Five Jamaican sprinters 'fail drug tests'

Five top Jamaican sprinters who had been selected for next month's World Athletics Championships in Berlin have tested positive for banned drugs, according to reports in Jamaica.

Although none of the athletes have been named, the Jamaica Observer has reported that the five athletes, four men and one woman, failed drug tests at last month's Jamaican Championships in Kingston. It is not clear whether they tested positive for the same substance.

The newspaper also reports that three of the athletes, two men and the woman, are members of the country's 4x100m relay squads. It says the sprinters are due to be informed of their failed tests later today.

If confirmed, the news will cast a dark shadow over the country's stunning successes at last summer's Beijing Olympics, where Usain Bolt won three gold medals and Jamaica six overall.

The country's athletics officials have steadfastly denied that the country's sprint triumphs have been built on anything but hard work, despite question marks about the number of no-notice, random drug tests that were carried out in Jamaica in the run-up to Beijing.

Bolt, the triple Olympic champion and the world record-holder in the 100m and 200m, is due to take on countryman Asafa Powell at tonight's Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.