A lawsuit filed by U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay‘s former coach against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is “baseless,” a USADA spokesperson said Thursday, according to Reuters.
Jon Drummond sued Gay and USADA on Wednesday “for falsely accusing him of administering and providing performance-enhancing drugs” to Gay, the American record holder in the 100m. Gay failed three drug tests last year and was given a reduced one-year suspension, backdated to last June, for providing information to USADA in the fight against doping.
Drummond claims he was falsely implicated by Gay and that USADA wants to ban him for life.
“Mr. Drummond’s baseless lawsuit against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is an effort to circumvent the mandatory arbitration process established to protect the rights of all clean athletes, coaches and the integrity of competition,” USADA spokesperson Annie Skinner said in a statement. “Under the rules which were approved by athletes, the U.S. Olympic Committee and all U.S. sport federations, Mr. Drummond will have the opportunity to have his case heard by a panel of independent arbitrators, who will ultimately weigh all evidence presented and determine the outcome of the case.
“As in numerous previous cases, we will ask the court to dismiss Mr. Drummond’s lawsuit in favor of the well-established arbitration process.”