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Doping control is bleeding Asafa Powell dry

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BEIJING -- Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, former world record-holder in the 100 meters, thinks the doping control folks are going overboard.

‘About two days ago, I got pretty upset, because since I’ve been here, they have tested me four times, and took blood, a lot of blood,’ Powell told a Tuesday news conference at which Nike unveiled the ‘Zoom Aerofly’ spikes he will wear in the Olympics.

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‘I’m saying that they are taking so much blood that we are going to be very weak for the finals of the 100 meters.

‘I’m almost sure I’m going to be tested tomorrow. I don’t know about anybody else, but they are really down on my case and teammate, Michael Frater, and Usain [Bolt, the current world record-holder].

‘I accept how important it is. They say that they’re doing over 4,000 tests. But, it’s just difficult. But hopefully they can catch all those on it and make the Olympics very clean.’

Jamaica’s sprinters likely are being targeted for extra testing after reports that suggest there has been little random, out-of-competition testing on the island.

-- Phil Hersh

(An earlier version of this blog displayed a photo of Usain Bolt, a rival sprinter, by Mark Ralston / Agence France-Presse.)

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