US sprinter Jenkins fails drugs test - paper

American sprinter LaTasha Jenkins has failed a drugs test, the Chicago Tribune said on its website yesterday.

Her 'A' sample from an in-competition test in late July was found to contain traces of the anabolic steroid nandrolone, the newspaper said, quoting unnamed sources.

Jenkins, the 2001 world indoor 200m silver medallist, could not be reached for comment but her coach Trevor Graham denied the report.

"That is not true," Graham told Reuters.

Jenkins, 28, has experienced knee problems recently and has flown home to Raleigh from Europe, Graham said.

Graham's attorney, Joseph Zeszotarski, later released a statement saying the coach had no knowledge of any issue involving Jenkins until informed of the Tribune report.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and USA Track & Field (USATF) would not comment on the story.

Zeszotarski disputed the Tribune's report that Jenkins was the 11th athlete coached by Graham to test positive.

"Of the previous 10 athletes at issue, only Justin Gatlin tested positive while being coached by Trevor," Zeszotarski said.

It has been reported that at least eight athletes coached by Graham, including former Olympic champion Marion Jones, have committed doping offences or tested positive.

Gatlin announced last month he had tested positive for the male sex hormone testosterone or its precursors. The Olympic and world 100 metres champion was banned for up to eight years on Tuesday after agreeing that his positive test constituted a doping violation.

Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Olympics while coached by Graham, failed an initial drugs test for the banned blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO) at the US Championships in June.

Her 'B' sample has yet to be tested.