AP: USADA Seeking Lifetime Bans on Montgomery, Collins
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (search) plans to seek a lifetime ban against 100-meter world record holder Tim Montgomery (search) for alleged drug violations, The Associated Press has learned.
Montgomery was notified Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the letter who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
USADA also notified Michelle Collins (search), the 2003 world indoor champion at 200 meters and potential medalist at this summer's Athens Games, that it will seek a lifetime ban against her, according to her lawyer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montgomery and Collins are among four sprinters who received USADA letters earlier this month informing them that they were being investigated for possible drug use.
Messages left for the attorneys representing the other two sprinters — Chryste Gaines and Alvin Harrison — were not returned Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear whether Montgomery would lose his world record of 9.78 seconds, set in September 2002 in Paris, if he is found guilty of doping. If so, the record would revert to Maurice Greene's 9.79, set in 1999 in Athens, Greece.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montgomery is the boyfriend of three-time Olympic champion Marion Jones, and they have a nearly 1-year-old son. Collins is a former training partner of Jones, who is being investigated for possible doping by USADA but has not been formally notified she is the target of a probe.
Jones and Montgomery live near Raleigh, N.C.