— FILE Photo: AP

CLEAN WIN? Justin Gatlin crosses the finish line ahead of Maurice Greene (right), to win the 400m relay at Kansas in April. He tested positive after this race.

NEW YORK: The defence for American sprinter Justin Gatlin in his career-threatening doping case could revolve around a massage therapist who Gatlin's coach accused of sabotage.

Coach Trevor Graham said on Sunday that Gatlin, the reigning Olympic and World champion and co-world-record holder in the 100 metres, was victim of a massage therapist who rubbed testosterone cream on Gatlin without his knowledge.

The coach declined to name the therapist.

``We know who the person is who actually did this,'' Graham told The Washington Post. ``Justin is devastated. Myself, too. We're extremely (upset) right now. We are trying to go out and make sure we can prove his innocence, and we hope this individual has the guts to come forward and say he did it.''

100 per cent sure

``We are 100 per cent 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.''

On Saturday, Gatlin acknowledged he had been informed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that he tested positive for testosterone or other steroids after a relay race in Kansas in April. The revelation came just two days after Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' victory was thrown into question for allegations of similar doping violations.

Gatlin said he didn't know why the test came back positive and promised cooperation with USADA, as it continues with the case. He didn't return messages left by The Associated Press on his cell phone on Sunday.

Gatlin's connection with Graham is viewed by many as problematic. Gatlin has long positioned himself as a champion of drug-free competition in a sport dogged by problems, while Graham is a key figure in the BALCO investigation and has coached several athletes who have tested positive for steroids.

The lawyer's take

Gatlin's attorney, Cameron Myler, didn't return messages left on her cell phone by The AP. On Saturday, she said she and Gatlin had ideas about how his drug tests came up positive, but wouldn't get into details and said she didn't condone Graham's allegations.

If Gatlin is proven guilty, his world record would be stripped. He tied Jamaican Asafa Powell's mark (9.77 seconds) in the 100m in May, after the positive test.

Gatlin would also be banned for life, the standard discipline for a second positive test. The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, 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. ``If they can find someone who did, in fact, spike it, then it is for them to prove but short of something like that I think he has a very serious problem.''

Burden of proof

WADA bylaws do provide relief for accused athletes who can prove they have been victims of sabotage, although the burden of proof is steep.

The International Association of Athletics Federation said in a statement on Sunday that Gatlin will be suspended for life if his positive drug tests — both his `A' and `B' samples came back positive — are confirmed. Gatlin was suspended for two years in 2001 after testing for illegal substances, the result of taking medication to control attention deficit disorder.

``If the USADA procedure concludes by confirming the violation, the sanction under IAAF rules will be a life ban,'' the IAAF said.

Gatlin's case next goes in front of a review panel. If the positive test is upheld, Gatlin could then take the case to arbitration, which could be his best chance to prove he was sabotaged, if that's the course he pursues. — AP

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