London: Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell finished third on his return to 100 metres action at a meeting in Lucerne, the day after his reduced doping ban ended. “It’s good to be back. I’ve had a lot of stress and pressure over the last few months,” said Powell after running 10.30 seconds behind compatriot Julian Forte in 10.23 and Antoine Adams of St Kitts and Nevis in 10.29.
“I haven’t trained for three weeks. I need to come back bit by bit,” he told reporters after the race on Tuesday. The former world record holder was suspended, along with training partner Sherone Simpson, for 18 months by a Jamaica Anti-doping disciplinary panel after both tested positive for a banned stimulant.
They claimed the substance had been in a contaminated food supplement. The suspension was reduced to six months on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and expired on Monday.
