Another big ban

Gay's suspension follows hot on the heels of another ban to a big-name sprinter.

Jamaican former world record holder Asafa Powell was slapped with an 18 month suspension by Jamaican officials in April after a positive test for the banned stimulant oxilophrine. He is appealing the ban.

Only Jamaican world record holder Usain Bolt has a faster 100 metres time than Gay, whose 2009 clocking of 9.69 seconds was later equalled by Jamaican Olympic silver medallist Yohan Blake in 2012.

Soft-spoken and humble, Gay had seemed destined in 2007 to becoming the world's great sprinters, winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay at the Osaka world championships.

But injuries and the emergence of Bolt shattered those dreams as the lanky Jamaican dashed to world records and Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Bolt later lower both records to 9.58 seconds for the 100 and 19.19 for the longer sprint and repeated as the Olympic gold medallist in London in 2012.

Gay appeared ready for another run at Bolt at the 2013 world championships with eye-catching times at the US trials.

But his admission to the failed doping test ended that opportunity as Gay withdrew from the championships and ended his 2013 season.