ATHENS, Aug 17: World 100 metres champion Torri Edwards lost her appeal to be reinstated to the US Olympic team after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected her appeal against a two-year drugs ban here on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old American tested positive for the prohibited stimulant nikethamide at an athletics meeting in Fort-de-France, Martinique on April 24. Veteran two-time Olympic 100m champion Gail Devers replaces her in the 100m which begins on Friday while the 200m berth goes to Lashaunte'a Moore.

The American authorities had imposed a two-year ban on Edwards after the sport's governing body the IAAF had considered there were no exceptional circumstances exonerating the athlete in this case. IAAF spokesman Nick Davies welcomed the CAS ruling. -Reuters