PARIS, 31 August 2003 — Hosts France won their first two gold medals of the World Championships yesterday from long-jumper Eunice Barber and the women’s 4x100 meters relay as American double sprint champion Kelli White found herself entangled in the doping web.
The ruling body IAAF said that White had tested positive for the stimulant modafinil after the 100m final on Sunday and would be stripped of her 100m and 200m gold if she was found guilty of a doping offense.
Senior IAAF Vice-President Arne Ljungqvist said that a full investigation will take place before sanctions are possibly imposed. “It is a stimulant. It is not specifically named but a related substance. It has to be clarified where it is to be placed. That is important if it is a doping offense,” he said.
White told the IAAF in a statement that she used the substance to treat a medical condition running in her family and that she believed she didn’t have to declare it because it was not on the banned substance list.
“It is an embarrassing factor for her that it was never declared. She should have asked for exemption from the rules. That is important for our evaluation,” said Ljungqvist.
White said that she did not intentionally take a drug that could constitute a doping offense. “I have never taken the substance to enhance my performance. Deep in my heart, I believe I will keep my medals,” the 26-year-old told a news conference. “I am innocent.”
Modafinil is not explicitly on the forbidden substance list but is considered a banned drug under the “related substances” category.
White said she used it at meets in the US, Oslo, and London, but tested negative afterward. Under the IAAF’s strict-liability policy, athletes have to declare what they use or face the consequences in the case of positive tests.
Almost overlooked in the excitement on and off the track, Tirunesh Dibaba wrote the latest chapter in the Ethiopian success story with an unexpected win the in the women’s 5,000. The 18-year-old world junior cross country champion denied her teammate Berhane Adere an unprecedented 5,000-10,000 double.
Dibaba won a tactical race in 14 minutes 51.72 seconds with 10,000 meters gold medalist Adere in 10th place.
If White is disqualified, she will be the first 100m champion to be stripped of gold at a major event since Canada’s Ben Johnson lost his Olympic gold in 1988 at the Seoul Games.
Johnson tested positive for anabolic steroids. After admitting to the substance abuse he also lost his 1987 world title and the world record. The 100m races are the blue-riband events at all major events.
“We are sad every time a positive case comes up. But it has happened and we have to face it,” said Ljungqvist.
As a precaution to avoid a possible disqualification, the US did not name White for the 4x100m relay, a move which possibly cost them the gold medal.
Instead, Pastricia Girard, Muriel Hurtis, Sylvaine Felix and Christine Arron sent the Stade de France crowd into a frenzy with the gold in a 2003 world best 41.78 seconds. Arron held off US anchor Torri Edwards as the defending champions had to settle for silver with 41.83 seconds. Russia won the bronze with 42.66 seconds.
The relay came just 15 minutes after Eunice Barber won the long jump with 6.99m on the final jump of the competition, six days after her heptathlon silver. “I had nothing to lose so I gave it all I had. It is a dream come true and will stay in my heart forever,” said Barber.
Tatyana Kotova, who had led until that jump with 6.74m, cried bitter tears as she got silver just like two years ago in Edmonton, where she missed the gold by one centimeter against Italy’s Fiona May.
Anju Bobby George made history for India by winning their first ever medal at the worlds, a bronze with 6.70m. It was India’s first athletics medal in 103 years at a major event, following Norman D. Pritchard’s 200m and 200m hurdles silver medals at the London Olympics in 1900.
“This medal is a gift for India and I am very happy about it,” said the 26-year-old George, who trained in the US with men’s world record holder Mike Powell.
The only US joy came from 110m hurdler Allen Johnson, who got a unique fourth gold in the event in 13.12 seconds, eclipsing the three titles Greg Foster won 1983-1991. Terrence Trammell got the silver in 13.20 seconds while Xiu Liang of China denied an American medal sweep when he pipped Larry Wade for the bronze in 13.23 seconds. “I wanted this fourth title more than anything. I am incredibly glad to win here,” said Johnson.
The first gold of the day went to Janouad Gharib of Morocco, who ran away from Spain’s Julio Rey in the tunnel leading into the Stade de France to win the marathon gold in 2 hours 8 minutes 31 seconds.
The European Championship bronze medalist Rey eventually trailed by 50 meters as he had to settle for silver in 2:08:38 hours. Like in 2001, the bronze went to Italian Stefano Baldini in 2:09:14.
Mirela Manjani of Greece won a second javelin gold, to go with her title from 1999. The European champion Manjani, 26, won with a 2003 world best 66.52 meters.
Like four years ago in Seville, Tatjana Shikolenko of Russia had to settle for silver behind Manjani with 63.28m. Germany’s Steffi Nerius won the bronze with 62.70m.
