Callum Priestley suspended after drugs charge

Priestley won European Under-23 bronze in Kaunas last year

British sprint hurdler Callum Priestley has been provisionally suspended after being charged with a doping violation following an out-of-competition test.

UK Athletics has suspended the 21-year-old after he tested positive for asthma drug clenbuterol in his B sample.

Priestley, who won the 60m hurdles at the UK Championships in Sheffield last month, has been charged by UK Anti-Doping and faces a two-year ban.

UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos said: "I am hugely disappointed."

Under International Athletics Association Federation rules Priestley has been suspended from all competition and UK Athletics' World Class Performance Programme.

He has the opportunity to respond to the charge and the right to a full hearing of the case.

Priestley won the 60m hurdles in 7.65 seconds, but failed to make the qualifying standard for the world championships in Berlin by 0.04secs.

The Woodford Green with Essex Ladies athlete won a respectable bronze at last year's European U-23 championships in Kaunas.

He was also included on the Olympic development programme when new lottery funding was announced last October.