Justin Gatlin (left) of the US meets supporters after winning the men's 100 metres athletics event during the Seiko Golden Grand Prix at Todoroki Stadium in Kawasaki last year. Photo: AFP

Robert Wagner, who has occasionally represented Gatlin, and Gatlin's coach, Dennis Mitchell, were secretly filmed by the Daily Telegraph newspaper claiming they could obtain and administer human growth hormone and testosterone for $250,000.

The newspaper's reporters had gone to meet the pair at Gatlin's Florida training base and had posed as producers interested in making a film about a sprinter — the drugs were meant to help the film's lead actor get into shape.

But in a statement given to Britain's Press Association by a British-based public relations company, Wagner said the Telegraph's story was “deeply flawed” because it was based on false comments he made up to impress people he thought were in the film business.

“It was just big talk — I did not actually source or supply the substances the reporters asked for but stupidly claimed I could,” the US-based Austrian said.

“I apologise to Mr Gatlin, his management and family for saying completely false things about him, and I apologise to other completely innocent athletes also wrongly implicated by my words.”

Wagner said he reported his meeting with the reporters to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and would assist the investigation it had started “in every way I can”.