US sprint star Tyson Gay says he'll race again in 2014, after his one-year doping suspension expires in June.
Gay, attending a local school athletics meeting named for him in his native Kentucky on Saturday, told the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper he hasn't been able to talk about his suspension, but he's looking forward to the end of his ban on June 23.
"Under the rules of USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency), they didn't want me to speak on the case," Gay said. "But they definitely understand what happened, and USADA understands that it was a mistake. That's why they're allowing me to run this year."
USADA announced on Friday that the 2007 treble world champion had accepted a one-year ban after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid in two random out-of-competition tests.
His one-year period of ineligibility began on June 23 of last year, the day his sample was collected at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
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Gay, 31, also accepted the disqualification of all results dating to July 15, 2012 -- the date he first used a product that contained a banned substance -- and forfeited all prizes obtained from that date.
That included voiding his effort on the US Olympic men's 4x100m relay runner-up squad at London. USADA said Gay has already handed over his silver medal to US Olympic Committee officials.
Gay said Saturday he was heartened by the support he received from fans at the meeting in Lexington, where his daughter, Trinity, a seventh-grader competing for Scott County, won the 100m dash and helped her school to victories in the 4x100m and 4x200m relays.
While the suspension timing means that Gay can return to competition next month, he will do so too late to take part in Diamond League meets at New York or Eugene, Oregon.
It also seems unlikely that he would have time to qualify for the US Track and Field Championships at Sacramento, California, on June 26-29.
