Former Bermuda sprinter Troy Douglas' sporting world collapsed in shame last night as he became the latest of a rash of athletes to test positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.

Douglas, who switched his allegiance to Holland late in 1997 after living and training there for three years, was trapped just a day before the World Championships were due to open in Seville, Spain.

Douglas, who was set to represent his adoptive country in the 4 x 100m relay, was immediately thrown out of the competion.

But leading sporting officials here reacted with shock and disbelief last night.

Brenton Roberts, director of youth and sport, said: "I know Troy's position on drugs because I interviewed him during our initiative for drugs free sport last year. He absolutely abhors the use of drugs in sport and the thing that was driving him was his own self-esteem, his respect for his family back here and his country.

"I wanted to know what it was like for him as an international athlete competing in the international arena with all its temptations and he was very, very strongly against the use of any performance-enhancing substances.

"I really hope this is just a rumour or, if it is true, there is some sort of explanation.'' Bermuda Olympic Association general secretary John Hoskins, recently back from the country's successful Pan Am Games campaign, added that if Douglas had still been competing for Bermuda, the outcome would not have been as embarrassing.

He said: "We would have drug tested him before he went to the world championships.'' However, he also cautioned against jumping to condemn the runner, adding: "I would want to know more about the testing procedure.'' Ironically, the news, which surfaced first with French and German press agencies citing sources close to the Dutch delegation in Seville, came as track and field's governing body, the International Amateur Athletics Federation, voted to tighten rules concerning nationality -- and as top athletes preparing to take part in the world championships began questioning dope testing methods.

Jamaican sprinter Merlene Ottey pulled out of the championships after becaming another high-profile victim of nandrolone earlier this week. She followed Britain's Linford Christie and American Dennis Mitchell, who have seen their careers tarnished after the substance showed up in their bodies.

American star Marion Jones, chasing four gold medals in Spain, said: "Over the past couple of weeks we've heard of so many sudden cases of this, I don't think I'm 100 percent sure that it's the correct testing procedure.''.

Douglas, whose whereabouts were unknown late last night, announced his intention to turn his back on Bermuda shortly after marrying his Dutch wife Kyra two years ago. He said his decision was based on future plans and his income at the time.

He claimed the $1,000 a month he received from the BOA, which oversees the Island's elite athletes, barely covered the cost of travel, medical treatment and training supplements.

And he said: "Bermuda has done a poor job supporting the athletes that helped put this Island on the map.'' Douglas, brother of national cricket coach Allan and a three-time Olympic semi-finalist, is no stranger to controversy, having been thrown out of the European Championships last year for using abusive language to officials after his appeal for a 200m bronze medal -- based on camera angles he said showed he had come third -- was dismissed.

The IAAF yesterday decided athletes will now have to acquire full citizenship of their adoptive nation to compete for it.

Until now, they only had to live in a country to be eligible to participate under its flag.

In addition they will only be able to represent their new nation after they have not competted for their former country for at least three years. Only if both federations agree, would that time be reduced to a year.

Troy Douglas