ATHLETICS/Steroids: The United States will urge the world governing athletics body this week to impose life bans on any athlete testing positive for steroids.

The US motion is one of around 300 tabled for debate at a two-day meeting of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) congress starting today in advance of the 10th World Championships opening on Saturday.

At present first-time offenders who test positive for steroids are banned for two years. Lifetime bans follow a second offence.

The IAAF reduced the first time ban from four to two years in 1997 because of conflicts with some civil courts who argued that the longer ban was excessive.

The US hardline stance on steroids is a response to the BALCO laboratory drugs scandal, which at one stage threatened to destroy the sport's credibility.

In December 2003, the board of directors for USA Track & Field voted unanimously to ban for life any athletes who tested positive for steroids.

The ban does not apply to any athlete who had already been implicated in the BALCO scandal, including 2003 double world sprint champion Kelli White.

White accepted a two-year ban after admitting taking a variety of drugs supplied by the Californian laboratory including the previously undetectable steroid THG (tetrahydrogestrinone).

IAAF officials said the proposal was unlikely to gain approval from the congress because the federation's rules already allowed members to impose any ban they wished on their athletes.

The US stance has also been greeted with scepticism by delegates from other national federations who believe USA Track & Field has refused over the years to disclose positive tests on American athletes.

Jerome Young, who won the men's 400 metres at the 2003 Paris championships, was allowed to compete at the 2000 Sydney Olympics despite a positive test for steroids in the previous year.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport concluded that Young should not have run in Sydney but in a separate ruling decided that the US 4x400 metres relay team should be allowed to keep their gold medals. Young was a member of the squad which included five-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson.

The 211-member federations will also consider a recommendation from the IAAF's ruling council proposing the introduction of a no-false start rule.

At present athletes are allowed one false start but any athlete subsequently offending is disqualified.

The congress will also be asked to confirm a rule change made by the council this year relating to changes of nationality. Athletes now have to wait three years following the acquisition of citizenship before they compete for their new country, although this may be reduced to 12 months if both member federations agree.

Kenya has had a particular problem with athletes defecting to oil-rich Gulf states.