Carter weighing options after IOC decision

Andre Lowe, Special Projects Editor — Sports

Jamaican sprinter Nesta Carter is said to be weighing his options after he was retroactively disqualified from the 2008 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee following re-analysis of his frozen samples.

He has 21 days to take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), a decision he is expected to make later today after discussions with his legal team.

Carter tested positive for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine, and the IOC's latest decision means that Jamaica has been asked to return the 4x100m gold medal it won in Beijing where Carter ran the lead-off leg on a team completed by Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt.

The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), which was advised of the decision via email this morning, has been asked by the IOC to secure and return the medals.

VIDEO: JAAA surprised by IOC's decision on Nesta Carter

The situation was discussed at a high-level meeting held at the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) office this afternoon involving Carter, JOA president Mike Fennell, Secretary General Christopher Samuda, Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association president Dr Warren Blake and MVP Track Club president Bruce James.

James, whose club Carter has been a member of since the beginning of his professional career, also told The Gleaner that the athlete and his team will looking into their options.

Carter's retested samples from Beijing 2008 returned traces of the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine.

"Nesta CARTER, 31, of Jamaica, competing in the men’s 4x100m relay event (round 1 and final) in which he and his teammates ranked 1st and for which they were awarded the gold medal, has been disqualified from the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Re-analysis of Carter’s samples from Beijing 2008 resulted in a positive test for the prohibited substance methylhexaneamine," read the IOC release.

The release continued:

"The Athlete, Nesta CARTER:
i. is found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008,

ii. is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event in which he participated upon the occasion of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008,

iii. has the medal, the medallist pin and the diploma obtained in the men’s 4x100m relay event withdrawn and is ordered to return same."

i. The Jamaican team is disqualified from the men’s 4x100m relay event. The corresponding medals, medallist pins and diplomas are withdrawn and shall be returned."