World champion Dovy charged in doping investigation

TOULOUSE, France, Mar 23 (Reuters) French world sprint relay gold medallist Lueyi Dovy has been charged with doping offences by a judge in the southern city of Perpignan.

''After he was heard by the judge, Lueyi Dovy was charged with holding, carrying and using banned medicinal substances,'' prosecutor Jean-Pierre Dreno told Reuters today.

''He (Dovy) was left free but he will certainly be summoned to be questioned with other people involved in this case,'' the prosecutor said.

Dovy, a member of France's 4x100 metres relay team at last year's world championships in Helsinki, was questioned in January as part of an investigation into the trafficking of banned drugs. The athlete denies using any doping product.

''I can't understand why my client was charged for using banned substances,'' Dovy's lawyer Eric Dupont-Moretti said. ''The tests performed at the request of my client proved he never used such substances.'' Reuters DH VP0315