U.S. track star Carl Lewis was accused...

U.S. track star Carl Lewis was accused by an official of the International Amateur Athletic Federation of making “vague and unsubstantiated” charges concerning drug abuse.

Lewis, a vocal opponent of drug use in sports, had said during a BBC television interview Wednesday night that British and U.S. athletes have died from using drugs intended to boost their sports performances.

“We are supposed to be trying to catch people on drugs, and in many cases they are not (caught),” Lewis said. “We are not talking about just steroids. People have died here in Britain and in the United States and that is being overlooked.”

John Holt, general secretary of the IAAF, said that Lewis, who won four gold medals in the 1984 Olympics, should come forward and identify anyone he knew to be on drugs instead of “firing off unfounded allegations.”

Holt said he was “appalled how vague and unsubstantiated (Lewis’) claims were. It’s just hearsay, and I get the impression he is just standing there to say what a good chap he is.”