US sprint star Tyson Gay's one-year doping ban has been welcomed by the International Olympic Committee.

Gay received the ban from the US Anti-Doping Association (USADA) on Friday and returned his 2012 London Olympics silver medal to the US Olympic Committee.

USADA announced that the 31-year-old American had tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in two random out-of-competition tests and one event doping test in urine samples taken last year by both USADA and the world governing body IAAF

An IOC statement on Saturday said: "The IOC welcomes the decision taken by USADA following the confession ofTyson Gay. We note the athlete accepted responsibility for his actions and returned the medal from the London Olympic Games.

"The IOC supports clean athletes and defends the integrity of sport against those who cheat."

Gay accepted a one-year period of ineligibility that began on June 23 of last year, the day his sample was collected at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships.