MONTE CARLO, Monaco -- Track and field's governing body decided Friday that the controversial drug cases of Olympic gold medalists Linford Christie of Britain and Javier Sotomayor of Cuba should go to arbitration.
Both athletes face bans of up to two years by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.Christie, the 1992 Olympic champion at 100 meters, and Sotomayor, the 1992 gold medalist and world record-holder in the high jump, failed drug tests but denied the charges and were subsequently cleared by their national federations.
Christie tested positive for the drug Nandrolone at an indoor meet in February. UK Athletics, Britain's governing body, cleared Christie, but the IAAF overturned that ruling.
In a statement released Friday in London, Christie, who has campaigned strongly against drugs in sport, again declared that he was not guilty of any doping violation.
"I am innocent and have been comprehensively cleared," he said. "In any case, I am retired as an athlete and look forward to furthering my career in coaching and broadcasting."
Sotomayor tested positive for cocaine before the 1999 Pan American Games at Winnipeg. Backed by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, the country's track federation refused to suspend Sotomayor, claiming that the high jumper was the victim of a political conspiracy.