MSU’s Mullings withdraws from NCAA track championships
By Ian R. Rapoport
irapopor@clarionledger.com
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State sprinter Steve Mullings, the reigning SEC and Mideast Regional 100-meter dash champion, withdrew from the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the MSU athletic department announced today.
He was scheduled to begin qualifying races on Wednesday in the meet at Sacramento, Calif. Mullings and Walter Dix of Florida State have posted the best 100-meters times this season, 10.06 seconds.
Mullings' withdrawal was "voluntary," according to the statement, which quotes the junior as saying, "I have decided to remove myself (from the meet) … in order to alleviate stresses for all those affected."
Mullings could not be reached for further comment.
Though the statement does not directly refer to the cause of the "stresses," Mullings has been embroiled in controversy for the past few months. After he won the 200-meters at the Jamaican Olympic trials last summer, he tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone.
Last month, the Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association banned him from competition for two years, beginning retroactively to June 26, 2004.
The ban did not keep Mullings from being eligible for NCAA competition, according to NCAA spokesman Bob Williams. "As it stands right now, he is eligible to compete," Williams said today before Mullings announced he was withdrawing.
On Aug. 1, a new NCAA bylaw goes into effect that disqualifies an athlete who is serving a suspension by any international sports body.
Mullings' situation created an uproar in the track world. The Web site Letsrun.com started an online petition and letter-writing campaign, besieging various media outlets with mail and fighting for Mullings to pull out of the meet. That’s what he did.
"I support Steve's decision," MSU coach Al Schmidt said in the statement.