Powell's participation in question after row

A dispute over Asafa Powell's no-show at a Jamaican training camp has thrown his participation at the Berlin world championships into question, his agent said.

The former 100 metres world record holder and club mates, including Olympic champions Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melaine Walker, failed to report for national team training in Nuremberg.

Powell's agent Paul Doyle said an e-mail from Howard Aris, president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association, on Friday implied five athletes could consequently miss the August 15-23 championships.

"He (Aris) said he was very disappointed and understands this means they did not want to participate at the worlds," Doyle said.

Doyle said he hoped the dispute would be quickly resolved once the athletes arrive in Berlin from their summer base in Lignano, Italy. At issue is whether the training camp was mandatory.

"I told Doyle that the camp was mandatory, and if they don't go to the camp, they could not compete," Aris told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Doyle disputed reports the IAAF had wanted the athletes at the training camp for doping control and other purposes.

"None of them have been asked by the IAAF to be in Nuremberg," he said.