A positive drug test involving a Jamaican teammate has seen super–sprinter Usain Bolt stripped of one of his nine Olympic gold medals.

Nesta Carter has tested positive for methylhexaneamine, a banned stimulant, in re-analysis of samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He was part of the men’s 4 x 100m relay and the International Olympic Committee says the entire team will forfeit their medals.

Nesta Carter denied using banned substances but he tested positive three times. Photo: David Jones/PA Wire

An ‘A’ sample analysed at the 2008 Games initially passed testing, but the IOC said it decided to perform further analyses of all Beijing samples as testing methods improved.

“These additional analyses were performed in order to possibly detect
Prohibited Substances which were not identified by the analysis performed at the time of the 2008 Olympic Games,” it said in a statement. 

Carter knew before Rio that his ‘B’ sample tested positive and told the IOC he wouldn’t be competing in the 2016 Olympics.

He denied knowingly taking the drug but told the IOC he was using the supplements Cell Tech and Nitro Tech at the time, both of which had been declared on his Doping Control Form. He had been advised to take them by his coach, Stephen Francis.

The Disciplinary Commission said the presence of the banned substance had been confirmed three times and could have been caused by the use of undeclared supplements such as ones often found to contain “geranium oil” and effectively methylhexaneamine.

Bolt had earlier said he would have no problem giving his medal back if his teammate was to be found guilty of doping.

“It’s heartbreaking because over the years you’ve worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion … but it’s just one of those things,” Bolt told Reuters at the time.