Former 100m Record Holder Asafa Powell Given 18 Month Ban for Doping Offences

Former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell has been banned for 18 months for doping offences. The 32 year old athlete was banned by the Jamaican Anti-doping disciplinary commission for testing positive for banned substance oxilofrine before running at the 2013 National Championship.

A disciplinary panel of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission announced today Thursday April 10th that the Powell will be excluded from competition until December 2014, with the ban backdated to the time of his original sample collection in June 2013.

He's permitted to return to competitions on Dec. 20 2014. He has since said he plans to appeal against the 'unjust' ban. Powell won gold medal in 2008 after he completed the 100m dash in 9.79secs. He was out-shined the following year by Usain Bolt.