Gatlin’s excuse rubs masseur wrong way

PORTLAND – An Oregon massage therapist who worked with Olympian Marion Jones and other elite athletes denied rubbing a cream containing testosterone on sprinter Justin Gatlin’s body.

Christopher Whetstine, who is under contract to Nike, was drawn into the Gatlin doping scandal by the sprinter’s coach, Trevor Graham.

Gatlin faces a lifetime ban after failing a drug test in April following a track meet in Lawrence, Kan.

Graham has contended Gatlin tested positive after a vengeful massage therapist used testosterone cream on the runner without his knowledge. In an Italian newspaper, Graham identified the masseur as Whetstine, who has a private practice in Eugene.

“Trevor Graham is not speaking on behalf of Justin Gatlin, and the statement about me is not true,” Whetstine said Wednesday in a statement read over the phone by his attorney, Elizabeth Baker. “I have fully cooperated with the investigation into this matter.”

Baker said Whetstine denies using a banned substance on Gatlin or “any other athlete.”

Gatlin, the co-world-record holder in the 100 meters, said last weekend that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency informed him of a test indicating he had used testosterone or other steroids after a relay race in Kansas in April.

Gatlin has said he didn’t know how steroids got into his system, and his attorney has distanced the runner from the comment by Graham, who has been involved with at least a half-dozen athletes who have received drug suspensions.

Whetstine’s clients have included entertainer Sean “Diddy” Combs, golfer Ben Crane and three of Graham’s athletes – Jones, Gatlin and sprinter Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 200.

Whetstine worked with Jones from 1998-2001 and was her masseur for the Sydney Olympics, where she won five medals, three gold. Jones, who no longer trains with Graham, has been dogged by doping allegations but has denied using performance-enhancing drugs.