A police watchdog is investigating five police officers after a top sprinter complained of “racial profiling” when her car was stopped in Maida Vale.

The five individuals are subject to a probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the incident in Lanhill Road which saw Bianca Williams, a British Olympian, and her partner Ricardo Dos Santos – a Portuguese sprinter – pulled over on July 4,

READ MORE: Sprinters complain at ‘racial profiling’ after Maida Vale vehicle stop goes viralThe officers in question are part of the territorial support group (TSG). No officer is suspended or subject to restricted duties and the Met said it was co-operating with the IOPC investigation.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said: “Having analysed a range of evidence including police body worn, dashcam video and witness statements, we now have a fuller picture of the officers’ interactions with the couple and their child.

“As a result, we have taken the decision that this meets the threshold for a misconduct investigation, the allegations will now be investigated thoroughly and independently.”

The IOPC said its investigation would focus on issues including why the car was followed and then stopped, whether the use of force in the incident was lawful and proportionate, whether the couple were treated worse because of their race, and whether it was reasonable to log the couple’s baby in a database of children who have come to police attention.