Sotomayor's Olympics reprieve

Sotomayor: Aiming for gold after Sydney reprieve

Javier Sotomayor is a sporting legend in Cuba.

So imagine the outrage when the high jump superstar was accused of taking cocaine and banned from athletics for two years by the IAAF.

Sotomayor, who is idolised by Cuban youngsters in a similar way to the British sporting public adored Linford Christie in his prime, angrily denied ever using cocaine, claiming that the accusations by an international track official were aimed at harming his character.

Ironically, Sotomayor was stripped of his Pan American Games gold medal on the same day that Christie discovered that he had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Because of the exceptional circumstance, we have decided to reduce the drugs ban for Javier Sotomayor from two years to one year

  IAAF statement

But the 31-year-old always denied any involvement with the sinister world of drugs which is threatening to devastate athletics.

"I have never consumed any drugs," he said.

"What I can say is that someone - I don't know who or why - is trying to destroy my image."

But, just as Christie's fans stuck by him throughout his troubles, Sotomayor's ardent followers stood by the two-time world champion and 1992 Olympic gold medallist throughout his trials and tribulations.

Giant

The giant Cuban is undoubtedly a gifted athlete but his career seemed to be in tatters when his B-sample confirmed that he had taken a drug more usually associated with recreational use than enhancing performance.

Javier Sotomayor: "I can jump that high"

After the traces of cocaine the Pan American Sports Organisation's medical chief Eduardo de Rose said: "Once the substance is found in urine, we do not question where it came from and the reason for taking it.

"The discovery of cocaine traces indicates that, at the most, the drug would have been taken four to five days previously. More than that, we would not find it,' he said.

But Sotomayor is also a renowned party goer who can often be seen out at night-clubs after big meetings and his life has not been without its complications.

In 1993 Ana Quirot, Cuba's top female runner and at the time Sotomayor's girlfiend, tried to commit suicide by setting herself alight after he ended their relationship when he discovered she was pregnant.

Everything seemed against Sotomayor who knew deep down that if he could only be given the chance to shine in Sydney, he would more than produce the goods.

And the silver or possibly even golden lining on his cloud suddenly emerged when his appeal to the IAAF for a softer approach won and they reduced his suspension to one year, allowing him to resume competing immediately and go to the Sydney Olympics next month.

Exceptional

In a statement, the IAAF said: "Because of the exceptional circumstance, we have decided to reduce the drugs ban for Javier Sotomayor from two years to one year.

"That means Sotomayor can compete from 31 July 2000."

Certainly, the high jump event will gain from now hot Olympic favourite Sotomayor's involvement with the Sydney games.

Few people will ever forget the defining moment in his career when he became the first man to clear eight feet when he jumped 2.44 metres in 1989, a mark he improved by a centimetre in 1993.

Of course, his Olympic hopes now rest on whether he can behave himself before and during the Sydney games.