Athletics NewsIn a significant development in the fight against illegal drug use, the European Athletic Council have added a new sanction for any doping offence.

Any athlete banned for the standard two-years under IAAF regulations will also be banned from European Athletics Championship events for another two years after completing their suspension under IAAF anti-doping rules.

The council's two-year period of ineligibility from all European Championships will begin on the day a suspended athlete is cleared to compete by the IAAF after a doping suspension - which effectively increases the championship ban to four years. Under the regulation, which applies to current bans as well as to offences committed in future, athletes will not be banned from international invitational or national level competitions.

European Athletics president Hansjörg Wirz said: "The council has unanimously decided that competing in our championships represents a special privilege and that we must not allow the negative notoriety of the small number of athletes who cheat to spoil the experience or distract attention from those who follow the rules.

"Our message is very clear and we will do what it takes to ensure the credibility of the sport and protect the health of athletes and young people. This is an historic decision for us and we will propose to the IAAF congress in Osaka in August that it take a similar position with regard to future IAAF championships."