Former 100m World Champion Tyson Gay has tested positive for a banned substance and as a result has withdrawn from next month’s World Athletics Championships in Moscow, according to media agency Reuters.
Gay, the American 100-metre record holder, has not revealed the banned substance that has been found in his sample, but has said he was notified by the U.S Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Friday that a sample collected from an out-of-competition sample test on May 16 has returned positive.
The 30-year-old, who collected a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics as part of Team USA’s 4x100m relay team, has said he will have his B sample tested soon.
Unlike many athletes who often find excuses or reasons for the presence of banned substances in their systems, Gay refused to do so.
In a phone conversation to Reuters, Gay reportedly said: “I don’t have a sabotage story. … I basically put my trust in someone and was let down.”
USADA said Sunday that the 30-year-old had removed himself from further competition but that his B sample has yet to be tested so they would not confirm or deny the failed test.
“In response to Mr. Gay’s statements, USADA appreciates his approach to handling this situation and his choice to voluntarily remove himself from competition while the full facts surrounding his test are evaluated,” USADA media relations manager Annie Skinner told AFP.
“The B sample will be processed shortly, and as in all cases all athletes are innocent unless or until proven otherwise through the established legal process, and any attempt to sensationalize or speculate is a disservice to due process, fair play, and to those who love clean sport.”
The news of Gay’s positive sample comes exactly one month after another high-profile sprinter tested positive for a banned substance.
Jamaica’s three-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown tested positive for the banned diuretic lasix after the tainted sample was taken at the Jamaica Invitational on May 4 at Kingston.
While Campbell-Brown’s suspension is yet to be confirmed, the 31-year-old is expected to avoid the full two-year ban and instead will serve a six-month exclusion from athletics.
READ MORE:
– Olympic star Campbell-Brown tests positive for banned substance
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