Jamaica Audited by WADA

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Jamaica's drug-testing practices are to be audited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) amid claims of worrying gaps in screening.

A former director of the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (Jadco) says out-of-competition testing was insufficient ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London.

A number of Jamaican stars, including sprinter Asafa Powell, have since tested positive for banned substances.

Wada plans to visit Jamaica next year in order to examine Jadco's practices.

"Wada has accepted an invitation from the Prime Minister of Jamaica to visit and inspect Jadco," said the agency.

"Wada was unhappy to learn that Jadco cannot accommodate this visit until 2014."

The IAAF, the body that governs world athletics, insists it has extensively tested elite Jamaican athletes.

But the country's reputation has been tarnished in recent months with news of positive tests by Powell, Sherone Simpson and three-time Olympic gold medal winner Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Former Jadco director Renee Anne Shirley alleged in August that athletes were not tested outside of competition for five of the seven months before last year's Olympics.

While the organisation's chairman Herbert Elliot has dismissed her claims, Wada director-general David Howman believes there is an issue.

"There was a period of - and forgive me if I don't have the number of months right - but maybe five to six months during the beginning part of 2012 where there was no effective operation," Howman told the Associated Press news agency.

"There might have been one or two, but there was no testing. So we were worried about it, obviously.''

Jadco is not the only body carrying out drug tests on Jamaican athletes.

An IAAF spokesman told the Associated Press that its own out-of-competition programme was "robust and comprehensive", with tests carried out at Jamaican training camps.

In addition, all athletes finishing in the top five places at the London Games were tested by the International Olympic Committee.

Jamaica's sprinters won eight individual medals in London, with Usain Bolt defending his 100m and 200m sprint titles as well as winning gold in the 4x100m relay.

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I Am Clean - Usain Bolt

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Usain Bolt says the recent doping scandals in sprinting have set the sport back but insisted he is not a cheat.Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson are among a number of athletes to fail recent tests ahead of the world championships next month.

Bolt admitted "it's going to set us back a bit," adding that he hopes to "help people forget what has happened" with his own performances but stressed: "I am clean."

The Jamaican said he has had one text-message exchange with compatriot Powell since the former 100-meter world record-holder tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrone. Bolt told him "to stay strong."

Bolt said: "There are a lot of details yet to be discussed so I'm just sitting and waiting to see the results and what's what. There are a lot of things that haven't been done and haven't been said so I'm just waiting to see what is going on."

However, the 26-year-old 100m and 200m world record holder admitted athletes have to be very careful with everything they eat or drink. "In life you learn anything is possible," Bolt said. "You have to be very careful as an athlete because right now there are a lot of things on the banned list. You have to keep up to date all of the time. It's hard but that's why you have a team to help you out with this kind of thing."

Bolt was speaking in London where he competes on Friday for the first time since his three gold medals at the Olympics a year ago.

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Positive Powell Wants Fast Track Return

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Former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell says he wants to return to the track as soon as possible after his failed drug test.

The 30-year-old tested positive for banned stimulant oxilofrine at the Jamaican Championships in June.

When the news emerged, he said he had never "knowingly or wilfully taken any supplements that break any rules" and has reiterated that stance.

"This has been the most difficult week of my athletic career," said Powell.

"The supplements I took formed part of a very strict and rigid training regimen," he added in a statement.

Powell and American sprinter Tyson Gay's failed drug tests were made public 10 days ago and both are now awaiting the results of their B samples.

Powell said checks done by his team "told us the supplements were fit for consumption by professional athletes".

"I have retained legal counsel and as such I cannot now discuss all the details of the case," he added.

"I will say, however, that I have requested that my B sample be tested and I await the results.

"Should this sample return adverse results, my team and I hope that the hearings will happen as fast as possible so as to allow me to return to my team, to once again represent my country, and to make my family, friends, and fans proud."

Powell was the last man to hold the individual 100m record before compatriot Usain Bolt broke it in 2008.

He later helped Jamaica win 4x100m relay gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Sherone Simpson, a 4x100m relay silver medallist at last year's London Olympics, failed a drug test at the same event as Powell.

Discus thrower Allison Randall confirmed she had returned a positive test at last month's trials on 15 July, the same day police in Italy raided the hotel rooms of Powell and Simpson and took away unspecified drugs for analysis.

Jamaican world 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown tested positive for a banned diuretic in May, the same month Gay provided his positive sample in an out-of-competition test.

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Powell To Make February Indoor Debut

Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell will make his British indoor debut at the Birmingham Grand Prix on 18 February.

Powell has not ran an indoor 60m race since 2004 but believes a change in his competition schedule could give him the edge at the 2012 Olympics.

"My coach and I think doing an indoor season is the best move," said Powell.

"If I'm going to be challenging for medals I need to be racing the best people and the calibre of athletes [at Birmingham] has always been strong."

The 29-year-old former 100m world record holder, who will be based in the city next summer ahead of the London Games with the rest of the Jamaincan squad, has clocked the most sub 10-second races in history.

"I can't quite believe this will be my first time competing indoors in the UK," he said.

"I've competed outdoors there so many times and I actually broke the [100m] world record in the UK so I have good memories of my time there."

Powell missed the World Championships in August through injury so was unable to continue his battle with countrymen Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.

The Jamaican runner, who has never won an individual gold medal, said: "It's not long now until the Games so every minute counts.

"When I get out onto that track in Birmingham I'm determined to put on a show. Hopefully everyone's going to see something really special."