Gatlin is handed eight-year ban

Gatlin has been banned after failing a drugs test in April

World and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin has been handed an eight-year ban from athletics after accepting he committed a doping violation. The 24-year-old American was facing the prospect of a life ban after testing positive for testosterone on 22 April.

But he was spared after agreeing to "co-operate in the effort to eradicate the use of drugs from sport."

Gatlin will also lose the 100m world record of 9.77 seconds he jointly holds with Jamaican Asafa Powell.

Gatlin first failed a drugs test five years ago when amphetamines were found in his samples at the USA Junior Championships.

But it was accepted that medicine he was taking to control attention-deficit disorder was the reason for the failed test.

Under the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code, a second ban should constitute a lifetime ban unless the athlete can produce a compelling reason to have it reduced.

In accepting he committed a doping offence, Gatlin can still appeal to an arbitration panel in the next six months to have the penalty reduced.

He has an opportunity to go to a panel of arbitrators and argue exceptional circumstances

Usada's Travis Tygart

However, if he does so he will not be able to argue that the test was faulty.

"To his credit, it's recognition that the science is reliable," said Travis Tygart, general counsel for the US Anti-Doping Agency.

"Instead of wasting a bunch of resources attempting to create smoke where there's not any, he's acknowledging the accuracy of the positive test.

"In exchange for his agreement to cooperate, we've recognised the nature of his first offence."

Despite his youth, the ban all but ends Gatlin's career, unless he can have it further reduced during arbitration.

"He accepted liability," said Tygart. "He agreed not to raise technical arguments or frivolous defences.

"He has an opportunity to go to a panel of arbitrators and argue exceptional circumstances."

Coach Trevor Graham has contended his runner tested positive after a massage therapist used testosterone cream on him without his knowledge.