http://sport.guardian.co.uk/athletics/story/0,,1922266,00.html
Don banned for missing dope test
David Martin
Saturday October 14, 2006
The Guardian
Tim Don, the world champion, has been suspended for three months by the British Triathlon Association after missing three out-of-competition drug tests. Don, who has been tested without adverse findings for drugs on nine occasions this year, will not appeal against the punishment.
The BTA and an independent disciplinary tribunal attributed the anti-doping violation “to a combination of forgetfulness on the athlete’s behalf and his lack of understanding of the new testing system”. The tribunal found that only a limited degree of fault could be attributed to Don and the breach was unintentional.
Don, the son of former Premiership referee Philip, was handed the minimum punishment, which became effective on September 27, the date of the hearing.
Don is the latest big name in British sport to fall foul of the “three-hits” rule on drug testing. Three missed tests over an 18-month period constitutes an anti-doping rule violation.
The announcement comes just over a month after the Commonwealth 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu was suspended. She was given a mandatory one-year ban under International Association of Athletics Federations regulations.
Don, like Ohuruogu, will be automatically banned from competing in future Olympic Games under the laws of the British Olympic Association, which issues life suspensions to drug offenders representing their country at the Games.
Don is the fourth British athlete to fall foul of the rule. Apart from Ohuruogu, the judo player Peter Cousins was banned for three months in January and the powerlifter Gillian Wright received a six-month ban in July.
