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Oct 20, 2010 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Tuesday that U.S. sprinter LaShawn Merritt will not be able to defend his Olympic 400m title at the London Games after testing positive to a banned substance found in a penis-enlargement product he was using.
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Merritt has been handed a 21-month suspension backdated to October 28 last year after testing positive for a banned substance.
And while the drugs were contained in the male enhancement product used by the athlete rather than taken to boost performance, the IOC rules say he must sit out the next Olympic Games.
"The [IOC] rule states very clearly that any athlete sanctioned for six months or more will be banned from participation in the next edition of the Games," IOC director of communications Mark Adams said.
The American Arbitration Association, which handed down the ban, claims the IOC ruling goes against the World Anti-Doping Agency code and therefore cannot enforce an Olympics suspension on Merritt.
