug tests were flawed.

He has a $27.3-million award against the IAAF from a U.S. court, but the federation has refused to pay.