Track coach Trevor Graham received notice from the US Anti-Doping Agency that he is accused of violating doping rules, sources familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press.

Graham, whose star athletes included Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin, was indicted by a grand jury last week on three counts of making false statements to federal agents.

Now, he has 10 days to respond to USADA's allegation letter. The case then will be presented to a review panel that recommends whether sanctions should be levied.

Sources said the letter informed Graham that he is being accused on a "non-analytical" basis, meaning the doping violation isn't predicated on positive drug tests, but rather on other evidence.

USADA general counsel Travis Tygart said he could not comment on ongoing cases.

The accusations mark the first time a coach has been targeted for punishment by USADA. Athletes guilty of first-time doping offenses often are given two-year suspensions.

Any penalty recommended by the review panel would be subject to arbitration. Evidence in USADA's case against Graham includes testimony from athletes, as well as information that became public last week when federal authorities released details of his indictment, the sources said.

USADA long has been pursuing Graham, and the timing of the letter came after the indictments, so as not to hinder the federal investigation.

Graham always has denied providing banned substances to his athletes. His Raleigh, North Carolina-based attorney Joseph Zeszotarski did not return phone calls or an e-mail.

The Jamaican-born Graham operates Raleigh-based Sprint Capitol USA, a team of about 10 athletes that includes Gatlin, the 100-metre co-world record holder who tested positive for testosterone and other steroids in April. He was the latest of a handful of athletes coached by Graham who have tested positive for banned substances.

Graham also coached Jones at the Sydney Games in 2000, when she became the first woman to win five medals in a single Olympics. Gatlin's positive test led the US Olympic Committee to ban Graham from its training sites, and Nike terminated its contract with the coach.

Bob Baum
AP