Thursday's sports briefs

Reigning Olympic and world 400-meter track champion LaShawn Merritt faces a two-year suspension for what he said was use of an over-the-counter male enhancement product that he did not know contained the banned substance DHEA.

Merritt, 23, of Portsmouth, Va., was found positive for DHEA, a steroid, in three successive out-of-competition tests from October 2009 through January 2010.

He called his use of the product a "foolish, immature and egotistical mistake."

Doug Logan, the chief executive of USA Track & Field, said via telephone that Merritt had "sullied his career and put an unfortunate stigma on himself he is going to be living down the rest of his life."

Merritt has decided to accept a provisional suspension and not compete until his case is resolved. That would mean he would miss the 2010 season unless he asks for an expedited hearing.

In a statement, Merritt admitted he had not read the "fine print" on the product, which the Chicago Tribune learned was ExtenZe.

Record-breaking start at Drake Diana Pickler, the defending U.S. champion in the heptathlon, broke the Drake Relays record in the heptathlon with 6,040 points Thursday in Des Moines, notching the second-best mark in the world this year.

Calipari lands No. 1 point guard Kentucky continued to add to John Calipari's streak of recruiting the nation's most highly rated point guard when Marquis Teague of Pike (Ind.) High School committed to the Wildcats.

Teague's announcement gives Kentucky commitments from the players rated by Rivals.com as the top two in the class of 2011. Teague, who is No. 2, and New Jersey forward Michael Gilchrist, the No. 1 prospect.

French players being investigated The police probe into a suspected prostitution ring at a Paris nightspot has cast serious doubt as to whether France soccer players Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema will be named to the team's World Cup squad.

Ribery has already testified, and Benzema is set to be questioned over alleged sexual relations with an underage prostitute operating out of a trendy Paris club.

Armstrong rider tests positive Li Fuyu, a Chinese rider on Lance Armstrong's Team RadioShack, was suspended for testing positive for the banned product Clenbuterol during a Belgian race last month.

The UCI said the rider can request a B sample of the positive test conducted in a WADA-accredited lab in Ghent, Belgium.

RadioShack said Li has been suspended and will be fired from the team if his B sample confirms the positive test.

Golf: Jason Bohn took advantage of calm morning conditions in the Zurich Classic, shooting a 7-under-par 65 to take a two-stroke lead in Avondale, La.

Colleges: Wisconsin-Milwaukee placed athletic director George Koonce on administrative leave because of a personnel matter.

Running: Some of the elite London Marathon competitors faced an endurance test just reaching the British capital for Sunday's race, with travel plans disrupted by the volcanic ash cloud over Europe that forced organizers to spend around $230,000 on private planes.