Athletics:The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) tonight confirmed that five Jamaican athletes have tested positive for a banned substance. The athletes — four men and one woman — are not thought to be any of the Olympic medal winners from last summer's Games in Beijing.
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said: “We have just received the paperwork from Jamaica, it is five — four guys and one girl. These are in-competition tests.
“We now inform the (Jamaican) federation who will then inform the athletes and then they are asked if they want the B sample tested.
“It’s very, very early in the process so we cannot say who they are or what the substance is.”
Davies added that he believes the issue will be resolved before the World Championships in Berlin next month.
The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission’s executive director Doctor Patrece Charles-Freeman has been quoted in the Jamaican media saying an investigation into the matter is now being undertaken.
Jamaican prime minister Bruce Golding has called top officials from JADCO and the Jamaican Amateur Athletics Association to an emergency meeting in Kingston so he can be briefed on the situation.
The Caribbean nation dominated last summer’s Olympic Games sprint races and is hoping for similar success at next month’s World Championships in Berlin.
Former world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell commented on the news after racing in a heat at the Aviva London Grand Prix tonight, saying: “It’s disappointing, but I have to do what I have to do. I just have to stay that way and stay clean.”
Olympic 100 and 200m champion Usain Bolt was also asked about the news after finishing his heat in London.
"I heard it was a rumour, not that it was true, so I don't know. I don't know much about that, you just have to ask my agent now.
"My friend called me and told me some tests were positive but I'm not worried, it doesn't matter."
Aleen Bailey, who competed in the women's 200m event in London tonight, was visibly shocked by the news.
"You never want anybody from your country or your team to be tested positive," she told BBC Sport.
"Hard work takes you a long way and if somebody cheats they deserve to be punished. But hopefully it's not anything serious and it's a mishap. Hopefully it can be sorted out.
"We don't want any cheaters in the system. It hurts when it's someone from your country."