Top paralympic sprinter banned for doping violation

Blake Leeper, one of the top paralympic sprinters in the world, has been banned for a year for a doping violation.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced Monday that Leeper had been sanctioned in response to a test last summer that found a byproduct of cocaine in his system.

Officials do not believe that the 25-year old athlete had used cocaine to enhance his performance.

“I made a mistake and I am deeply sorry for my behavior and for letting all the people who believed in me down,� Leeper said in a statement Monday evening. “I am taking full responsibility for the bad choices I have made in my life.�

“If I can overcome the monumental obstacle of being born without legs to become a world-class athlete, I can overcome my mistakes and become a role model Olympian which I am working hard to prove in Rio. I apologize to my fans, sponsors, friends and family and I am grateful to have this opportunity to prove that anything is possible with or without legs.�

Because the ban is retroactive to last June, Leeper will regain his eligibility in time to attempt to qualify for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janiero.