Athletics: Masseur Denies Gatlin Sabotage

A masseur has denied that he deliberately sabotaged Justin Gatlin by applying a mysterious cream to him on the day the world and Olympic champion tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Trevor Graham, Gatlin's coach, had claimed that Christopher Whetstine put the cream on the runner's body during a massage at the Kansas Relays in Lawrence on April 22. But in a statement released by his lawyer Whetstine said: "Trevor Graham is not speaking on behalf of Justin Gatlin and the story about me is not true. I have fully cooperated with the investigation into this matter."

Whetstine formerly worked as Marion Jones's personal massage therapist. The triple Olympic gold medallist, who has been under investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for three years but never charged with doing anything illegal, trained under Graham from 1997 to 2002.

Graham had claimed Whetstine was upset because he thought Gatlin had been responsible for firing him this year before he was reinstated. But Gatlin's legal team had already distanced themselves from Graham's comments about his sample being sabotaged.

"Mr Whetstine vehemently denies having contact with any anabolic steroid or prohibited substance with any professional athlete or any person he has been affiliated with," his lawyer said.

Whetstine is employed by Nike, Gatlin's sponsor, which also has a contract with Graham. Gatlin will almost certainly have his $1.5m-a-year (£800,000) contract with the sports shoe manufacturer terminated if he is found guilty. But it is unclear whether Graham will also have his funding cut if Gatlin becomes the 11th athlete he has coached to be banned.

"Not much I can say," said Dean Stoyer a spokesman for Nike: "Some of this is speculation. He is a contracted coach. What that means going forward, I can't say. I won't speculate on what the future holds."