Teen sprinter who holds U20 100-metre world record suspended for doping

The Florida teenager who beat Noah Lyles in a 100-metre race in April has been suspended for a positive doping test, track and field investigators said Friday.

The Athletics Integrity Unit said it issued 18-year-old Issam Asinga with a "notice of allegation" about a positive test for GW1516, a banned substance with a notorious reputation.

Asinga is provisionally suspended from competing while the AIU prosecutes the case.

Just two weeks ago, Asinga set an under-20 world record of 9.89 seconds running for Suriname at the South American championships in Brazil. It was also a South American senior record.

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Asinga made his reputation beating Lyles in April in a wind-assisted 9.83. Lyles is the world champion over 200 and a likely favourite also for the 100 title this month at the worlds in Budapest, Hungary.

GW1516 was developed to help build endurance and burn fat but failed medical trials when found to cause cancer during tests on rodents.

The World Anti-Doping Agency warned athletes in 2013 the substance was a toxic threat to health if used as a performance enhancer.

The AIU gave no timetable to process Asinga's case.