Racism rant nets six-month ban

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Out ... Aussie runner John Steffensen has been hit with a six-month ban. Source: Dave Hunt / AAP

Outspoken Australian sprinter John Steffensen has been banned from competing for six months following his Olympic Games racism allegations.

The board of Athletics Australia ended an investigation it began in December by ruling the 400m runner out of international and domestic competition for "making statements and engaging in conduct likely to bring the sport of athletics into disrepute contrary to IAAF Rules, Athletics Australia By-laws and the Athletics Australia Team Member Code of Conduct".

Steffensen will be allowed to return to competition on August 1, meaning he will miss the national championships and other build up and selection events for the  world championships starting August 10 in Moscow.

When national champion Steven Solomon was selected ahead of Steffensen for the one place Australia was allocated in the 400m for the London Olympics, Steffensen claimed he had been "racially vilified by this federation, been discriminated against on many teams ... it'd help if I was a different colour".

He then used Twitter to claim that AA chief executive Dallas O'Brien was a liar, and threatened to withdraw from the 4x400m relay team in protest.

Following the Olympics, AA appointed lawyer Paul Horvath to investigate Steffensen's claims. He found no evidence to the claims and the matter was referred to an independent tribunal.

Athletics Australia said in a statement Thursday that Steffensen "subsequently chose to waive his right to an independent tribunal hearing and therefore, in accordance with Athletics Australia By-Laws and the IAAF Rules, he was deemed to have accepted that he had committed the breaches. The imposition of a penalty then reverted back to the Athletics Australia Board of Directors."

Steffensen requested an opportunity to air his concerns ahead of sanctioning and AA said it conducted an hour-long discussion with him via video link on Wednesday.

"The Board took into account Steffensen's statements and also his previous three-month suspension in 2010 before determining unanimously that a six-month suspension was appropriate considering the seriousness of the breaches," the statement read.

AA board member David Grace said Steffensen - who addressed the board meeting via video link for a hour on Wednesday - planned to resume his running career once the suspension ended.

"As far as we're aware he was intending to run this year,'' said Grace.

"He's never said anything to the contrary.

"He gave every indication that he wanted to continue to involve himself in the sport at a very high level.''

The ban does not apply to coaching, which allows Steffensen to continue his mentoring role with Commonwealth 4x400m relay gold medallist Kevin Moore.

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