Former 100-meter world-record holder Asafa Powell is among a reported five Jamaican track and field athletes who tested positive for banned substances.
Powell and Sherone Simpson are two of the five, according to several reports. Powell and Simpson are members of the same track club, MVP.
The Jamaica Gleaner reported earlier Sunday that five Jamaicans had tested positive and confirmed Powell and Simpson. The Jamaica Observer later reported a Canadian trainer of Powell and Simpson was detained in Italy, but Sports Illustrated‘s David Epstein reports Powell’s agent said there was questioning but no arrest.
Usain Bolt‘s agent told multiple outlets that Bolt is not part of it.
Though the Telegraph reported that another Olympic 4×100 relay gold medalist Nesta Carter also turned in a positive test, no other outlets confirmed. The Jamaica Gleaner has reported five named athletes, none of whom are Carter.
https://twitter.com/telegraphsport/status/356472753349591040
A statement was tweeted from Powell’s Twitter account.
Powell and Simpson both tested positive for the same banned stimulant, oxilofrine, at Jamaica’s national championships in June, according to Reuters.
Powell, 30, held the world record in the 100 of 9.74 seconds until Bolt took it prior to the Beijing Olympics.
Powell is the fourth fastest man of all time, behind Bolt, Tyson Gay (who admitted to a positive test earlier Sunday) and Yohan Blake.
He failed to make the Jamaican team for August’s world championships, finishing seventh in the 100 at trials after making three straight Olympic teams.
A two-time world bronze medalist in the 100, Powell is known as the the greatest sprinter never to win an individual Olympic medal.
Carter, 27, was part of Jamaica’s Olympic champion 4×100-meter relay teams in 2008 and 2012.
Simpson, 28, was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the women’s 100 meters.
It’s another blow to Jamaican track and field, which already had its most decorated active Olympian in Veronica Campbell-Brown fail a test in May. She reportedly will likely serve a reduced six-month sentence.
