It’s an Olympic year. Just as the common folk care about the presidential race once every four years, the casual fan pays a little attention to track and field. The powers-that-be in the sport seem to be putting their best foot forward.

First, Michael Johnson says he’ll return the gold medal he won in the 1,600-meter relay in 2000 since running mate Antonio Pettigrew admitted to doping. It’s a nice gesture, and appropriate, since Johnson has expressed his disgust with dopers in the past. Then again, Johnson has four other gold medals.

Then, the Court for Arbitration of Sport upheld the four-year ban given to Justin Gatlin. He hoped that the ban would be reduced to two years, meaning that it would expire in time for him to compete at the Olympic Trials in late June.

The CAS’s brief decision varied from the original panel on just one point: His suspension began in July 2006, not May of 2006, when he was first under suspicion.

Thus, he’ll have to wait until July 25, 2010, to compete.

We’ll give the CAS credit for expediting the case, so that it’s all cleaned up and almost forgotten by the time the Trials start at the end of the month.

But their alacrity brings up the question: Why is Floyd Landis still waiting for the CAS decision in his case? It’s been almost two years since he originally was charged with doping after winning the 2006 Tour de France. By the time they rule, his two years will be up. What if the CAS overturns the original ruling? What good will it do Landis then?