Gay has already returned his Olympic medal, handing it back to the US Olympic Committee (USOC) when he was hit with a one-year suspension by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and his results from July 2012 onwards annulled last year after testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid in 2013.  

The IOC has now written to the USOC asking to collect the medals from all members of the London 2012 relay squad as they have been disqualified.

The move sees Gay's team mates, namely Trell Kimmons, Ryan Bailey and Justin Gatlin - who himself returned to athletics in 2010 after a four-year doping ban, following a two-year ban imposed in 2001 but reduced on appeal - as well as preliminary heat runners Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton stripped of the silver medals they earned in placing second at the Olympics behind Jamaica and ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.  

Their time of 37.04sec was a US record, which has now been annulled. 

If the medals are redistributed it would mean Trinidad and Tobago take the silver medal, while fourth place finishers France would be promoted to the bronze.

"As expected, following USADA's decision in the Tyson Gay case, the IOC today confirmed that the US team has been disqualified from the 4x100-metre race that was part of the athletics competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games,” Patrick Sandusky, USOC chief communications and public affairs officer, said.

“We will begin efforts to have the medals returned, and support all measures to protect clean athletes."

Gay's coach, Olympic gold medallist Jon Drummond, was given an eight-year ban by the USADA last December after arbitrators concluded he had convinced the sprinter to take illegal substances.

The former world champion returned to competition last July after his ban was halved from 24 to 12 months as a reward for the “significant assistance” he provided to the USADA on the background of his offence.

Earlier this month he claimed a gold medal at the International Association of Athletics Federation’s World Relays in Nassau as part of the winning 4x100m team.

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