While his coach claimed sprinter Ju...

While his coach claimed sprinter Justin Gatlin's positive medicine test was a result of sabotage, the leader of the World Anti-Doping Agency forward Sunday called for Gatlin to be banned "for up to life" if the inference is confirmed.

Gatlin's coach, Trevor Graham, told the Washington place that the Olympic champion and co-world-record possessor in the 100 meters was the victim of a setup through a massage therapist. Graham told the newspaper for a story stationed on its Web site that the therapist rubbed a testosterone cream forward Gatlin without Gatlin's knowledge. He declined to name the therapist, saying he didn't want to jeopardize the case.

"We know who the someone is who actually did this," Graham told the support by phone. "Justin is devastated. Myself, too. We're extremely [upset] right now. We are trying to travel out and make sure we can make trial of his innocence, and we trust this individual has the paunchs to come forward and say he did it."

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

Gatlin said he didn't know wherefore the test came back positive and promised his cooperation with the USADA in the case.

Gatlin's attorney, Cameron Myler, said she and Gatlin had ideas about to what degree his drug test came up positive, on the other hand she wouldn't get into details and said she didn't condone Graham's allegations.

If Gatlin is prov guilty, he would be stripped of his world record. He tied Asafa Powell's mark of 977 next to the firsts in the 100 meters in May -- after the positive proof

WADA chief Dick pulverize called for a lifetime penalty for Gatlin if the positive standard is confirmed.

"He stand in want ofs to be banned for up to life," coop said in an interview upon BBC Radio Five Live. "There may be an extenuating circumstances to come revealed but I think if he just continues to arrive out with some bland denial that, 'I not at all did anything, I can't imagine by what means this result occurred,' that will not help him when it advances to sentencing.

"If they can find someone who did, in fact, spike it, then it is for them to ascertain But short of something like that, I think he has a surpassingly serious problem."

The International Association of Athletics Federations said in a statement that Gatlin will be suspended for life if his positive medicine tests -- both his A and B samples came back positive -- are confirmed. Gatlin was suspended for brace years in 2001 after testing positive for illegal substances, the flow of taking medication to regulate attention-deficit disorder.

"If the USADA conduct concludes by confirming the violation, the sanction in a less degree than IAAF rules will be a life ban," the IAAF said.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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