CHRISTIE HANDED 2-YEAR SUSPENSION

He May Be Denied Games Credential

Former Olympic 100-meter champion Linford Christie was given a two-year
retroactive suspension by track and field's governing body Monday for
testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.

European 200 champion Doug Walker and 400 hurdler Gary Cadogan were also
given two-year bans by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

The suspension apparently means Christie, who now coaches a group of
British sprinters, won't be able to get a credential for the Sydney Olympics.

With the threat of suspension hanging over him, Christie was already banned
from using all track facilities in the state of New South Wales, which
includes Sydney. He had moved his training camp to Queensland state.

The 40-year-old former sprinting star, who won gold at the 1992 Barcelona
Olympics, has been retired for three years. He tested positive for
nandrolone while competing for fun at an indoor meet in Dortmund, Germany,
in February 1999.

Cadogan is also retired; Walker still competes.

Christie's suspension dates from Feb. 13, 1999, Cadogan's from Nov. 28,
1998, and Walker's from Dec. 1, 1998.

The accepted level of nandrolone in men has been fixed at 2 nanograms per
milliliter, the IAAF said. In Cadogan's case the level was 10.6, Walker's
was 12.59 and Christie's was 200 -- 100 times the accepted level.

The IAAF also decided to send the case of 400-meter runner Mark Richardson,
who tested positive for nandrolone, to arbitration. The hearing should take
place before the Sydney Olympics start Sept. 15, and Richardson, who won
the 400 at the British Olympic trials eight days ago, will have to await
the outcome of the hearing to learn whether he can compete in Sydney.