Gatlin's coach may face ban

LONDON -- Justin Gatlin's coach could face a two-year ban if the Olympic and world champion sprinter is found guilty of a second doping violation, the sport's international governing body said Monday.

The International Association of Athletics Federations will only act should evidence link Trevor Graham to any doping violations and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency decides not to take action against him, according to IAAF spokesman Nick Davies.

"Once we have enough evidence to prove it, then we have the power to prosecute him," Davies.

While USADA does not normally go after coaches, the U.S. Olympic Committee is looking into ways to hold them responsible if they're involved in doping cases.

Among the considerations would be banning them from training facilities and denying access to the Olympics and other major events.

While not referring to Graham or Gatlin specifically, USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said Monday that the federation has long been looking into ways to penalize coaches if they play a role in doping.

Seibel said the USOC would never back down on its stance that athletes are ultimately responsible for what goes into their bodies.

"That said, we believe there are others who carry significant influence with athletes who must also share in the responsibility for clean competition," Seibel said. "Specifically, agents, coaches and trainers must also be held accountable when there is a pattern of doping positives."

Graham did not return phone messages seeking comment and no one answered the door at his house in Raleigh, N.C.

However, his attorney, Joe Zeszotarski, also of Raleigh, told The Associated Press in an e-mail that his client has never taken part in distributing illegal substances to athletes.

"It is curious that people who are not familiar with the situation can claim that Trevor has somehow done something wrong," Zeszotarski wrote. "It is worth reminding everyone that one of the chief reasons the issue of doping has come to the forefront is because of Trevor's integrity and courage in turning in the sample that led [to] the uncovering of the BALCO enterprise. Given what some people have lost as a result of Trevor's integrity in turning in the sample, it is not surprising that there are people who would make false claims about him."

Published reports have identified Graham as the coach who sent USADA a syringe containing the designer steroid THG, which until then had been undetectable.