COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Sprinter Jerome Young (search) was banned for life by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (search) on Wednesday following the former 400-meter world champion's second positive test for an illegal steroid.
Young tested positive for the banned drug EPO (search) at a meet in July, USADA said. He is believed to be the first sprinter to test positive for EPO, which is popular with endurance runners and cyclists.
Tests for EPO were introduced at the 2000 Sydney Games. Sprinter Kelli White admitted she used EPO and other performance-enhancing drugs earlier this year when she accepted a two-year ban for doping.
Young, 28, tested positive for the steroid nandrolone in 1999 and was stripped of his Sydney Olympics gold medal from the 1,600 relay team, which included Michael Johnson.
The IAAF recommended last month that the entire team be penalized because Young should have been ineligible.
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