Father leaps to Whitlock's defence

Anthony Whitlock says his daughter is innocent

Janine Whitlock's father believes his daughter's positive test for performance-enhancing drugs may have been the result of a vendetta.

Whitlock left out of Europeans

The British pole vaulter tested positive for an anabolic steroid at the Commonwealth Games trials on 16 June, although the result was only released on Sunday.

Consequently, she has been left out of the Great Britain team for next month's European Championships, although she is still in the squad for the Commonwealth Games.

It would have been easy for someone to spike her drink

Anthony Whitlock

But Anthony Whitlock, who is a former coach of his daughter, insists she did not choose to take methandienone and may have had one of her drinks spiked.

"Anyone with half a brain must realise Janine didn't take this drug knowingly," he said.

"Janine is naive about a lot of things and probably trusts some people too much.

"She has made plenty of enemies in her career. There are a lot of jealous people out there and it would have been easy for someone to spike her drink.

Whitlock protests her innocence

"The Commonwealth Games were going to be the pinnacle of her career and now it has all been wrecked."

Whitlock faces a possible two-year ban if found guilty.

She has until Friday to request a test on the B sample and until next week to outline any mitigating factors.

"This will unfold into one of the biggest stories in athletics history," Anthony Whitlock added.