Olympic cyclist Bobby Lea acknowledges positive doping test

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — Two-time Olympian Bobby Lea of the United States was suspended for 16 months for doping Thursday (Friday Manila time) after returning a positive test during the track cycling national championships earlier this year.

Shortly after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency revealed the suspension, Lea said in a letter posted on his website that he had taken the prescription painkiller Percocet to help him sleep. He did not realize it contains the substance oxycodone, which is banned during competition.

Lea competed in the points race and Madison at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the omnium at the 2012 London Games. He had hoped to compete in the omnium again at next year’s Rio Olympics.

Lea is planning to appeal the suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.