Powell-Gay race in prospect for London

INDIANAPOLIS, June 21 (Reuters) Discussions are under way for a possible August race between Jamaican world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell and US sprinter Tyson Gay in London, Powell's agent said today.

''We aren't close to an agreement but I hope to know something within a week,'' Paul Doyle told Reuters in a telephone interview. ''We are still in the talking stages, but if it does happen, it most likely will be London.'' London promoter Ian Stewart said he was unaware of any current talks and added that Doyle had rejected previous offers.

''We had a talk in Oslo (last week) and got nowhere.'' Stewart told Reuters in a telephone interview from Newark, New Jersey, where he was travelling to the US championships in Indianapolis.

''If they want to come and run, they can,'' Stewart said, but he emphasised it would have to be on his terms.

''I'm not going to have a situation like last year,'' Stewart said of a proposed race in London between Powell and joint world record holder Justin Gatlin that received worldwide attention but never took place. Gatlin has been suspended for a drug offence.

Told of Stewart's comments, Doyle said there would be more talks this week.

Gay, who ran a wind-assisted 9.76 seconds this month said on Wednesday he hoped to run in either Sheffield on July 15 or London and would like to race Powell, whose world record is 9.77 seconds.

But a spokeswoman for his management company said no agreement had been reached for races in those cities.

REUTERS PDS BST0241