French runners free to run after brawl

The French athletics federation has cleared middle-distance runners Mehdi Baala and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad to compete in the world championships.

Baala and Mekhissi-Benabbad had been provisionally suspended by the FFA after trading punches at the end of the 1,500-meter race during last month’s Herculis meeting in Monaco.

   The FFA’s disciplinary committee met on Thursday and gave both a 10-month suspension — with five months as suspended — from all European Athletics and IAAF track meets.

   But the FFA says the punishments “do not prevent the parties concerned from being selected in the France team” for the worlds.

   The worlds in Daegu, South Korea, start on Aug. 27.