Gatlin's coach claims sabotage in drug charge

ASSOCIATED PRESS
While his coach claimed Justin Gatlin's positive drug test was a result of sabotage, the leader of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Sunday called for the American sprinter to be banned for "up to life" if the results are confirmed.
Gatlin's coach, Trevor Graham, said in an interview on Jamaican television that the Olympic and world champion and co-world-record holder in the 100 meters was victim of a setup.
"We are 100 percent sure who it is," Graham said. "The individual that did it, it's an individual that we fired and we went back and hired ... he came to the Kansas relay and was [upset] with Justin."
Gatlin said he did not know why the test came back positive and promised cooperation with USADA, as it continues with the case.
Gatlin's attorney, Cameron Myler, said she and the sprinter had ideas about how his drug tests came up positive, but she would not get into details and said she did not condone Graham's allegations.
Would lose world record
If Gatlin is proven guilty, his world record would be stripped. He tied Jamaican Asafa Powell's mark (9.77 seconds) in the 100 meters in May, after the positive test.
Gatlin would also be banned for life, the standard discipline for a second positive test. The head of WADA, Dick Pound, called for such a penalty.
"He needs to be banned for up to life," Pound said in an interview on BBC Radio Five Live. "There may be some extenuating circumstances to come out but I think if he just continues to come out with some bland denial that 'I never did anything, I can't imagine how this result occurred,' that will not help him when it comes to sentencing.
COPYRIGHT 2006 ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN, OR REDISTRIBUTED.