Sprinter Troy Douglas is confident that by this time next week he will have made major strides towards clearing his name in the illicit drug scandal which is threatening his career.

And the Bermudian, who now runs for Holland, has been encouraged by the news coming out of Britain on Monday that sprinter Linford Christie has been cleared by the country's athletics governing body of all doping offences against him.

Like Christie, Douglas tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone. And while Douglas doesn't deny that the substance was in his system -- at a level of 6.02 according to the A sample -- he is arguing that he did not take the product knowingly.

At his own expense, Douglas will have the food supplements he had been taking tested, possibly in the United States, and is also requesting a B sample be taken on his urine. That is likely to be done in a lab in Belgium which specialises in nandrolone cases.

Douglas said yesterday he had until next Monday, 28 days after the failed first test, to file for the B sample to be tested.

"I should know by the middle of next week,'' said Douglas from his home in Holland.

He said the news on Christie was a "huge encouragement'' as he continues his own fight to clear his name.

"His federation is behind him and that's important,'' said Douglas who has seen his celebrity status increase -- albeit for the wrong reasons -- since he tested positive. He has been bombarded with requests to do interviews for newspapers, magazines and television in Holland.

"This is one of the worst things to happen to me but I have come out of it with so much knowledge,'' said Douglas.

"People don't have a clue, it's tough being an athlete. Two years ago I was taking a supplement and now it's on a banned list.

"This nandrolone has come up like a plague and needs to be looked into. If it can happen to Merlene Ottey, Linford Christie or Troy Douglas it can happen to a Devon Bean. I'm 80 percent sure it came from one of my supplements so we have to investigate that now.'' The world governing body for athletics, IAAF, stated yesterday that Christie's case might not be over.

"The problem is UK Athletics say it is not proven beyond reasonable doubt (that the steroid was derived from a prohibited substance),'' said IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai.

"The IAAF rules that if it is in your body it doesn't matter where it came from. It is up to the athlete to prove it came from natural sources.'' Douglas did not mask his disappointment with the attitude of the IAAF on the matter.

"You're guilty and now you have to prove your innocence, that's a slap in the face,'' said the runner who still has hopes of competing in next year's Olympics in Sydney.

"The IAAF feel they have the best testing procedure, they put the best money forward for that and the athletes have no say. He just goes out and performs and takes whatever the IAAF gives him.

"He's nothing but a product for the IAAF to use to make money for them.'' Douglas feels the various federations around the world should band together and stand up to the IAAF.

"For so many years the stupid (word) amateur has been sitting in the IAAF and it should be the International Athletic Federation,'' said Douglas. "If we're professionals we should be treated like professionals. Now you see the amateur of the IAAF sticking out. They are so amateurish they instil amateur fear in other countries and some of those countries and federations are scared to stand up.'' But Douglas said the Dutch federation had been supportive during his ordeal.

"I talk to them about four times a week,'' he disclosed. "But I get more support from the general public, believe it or not. One of the biggest TV presenters on sports gave me a call personally.

"I'm getting lots of support, the federation is behind me and the country is behind me. I'm not afraid to stand up for what I believe in.'' Troy Douglas: determined to clear his name after testing positive for the banned drug, nandrolone.

DRUGS DGS