ATHENS, Greece -- John Capel, the 200-meter world champion
last year, was replaced on the U.S. 400-meter relay team because he
tested positive for marijuana, an official familiar with the
decision said Saturday.
Capel was set to run in the semifinals on Friday night, but U.S.
coach George Williams pulled him from the lineup when he learned of
the test result, according to the official, who spoke on condition
of anonymity.
Capel's positive test was first reported in Saturday's Tampa
Tribune.
Shawn Crawford, this year's Olympic 200-meter champion, replaced
Capel, and the U.S. team easily won its heat in 38.02 seconds.
Crawford said he was told of the switch about an hour before the
race.
Capel tested positive on Aug. 9 in Munich at the three-way team
competition between the United States, France and Germany. Any
other positive test of a so-called "minor" drug will result in a
two-year ban from competition.
Only a warning is giving for a positive marijuana test, and
Capel was still eligible to run in the relay. But Williams decided
to replace him anyway.
The 25-year-old Capel had been scheduled to run only in the
semifinal, so being pulled from that race would cost him a gold
medal if the heavily favored Americans win Saturday night. He did
not qualify for any individual races at the U.S. trials in June,
but was added to the team in the relay pool.
Capel's friend and training partner in Gainesville, Fla.,
Bernard Williams, tested positive for marijuana at a meet in
Seville, Spain, on June 5 and is on probation. Williams won the
silver medal in a U.S. sweep of the Olympic 200 Thursday night.
Afterward, Williams said he had learned from his mistake and was
no longer using the drug.
Marijuana has caused serious career problems for Capel in the
past. A wide receiver at Florida, he was selected by the NFL's
Chicago Bears in 2001, but tested positive for the drug at the
draft combine. On May 5, 2001, he was charged with possession of
marijuana, and the Bears released him.
In 2002, he failed to make the roster for the Kansas City Chiefs
and returned to running on the advice of coach Dick Vermeil.
Four years ago in Sydney, Capel was a favorite in the 200 but
faltered out of the start in the race and finished last. Later he
said he went out partying with friends the night before the finals.
"I wasted a couple of years of my career, of my life," Capel
told the Houston Chronicle just before the Athens Games began.
"But I'm thankful that I was able to get back before it was too
late."