Sprinter Spearmon suspended for three months

United States' Wallace Spearmon reacts after competing in a men's 200-meter heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012. (AP/Anja Niedringhaus)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. sprinter Wallace Spearmon has received a three-month suspension for using a banned substance at a meet earlier this summer.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency determined Spearmon was not trying to enhance his performance by taking a medicine used to treat asthma and allergies, but that he failed to apply for a therapeutic-use exemption before using it.

Spearmon told Track and Field News: “I was not trying to cheat. I made a mistake.”

The 29-year-old American has won a silver and two bronzes in the 200 metres at the world championships, as well as a gold as a member of the U.S. 4×100 relay team at Osaka in 2007.

Spearmon’s suspension is retroactive to Aug. 27.

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.