The Jamaica Observer reports that the 28-year-old sprinter, who is third in the world 100 metre lists this season with a personal best of 9.80sec, as saying: "I did not take any banned drugs so I have nothing to worry about".

If found guilty, Mullings, who appeared to have strong medal chances at both 100m and 200m in the World Championships which start in Daegu on August 27, faces a minimum ban of four years and could be banned for life given that he has already served a two-year doping ban after testing positive for excessive testosterone levels in 2004.

Mullings has been replaced in the Jamaican team by Nesta Carter in the 100m and Marvin Anderson in the 200m.

Furosemide, the diuretic believed to have been found in the sample Mullings gave at the Jamaican Championships, has been used in the past by athletes seeking to mask the presence in their system of anabolic steroids.

Mullings is based in Clermont, Florida, where he trains under coach Lance Brauman, alongside America's former world 100 and 200m champion Tyson Gay – who is out for the season following a hip injury – and fellow Jamaicans Nickel Ashmeade and Ramone McKenzie, as well as Aleen Bailey.

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