Russian Runner Expelled for Steroids

ATHENS, Greece (AP) _ Russian 400-meter runner Anton Galkin was expelled from the Summer Games Friday after testing positive for steroids, the country's senior Olympic official said. <br/><br/>Galkin

Friday, August 27th 2004, 9:08 am

By: News On 6

ATHENS, Greece (AP) _ Russian 400-meter runner Anton Galkin was expelled from the Summer Games Friday after testing positive for steroids, the country's senior Olympic official said.

Galkin tested positive for stanozolol after his Aug. 21 race in the 400 semifinals, IOC vice president Vitaly Smirnov said. Galkin finished fourth in the race and did not make the finals.

The International Olympic Committee executive board disqualified him and revoked his accreditation, Smirnov said.

Galkin is the 20th athlete of the Athens Games caught for a doping violation, a record high, and the third Russian to test positive.

Earlier this week, shot putter Irina Korzhanenko was stripped of her gold medal after testing positive for stanozolol, the same steroid which cost Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson his 100-meter title at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Albina Khomich was suspended by the International Weightlifting Federation after a failing a pre-competition drug test last week.