A MUNICH civil court is today due to announce its ruling on Katrin Krabbe's appeal for hefty compensation after two drugs bans in 1992 and 1993 effectively ended the former double world sprint champion's career.

Krabbe is attempting to prove the German athletics federation (DLV) and IAAF were acting illegally under German law when they imposed a baa of one year and two years respectively after she admitted to taking the drug clenbuterol.

Last May another German court ruled that the DLV ban was legal but the IAAF suspension was his leg. If she wins this appeal, the German is expected to demand compensation of around 750,000 marks (£326,000 approximately).

German sources said yesterday that the DLV would be "ruined" financially if it had to pay.

One crucial part of today's ruling will be whether the court decides that the national federation is a "branch" of the IAAF and is therefore financially responsible for the governing body's decisions.