After her 22.31 victory in the 200 meter semi-finals at the 2003 World Indoor Championships, the first of two national records she would set in as many days, Michelle Collins was fighting back tears.

"I have worked so hard," the then-32-year-old American told TPR, before pausing briefly to compose herself. "I have paid my dues in this sport and I was so tired of losing. And I've trained so hard this year, I want to go home with a gold medal."

With a dominating 22.18 performance in the final, she did leave Birmingham with gold, one that she would be forced to surrender almost exactly 21 months later.

On Friday, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced that Collins lost her appeal to the independent three-member arbitration panel from the American Arbitration Association and North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"USADA has proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Collins took EPO, the testosterone/epitestosterone cream, and THG," a USADA statement read, "and that Collins used these substances to enhance her performance and elude the drug testing that was available at the time." The panel issued Collins, also a 400 meter specialist, an eight-year suspension, effective December 10, and nullified all of the sprinter,s performances and winnings since February 1, 2002, including her 2003 World and US indoor titles. Collins earned $42,500 for those two wins.

The U.S. title will go Olympic 200m silver medallist Allyson Felix, while the World title will be given to Muriel Hurtis of France. The world championships silver medal will go to Russian Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, who was also elevated to the event,s gold medal position for the 2003 world outdoor championships, after the subsequent doping disqualifications of Kelli White and Torri Edwards. Kapachinskaya, who won the world indoor title earlier this year in Budapest, tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol after the event and was banned for two years as well.

The CAS Panel found that Collins, "participation in the BALCO conspiracy amounted to a cover up and because her doping took place over an extended period it is appropriate to double the four years received by other BALCO athletes and to suspend her for eight years."

"For the last year and a half, USADA has been committed to uncovering the truth regarding athletes and others who participated in the BALCO drug conspiracy," said USADA Chief Executive Officer Terry Madden. "The CAS Panel,s decision confirms that those who violate the rules will be sanctioned as part of USADA,s ongoing efforts to protect the rights of the overwhelming majority of U.S. athletes that compete drug-free."

Collins, link to the ongoing BALCO scandal was suggested early on. Documents released last February [see TPR #79] included portions of an email correspondence between BALCO chief Victor Conte and an elite women,s 400 meter runner. The competitions mentioned in the emails pointed overwhelmingly to Collins. Citing injury, Collins did not compete since winning the 2003 world indoor title.

"You know what, I'm in great shape right now," she said after her semi in Birmingham. For the final, she boldly predicted: "I think we're going to give the crowd something to look for. It's going to be very exciting."

That excitement proved short-lived.