Usain Bolt: Jamaican Olympic Association considering appeal after Nesta Carter tests positive

Nesta Carter (right with Usain Bolt) was told of the adverse finding in May - before the Rio Olympics

Jamaica may appeal against the decision to strip the rest of its Beijing 4x100m relay squad of their gold medals after Nesta Carter's failed drugs test.

Usain Bolt stands to lose one of his nine Olympic golds after a retest of Carter's sample from the 2008 Games was found to contain a banned stimulant.

Michael Frater, Asafa Powell and Dwight Thomas also face forfeiting medals.

"We have to decide what the best legal process is," Jamaican Olympic Association chief Mike Fennell said.

"It is a team and we are interested in ensuring they are properly protected and given a fair chance of clearing their names."

Nevertheless the association has written to the athletes requesting they return their medals, he said.

Carter's lawyer confirmed on Wednesday that the sprinter will lodge his own appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

• 'Flawless and untouchable' - Tom Fordyce on Bolt

• An Olympic career in 325 seconds - Bolt in numbers

• Bolt having to return gold 'is disgusting' - Darren Campbell

Bolt, 30, completed a 'triple triple' in Rio last summer. He won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay to add to his successes in the same events in 2008 and 2012.

Carter, 31, was also part of the squad that won the event in London five years ago and helped Jamaica win at the World Championships in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

He ran the first leg in Beijing for Jamaica's 4x100m relay team, which also included Bolt, Frater, Powell and Thomas, who ran in the heats.

The retesting process: where does it stand?

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is responsible for authorising the retests for both the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Games, released updated statistics about the process on Wednesday.

Beijing 2008:

• The number of tests carried out during the event was 4,800

• The number of samples subsequently selected for reanalysis was 1,053

• And the resulting number of athletes sanctioned up to 25 January 2017 is 61

London 2012:

• The number of tests carried out during the event was 5,000

• The number of samples subsequently selected for reanalysis was 492 and that process remains ongoing

• And the number of athletes sanctioned to date is 37