Hassan Mead has been banned for three years after failing a drugs test ©Getty Images

Former United States 10,000 metres champion and Rio 2016 Olympian Hassan Mead has been banned for three years after failing a drugs test.

The 33-year-old tested positive for ostarine and ligandrol, both banned selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs).

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) banned Mead for three years rather than the standard four because he accepted the sanction within 20 days of being notified of the charge.

An out-of-competition test on October 17 produced the sample which came back positive for the two SARMs.

Mead's representatives have insisted the former Oregon Track Club athlete had retired at the time of the failed test.

They blamed an "over-the-counter pre-workout drink" for the positive test in a statement given to Citius Mag.

USADA had made clear Mead must continue to be available for testing for the duration of the ban, or it will not count as time served should he ever attempt a comeback.

Hassan Mead, right, competed at the 2016 Olympics ©Getty Images
Hassan Mead, right, competed at the 2016 Olympics ©Getty Images

Mead finished 11th in the men's 5,000m at Rio 2016.

His 5,000m personal best is 13min 2.80sec and 10,000m personal best 27:32.49 - the latter set at the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

The doping ban is the latest blotch on the copybook of the Nike-backed Oregon Track Club.

Botswana's Nijel Amos, a team-mate, has been provisionally suspended since July after failing a drugs test.

Oregon Track Club had close ties to the Nike Oregon Project, led by disgraced coach Alberto Salazar who in 2019 was banned for four years for anti-doping offences and in 2021 banned from coaching for life by the US Center for SafeSport for sexual misconduct.