The newspaper said that former shot putter Hunter, who was himself banned for using steroids and who was divorced from Jones in 2002, made the allegations to federal investigators probing the BALCO steroids scandal.

External Link C J Hunter's allegations from the San Francisco Chronicle

The Chronicle said it had obtained investigators' memos containing Hunter's claims, which also said that he personally injected Jones with banned performance-enhancing substances.

He also reported seeing Jones inject herself with drugs at the residence they shared in Australia.

Jones's attorney Joseph Burton responded immediately with a statement which branded Hunter as embittered and "seeking to exact his revenge by telling lies to the government."

Jones won the 100 and 200 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as well as a gold in the 4x400 meters relay, winning five medals in all. She failed to qualify for the sprints at this month's U.S. trials but is set to compete in the long jump next month's Athens Games.

She has adamantly denied ever using banned substances. She has also never failed a drugs test.

The owners of BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative) have been accused of distributing drugs to athletes from several sports after investigators discovered a previously undetectable steroid, THG (tetrahydrogestrinone), during raids on their premises last year.