Washington - World and Olympic 100 metres champion Justin Gatlin has handed back his world 100 metres world record and accepted an eight-year ban from competition after admitting using forbidden steroids.
Picture dated 22 August 2004 shows US sprinter Justin Gatlin celebrating with the US flag after winning the men's 100m final at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. EPA/LOUISA GOULIAMAKI
But by co-operating with USADA, Gatlin has avoided a life ban as a second-time offender and has the right to seek a further reduction of the ban at an independent arbitration tribunal.
'We're shooting for something way less than two years,' Gatlin's lawyer, Cameron Myler, said. 'The goal is to have him back on the track as soon as possible.'
USA Track and field CEO Craig Masback said: 'While we are glad Justin has taken responsibility for his positive test and will cooperate in USADA's anti-doping efforts, we are sorely disappointed in him.'
Gatlin is the most successful sprinter in recent years. He won Olympic 100 metres gold 2004 in Athens and claimed a rare world championship 100m and 200m double last year in Helsinki.
On May 12, he also equalled the world record of 9.77 seconds from Jamaican Asafa Powell.
However, he then announced in late July that he tested positive for the steroid testosterone at an April 22 meet in the US.
The news sent shockwaves through the American sports community just a few days after Tour de France winner Floyd Landis tested positive for the same substance.
US athletics was further rocked when it was revealed last weekend that women's sprint star Marion Jones tested positive for the blood doping substance EPO at the national championships. However, the examination of the b-sample is yet to be conducted.
Gatlin, 24, failed a test back in 2001 for amphetamines, but got away with a one-year ban because he said the forbidden substance was contained in a medication he took at the time.
Under Tuesday's decision, he agreed that the second positive test constituted a doping violation and forfeited all competitive results starting April 22, meaning that Powell is now the sole owner of the world record again.
Gatlin also agreed to provide information that may assist in anti-doping efforts, USADA said.
Gatlin will likely claim at the arbitration tribunal that he did not know how the substance got into his body. His lawyers did not want to say whether he will say that a massage therapist with a grudge used testosterone cream on him without his knowledge.
This conspiracy theory was brought up immediately after the case became public by Gatlin's coach Trevor Graham.
However, Gatlin's co-operation could also be bad news for Graham, who is under heavy fire because the sprinter is only his latest athlete caught doping. More than half a dozen athletes trained by Graham have committed doping offences.
Graham has been barred from all US Olympic training facilities and along with his athletes has not been invited to the finale of the lucrative Golden League series in Berlin on September 3.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
Your Talkback on this Story