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Triathlon champion Don handed ban

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LONDON, England -- Britain's world triathlon champion Tim Don has been given a three-month ban for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests, the British Triathlon Association said on Friday.

The 28-year-old won the Olympic distance world title in Lausanne, Switzerland a month ago.

He has passed nine separate doping tests during 2006 but does not intend to appeal against the decision.

"I have never taken, or even considered taking, a performance-enhancing drug in my life, and I am absolutely devastated to receive a suspension for contravening anti-doping regulations," Don said.

"I fully understand that it is my responsibility as a professional athlete to log my whereabouts on the UK Sport system and accept that it is due to my forgetfulness and lack of understanding of the online system, following its launch last year, that I have received this ban."

The suspension means that Don will be automatically banned from competing in future Olympic Games under the byelaws of the British Olympic Association, which issues life suspensions to drug offenders representing their country.

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