Disgraced Sprinter Mitchell in Running to Coach Wigan

Wigan have revealed plans to be coached by Dennis Mitchell, the American sprinter who was once banned for two years for taking drugs.

Wigan, who finished third in the Super League last year, are due in Orlando, Florida, next month for a 10-day pre-season training camp and have arranged for Mitchell to take sessions with their senior squad - which includes such notable pacemen as the Great Britain wing Brian Carney.

It is understood the coach Dennis Betts and the conditioner Nigel Ashley-Jones met the sprinter on a scouting trip last month and booked him to take sessions during the camp. The news emerged as Wigan cancelled a proposed game against the United States national team in Orlando. The club said they "were fortunate in acquiring the services" of Mitchell and hoped he would "give them that little bit extra".

Wigan are not the first Super League club to secure a high-profile sprint coach. The former Canadian Olympic coach Nick Ward, who helped Donovan Bailey to the 100m gold in Atlanta in 1996, has taken training sessions with Hull.

Mitchell tested positive in 1998 for the banned steroid testosterone but was cleared by USA Track and Field after he claimed the positive result had been caused by the fact he had drunk six bottles of beer and made love to his wife four times the night before the test.

The International Association of Athletics Federations, however, rejected that decision and banned Mitchell for two years. Mitchell won an Olympic bronze medal in the 100m in Barcelona in 1992. At the same games he also won a gold medal as part of the United States' 4x100m relay team.

London have made the South Sydney prop Filimone Lolohea their 12th major signing of the off-season.

The Broncos will use the Kolpak ruling to sign the New Zealand-born forward, who played for Tonga in the 2000 World Cup. The 24-year-old was highly regarded by the Rabbitohs before breaking a leg in 2002 and a hand this year. He has agreed a one-year deal, and was described by London's chief executive Nic Cartwright as "a very damaging runner who will give us that bit extra we were looking for".

Cartwright confirmed London were in talks with another player and said they would reconsider their options if the move did not come off.

They could face competition from Widnes for a player from Australia's NRL. The Vikings are considering an offer reportedly worth £35,000 from Leeds for their Australian hooker Shane Millard and could consider releasing him in order to free up a space on their overseas quota for the recruit.