Sprinter Pettigrew to return gold, accepts ban

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AFP) — Disgraced sprinter Antonio Pettigrew joined his American relay teammate Michael Johnson by planning to hand back the gold medal he won at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics.

Pettigrew, who admitted using performance-enhancing drugs during the Trevor Graham trial two weeks ago, agreed to return the gold the United States won in the 4x400-metres.

Pettigrew's former teammate Michael Johnson told the London Daily Telegraph on Monday that he was returning his relay gold. Johnson said he could no longer keep the medal because he now considered it to be "tainted" following Pettigrew's admission.

The 40-year-old Pettigrew also accepted a two-year ban, effective immediately, from the United States Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday for...