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Ban unlikely IAAF steps back in row over Hunter doping case
Updated: Friday February 09, 2001 2:45 PM
MONTE CARLO, Monaco (AP) -- Track and field's world governing body backed off threats to suspend C.J. Hunter on Friday, but pressed U.S. officials to take action soon in his drug case. The anti-doping commission of the International Amateur Athletic Federation discussed the lack of action so far regarding Hunter, the 1999 world shot put champion. Hunter, husband of triple Olympic champion Marion Jones, tested positive four times last summer for the steroid nandrolone. The case broke during the Sydney Olympics. Hunter, who has proclaimed his innocence, has not been suspended by USA Track & Field and no hearing date has been set. Arne Ljungqvist, head of the IAAF doping panel, suggested this week that the world body could step in and impose its own ban. But after Friday's meeting, IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said the panel made no such recommendation. "The commission only said that in accordance with the existing guidelines and rules, USATF has to continue with the disciplinary procedure," he said. "The IAAF is not stepping in. They (USATF) will be notified that we still expect they will finalize the case. We believe this should have been dealt with earlier." Gyulai said no deadline was set. It's up to the national federation to hold a hearing and decide on any disciplinary action, Gyulai said. The IAAF can then either accept or reject the decision. Hunter announced his retirement in Sydney. "There is no imminent problem," Gyulai said. "The athlete is not competing. He cannot compete." Gyulai said the IAAF was notified two weeks ago of a request for the backup B samples from three of Hunter's urine tests to be analyzed. Both A and B samples were positive in the other case, he said. Gyulai said the three other tests are irrelevant, but the IAAF will carry out the analysis anyway. "Even if the B sample of the three others is negative, it would
not invalidate the findings of the first," he said.
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