Yegorova suspended from world championships

Russian world indoor 3,000 metres champion Olga Yegorova was suspended from the eighth world outdoor championships starting on Friday pending the result of a second test for the banned blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin).

Yegorova was pulled out of Saturday's 1,500 metres heats and now must wait until at least Sunday before finding out if she can take part in the 5,000 metres first round four days later.

Istvan Gyulai, general secretary of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), told reporters on Thursday there had been problems with the second, or B, sample.

"We expect to receive the result by Sunday," he said.

Yegorova, 29, is the first track and field athlete to test positive for EPO, which stimulates production of red blood cells and enhances the body's ability to utilise oxygen.

The test was conducted at last month's Paris Golden League meeting for the drug that was at the centre of the 1998 Tour de France doping scandal.

A combined blood and urine test, introduced at last year's Sydney Olympics, will be used at the world championships for the first time.

Romanian Olympic 5,000 metres champion Gabriela Szabo threatened this week to boycott the championships if Yegorova was allowed to compete.

"If she does -- I am sure she will not," Szabo said.

CENSORSHIP
In a heavy-handed piece of censorship on Thursday a compere at a news conference for several leading athletes contracted to shoe company Nike refused to let reporters ask any questions about drugs.

Briton Paula Radcliffe, the world long course cross country champion and an outspoken opponent of doping, was asked for her comments on the Yegorova case when John Capriotti stepped in and said no questions would be taken on drugs.

Capriotti was unrepentant afterwards, saying "the drugs issue was not part of our agenda".

"Another venue, another place and time, Paula is more than welcome to express her views on the doping issue," Capriotti said.

World and Olympic 100 metres champion Marion Jones told the news conference she expected to learn within 24 hours whether or not she would be selected to run for the United States in the 4x100 metres relay.

"I would like to run the 4x100 metres relay and hopefully within the next 24 hours I will get the decision whether I will be competing in the event," Jones said.

Jones, who won five medals at last year's Sydney Olympics, did not take attend the Americans' relay camp in Europe, reviving memories of Carl Lewis's disputes with the national track camps at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

Lewis did not attend the training camps in 1992 but was eventually put on the relay team and responded with a scintillating final leg to give the U.S. team the gold medal in Barcelona.

Four years later, in similar circumstances, he lobbied unsuccessfully to get on the relay team in Atlanta after winning his fourth long jump title.

Jones's team mate Maurice Greene, the defending 100 and 200 metres champion who has been suffering from tendinitis in his left knee, said he would delay making a decision about running both races until after Sunday's 100 final.