US hurdler Ross suspended for doping

US hurdler Duane Ross has received a two-year suspension and the disqualification of all results since November 2, 2001 for doping, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said Friday. Ross hasn't competed at the elite level in several years.

He finished second in the 110m hurdles at the 2004 US Olympic trials, but failed to advance from the semi-finals at the Athens Games. He was the 110m hurdles bronze medallist at the 1999 World Championships.

USADA said in a statement that Ross had used banned drugs 'including anabolic agents and hormones" and that the determination was arrived at based on information ``recently received by USADA during separate investigations arising from information obtained during the BALCO conspiracy."

Ross is the latest athlete to be sanctioned based on recently gleaned information related to the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative.

The lab was the source of the designer steroid THG, and the scandal rocked the sports world prior to the Athens Olympics. On January 29, USADA said that Crystal Cox, a member of the victorious US 4x400m women's relay squad in Athens had accepted a four-year ban after admitting doping from late 2001 through 2004.

Cox's sanction was also based on information that recently surfaced in connection with BALCO, USADA said. In addition to her suspension, which began on January 26, ``all of Cox's competitive results will be disqualified, including forfeiture of all medals, points, and prizes since November 3, 2001," USADA said.

Colorado, Sunday (AFP)