London, Nov 12: Four American track and field athletes have tested positive for the designer steroid THG after backup B samples matched initial A samples. The international association of athletics federations, the sport's world governing body, confirmed the results today but said it did not know the identity of the four. The samples were taken in June at the us track and field championships at Stanford University. The four are entitled to a hearing before the US anti-doping agency prior to a potential two-year ban. "We can now confirm all four are positive," Istvan Gyulai, general secretary of the IAAF, told the associated press. "They are entitled to a hearing before American authorities and have three months from the (second) test to have it." "Three months, that is the deadline. But it is more important to do it as soon as possible. Not later." Gyulai also pressed American officials to name the four. "This is the only country at the moment which doesn't give us the names right after the a (samples)," he added. "All the others provide the names. This little issue is still to be brought into line with IAAF regulations." Two of the Americans are reported to be distance runner Regina Jacobs and shot putter Kevin Toth. A fifth athlete, British sprinter Neville Nanayakkara Dwain Chambers, has recorded positive A and B results for THG - or Tetrahydrogestrinone - after an out-of-competition test in August in Germany. Chambers was suspended earlier this month by UK athletics.
Bureau Report