Two-time marathon champion, Luiz Carlos Ramos, is one of two athletes to have tested positive for banned drugs in this year's Bermuda International Race Weekend.

Traces of nandrolone were found in the Brazilian's samples while third-place finisher in the half-marathon, Nials Strik of the Netherlands, tested positive for cocaine. Samples A and B of both competitors were tested at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) laboratory in Montreal, Canada.

The two runners have been provisionally suspended by athletics world-governing body, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), but they have the final recourse of a hearing before their respective national federations.

If the results are upheld both men will be banned from competition for two years.

However, the provisional ban makes them ineligible to compete now. This, explained IAAF spokesman Nick Davies, is "to avoid athletes taking advantage of delays in (the) concluding (of) cases".

In an e-mail to The Royal Gazette, he explained there had been a delay in concluding this matter because the Brazilian and Dutch federations have yet to fulfil their end of the process.

"We have sent reminders to the federations that these athletes have a right to a hearing with them and that a decision on final suspension must also be made by the federation. This has not yet happened and we have sent another reminder today (last Friday).

"If both athletes are suspended definitively following the conclusion of hearings with their national federations, then the suspensions will be for two years from the date of the test," said Davies.

By contrast, if the federations believe the athletes to be innocent, the IAAF will step in and consider whether or not this decision was correct.

"If we agree, then the athlete is immediately reinstated. If we don't agree then we maintain the provisional suspensions and take the cases to arbitration at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (Switzerland)."

These developments have prevented Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) from awarding prize-money in the affected events both of which were run on January 19 this year.

"We're awaiting information from the IAAF as to whether the athletes are definitely suspended and because the internal procedures have not been completed - and they are both entitled to hearings - they are still just suspended provisionally.

"No-one has received prize-money because we didn't know how the placings would be. We have to draw this to a conclusion as quickly as possible. We cannot pay prize-money because we do not know whether we pay them in their places or (if) we pay the next people," said BTFA president Judy Simmons yesterday.

Ramos, who finished the marathon in two hours, 21 minutes and 23 seconds, would have been entitled to $3,000 for his second successive victory. However, if the 37-year-old's crown is passed to second-placed El Afoui Boubker of Morocco it will lift Bermudian Brett Forgesson into third place. The latter was originally fourth in the marathon (2:47.27) but would move into the money behind Russian Fedor Ryzhov who would go from third to second.

Likewise in the half-marathon, if Strik is striped of his position and prize money, Christopher England of USA would replace him in the bronze position behind winner Dmitry Maximov (Russia) and Kyle Baxter (USA).

Strik, who also placed third in the 2002 half-marathon, had clocked one hour, nine minutes and seven seconds.

The Dutchman's expulsion would mean that Bermuda's Jay Donawa would rise to sixth from seventh position.