Montgomery and Gaines facing drugs probe

Two of America's top sprinters have been accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

11:14 09 June 2004

Two of America's top sprinters have been accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Tim Montgomery and Chryste Gaines have both received letters from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) asking for clarification of the athletes' involvement with the controversial Balco laboratory.

Montgomery is the world 100m record holder, while Gaines won an Olympic medal with the US relay squad, and any further action against them would send shockwaves across American sport.

Both athletes are linked to Victor Conte's Balco laboratory, which has been at the centre of a storm surrounding the emergence of the designer steroid THG.

"Tim Montgomery has not done anything wrong and we intend to fight any attempt to prevent him running in the Olympics," Montgomery's lawyer Cristina Arguedas said.

"The evidence we have been shown by USADA that we are still reviewing is inconclusive and internally inconsistent.

"There is also no foundational evidence to prove where it comes from and what it means."

British number one Dwain Chambers was banned for two years for taking THG earlier in the year, while American athletes Kevin Toth, Regina Jacobs, John McEwen, and Melissa Price have also been banned.

Chambers was coached by Remi Korchemny, who is one of four men to have been charged with distributing performance-enhancing drugs.

Gaines is also coached by Korchemny, as is American sprint champion Kelli White - who was suspended for two years for admitting to taking modanifil, steroids and stamina-boosting EPO.