Olympic relay gold medallist with Jamaica and a teammate of none other than Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter's 'B' sample from the Beijing 2008 Olympics has tested positive for a banned substance. Bolt and his other two relay teammates Asafa Powell and Michael Frater could be stripped off their gold medals.
According to a report of TOI, Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) had received a statement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the above mentioned fact, but no athlete was named in the notification.
IOC had ordered 454 samples to be re-tested from the Beijing Games earlier this year and Carter's sample is one of them which has come out positive.
A stimulant named Methylhexanamin was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) back in 2004. This was also classified as a "specified substance" in 2011. IOC seemed to have found the same substance in Carter's samples.
The use of Methylhexanamine can lead to a suspension of six months to one year or the loss of results from the period concerned.
While Bolt, Powell and Frater have not tested positive and done nothing wrong, they could still lose their gold medals from the Beijing Olympics 2008.
The IOC have not yet taken a call on this issue nor has there has been an official announcement made.
"It is still being worked out. What we want to do, and are trying to do, is target athletes who have positive results and stop them from competing in Rio," an IOC spokesperson said.
if Bolt, Powell and Frater were to lose their gold medals for the 4x100m relay event from the Beijing Olympics 2008, they can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
