Sprinter Edwards faces two-year suspension

GIORGIOUPOLI, Greece — Barring a successful appeal, sprinter Torri Edwards will be suspended for at least two years for taking a banned stimulant, knocking her out of the Olympics and perhaps giving Marion Jones a chance to defend her gold medal in the 100 meters.

A review panel concluded there were no exceptional circumstances that would warrant a lesser penalty, Travis Tygart, director of legal affairs for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told The Associated Press on Saturday.

“The rule says it’s a minimum of two years,” Tygart said.

The finding by the panel of the International Association of Athletics Federations has been forwarded to the U.S. arbitration panel that initially heard Edwards’ case. That panel will determine Edwards’ penalty but has no authority to make it less than a two-year ban, Tygart said.

The American Arbitration Association panel had found that there may be exceptional circumstances in Edwards’ case, but the IAAF board disagreed.

The panel’s official finding is expected next week. Edwards can appeal to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, whose ruling would be binding.

Edwards’ lawyer, Emanuel Hudson, did not return several phone calls to his office, but he told The New York Times that Edwards was “very saddened and disappointed” by the ruling. She said during the U.S. Olympic trials in July that she would appeal any suspension as far as she could.