Edwards, a 36-year-old from Leicestershire who competes for Newham & Essex Beagles, has been charged with committing anti-doping rule violations under the UK Athletics anti-doping rules, which prohibit the presence and use of prohibited substances.

Edwards, the third best British shot putter of all-time, has the opportunity to respond to the charges against him and to have those charges determined at a full hearing before the National Anti-Doping Panel.

Edwards had retired from the sport in 2008 having been controversially omitted from the British team for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and then suffering the same fate before Beijing.

He was left off the plane for China despite throwing a personal best of 20.88 metres, which met the A standard, but failed to repeat the performance in another major meeting as was required under the selection criteria.

Edwards returned, however, and last year won the national indoor title.

Edwards combines his career as a shot putter with running his own sports therapy clinic in Lougborough.

On his website he claims his clients include Paula Radcliffe, the world marathon record holder, and Martyn Rooney, Britain's top-ranked 400 metres runner.

Edwards also claims that his company works for UK Athletics and Britain's Paralympic team.

A statement on the UK Athletics website said: "He is presumed innocent unless and until the charges brought against him have been upheld.

"UK Anti-Doping is the national anti-doping organisation for the UK and has responsibility for the management of results and prosecution of disciplinary proceedings brought under the anti-doping rules of UK Athletics."

Last July two other shot putters from Newham & Essex Beagles, Jamie Stevenson and Kieren Kelly, who were considered serious contenders for a place in Britain's team for London 2012, were banned after they refused to take out-of-competition drugs tests.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]