Powell fails drugs test

Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell has failed a drugs test, his management company has confirmed.

Powell's agent Paul Doyle confirmed in an email to Press Association Sport that the former 100 metres world-record holder had tested positive for a banned substance.

Powell, 30, has won gold medals in the 4x100m relay at the Olympics and World Championships and held the world record before his compatriot Usain Bolt.

Powell has run 9.88 seconds this year, but failed to make the Jamaican team for next month's World Championships.

He is one of a reported five Jamaicans to have tested positive, but they do not include Bolt, who is in a different training group.

Bolt's agent Ricky Simms said: "I was just with him in Jamaica and we've had no information and we've not been contacted by anyone. It is not anyone that I'm connected with."

Powell ran his world record of 9.72sec in 2008 and has often failed to live up to expectations on the biggest stage.