Barnes Denies Use of Steroids : Drugs: Shot-putter joins track star Butch Reynolds in discounting positive testing that could keep them out of the 1992 Olympics.

Randy Barnes denied today that he had ever used steroids, joining another U.S. world record-holder, Butch Reynolds, in discounting positive drug tests that could keep them out of the 1992 Olympics.

“There’s no way that sample is mine,” Barnes told the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail. “I don’t take steroids. I didn’t take them, I’ve never taken them.”

Barnes, world record-holder in the shot put, and world 400-meter record-holder Reynolds were suspended Monday by the International Amateur Athletic Federation for testing positive for steroids.

Reynolds on Monday also denied that he has ever used steroids. (Story, C1.)

The IAAF, track and field’s world governing body, said both athletes have been offered a hearing by The Athletics Congress, the U.S. national governing body.

If the suspensions are upheld, Reynolds and Barnes face two-year bans.

The IAAF said recent tests confirmed that Reynolds tested positive for nandrolone and Barnes for methyltestosterone. Both substances are steroids.

Barnes, who lives in South Charleston, W.Va., filed an affidavit through his attorney, John Dowd, with TAC in which he said:

“In six years of competition, I have never taken any prohibited substance. I have been subjected to dope tests on approximately 30 occasions since 1985 and have always tested negatively. I have always submitted to and passed every dope test administered to me, including random and 48-hour tests.”

Dowd was incensed that the IAAF’s vow of confidentiality had been broken.

“They assured me confidentiality,” Dowd said. “You can’t condemn a man without a hearing, and that’s what they did yesterday. They smeared Randy Barnes without a hearing.”

The Daily Mail said a report written by Richard A. Hollander, chairman of TAC’s Grants Committee, showed that Barnes’ urine samples apparently weren’t sealed in his presence as required.

Reynolds, in a statement issued Monday before he received word of his suspension, said the positive test results are “the result of some fallacy in the drug testing system,” adding, “I have never used steroids.”

Frank Greenberg, president of TAC, issued a brief statement today in which he said his organization will not comment “until the appropriate time under our rules. . . . To do so would compromise TAC’s policy of confidentiality.”

Reynolds set the 400-meter record of 43.29 seconds in Zurich, Switzerland, two years ago and Barnes set the shot put mark of 75 feet, 10 1/4 inches last May 20 in Los Angeles.