British trio to learn fate on Monday

Linford Christie, Doug Walker and Gary Cadogan will learn the decision of an International Amateur Athletic Federation arbitration panel investigation into their doping cases on Monday.

IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said on Friday that although he had hoped for an announcement over the weekend a decision is now expected early on Monday.

The three-member panel, headed by Germany's Christoph Vedder, heard three days of testimony from Monday to Wednesday.

They have 14 days to reach a verdict but have been asked by the IAAF to reach one as quickly as possible.

The three Britons face a two-year ban if the panel decides it will not accept the UK Athletics decision.

Christie, the 1992 Olympic 100 metre champion, Walker, the 200 metre European champion, and 400 metres hurdler Cadogan all tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

However, they were subsequently cleared by their national governing body, UK Athletics.

Unhappy with those decisions, the IAAF ordered the cases to arbitration.

Christie and Cadogan have retired from competition, although Christie now coaches international athletes.

Christie did not attend the hearing, saying he considered the case closed as he had been cleared by UK Athletics.

However, should Christie be banned for two years he would be denied accreditation to the Sydney Games and his coaching activities would be severely restricted.

The outcome of all three cases hinge on the results of a study at Aberdeen University which concluded that abnormal amounts of dietary supplements, combined with strenuous exercise, could produce excessive levels of nandrolone.