Howman hails ban for 'drug cheat' Montgomery

Sports drugbuster David Howman says suspended "cheat" Tim Montgomery got what he deserved and warns more athletes will follow next year.

New Zealand's Howman, director-general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), hailed yesterday's Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to ban the American former world 100m record-holder for two years for doping offences.

"He's cheated for about five (years) so I guess he's got what he deserved," Howman told Radio Sport from Montreal.

"... If you look at it from the view of 'he who cheats suffers the consequences', then it's considerably significant."

Howman said Montgomery, 30, had been "on the juice" since 2001 and it was fair that all his performances going back to 2001 had been annulled, and prize money sought from him.

Montgomery and fellow American sprinter Chryste Gaines were each banned for two years after CAS accepted evidence the pair had taken the designer steroid THG (tetrahydrogestrinone), the product at centre of the BALCO laboratory doping scandal.

Montgomery vehemently denies ever knowingly taking a banned substance, and yesterday pointed to the fact he had never tested positive.

But Howman said it was significant that Montgomery declined to give evidence during the hearing.

"Their lawyers used every opportunity... to challenge the whole process. They had their fair day, and at the end of it the panel decided, unanimously, that he had committed a doping offence.

"I don't think he could ask for any more in terms of process and ability to stand up and speak for himself. He chose not to, you might ask yourself why?

"I don't think Montgomery has got anything he can look at to complain, except to himself."

The Lausanne-based CAS said it had accepted evidence that both athletes told double world sprint champion Kelli White they had been taking THG.

Montgomery denied telling White in a conversation in 2001 that he had used the steroid.

Howman said this week's decision wouldn't be the last in coming months.

"There definitely will be more to come.

"Some (athletes) will be looking in the mirror at night and wondering when they will be caught.

"USADA are pretty confident they'll be able to continue their enquiries with the same success they've had so far."

Howman wouldn't discuss individual cases, although attention will inevitably turn to Olympic gold medallist Marion Jones, Montgomery's former partner. The pair recently separated.

Howman said BALCO founder Victor Conte, sentenced in October to a four-month jail term after pleading guilty to distributing steroids, intended to give further evidence against Jones.

Jones has previously threatened to sue Conte for defamation.

"We understand from the federal agencies in the US that there's information they've gathered to the grand jury which still hasn't been made available to USADA (United States anti-doping agency). The only answer is 'watch this space'," Howman said.

- NZPA