Garcia cops two-year ban

The Spaniard, who recorded the positive test at the world cross country championships in Lausanne in March, will now miss next year's Olympic games in Athens and will not be allowed to compete again until June 2005.

The 32-year-old has made a name for himself on the international circuit over the course of the last three seasons and broke the long-standing European 5,000 metres indoor record in February this year, a mark that had stood for 27 years.

He was second to Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie in the 3,000 metres at the world indoor championships in Birmingham in March shortly before going on to compete in Lausanne.

Garcia, who is also the reigning European 3,000 metre indoor champion, has denied taking any performance-enhancing drug.