About that so-called doping scandal...

[Sickko]

Western News
About that so-called doping scandal...
On The Sporting Edge
Paul Reid
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The Jamaican sporting landscape has been overshadowed for the past two weeks by the so-called doping scandal involving five of our track and field representatives to the IAAF World Championships, which starts next weekend in Berlin, Germany.

Unfortunately, the process has been allowed to drag out and has led to speculation from all angles, including sections of the press that should know better but appeared to have been caught up in the frenzy and the rush to be first to break developing news.

As a result, many hard-earned reputations will be damaged and relationships cultivated over the years could be destroyed as well.

Like most who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the hearing and despite being well aware of the rules by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) that they be held in secrecy, I too am frustrated by what seems to be foot-dragging.

I have also given up any hope of seeing these five run in Germany.
Based on the names we've been hearing, in my opinion, the women's sprint relay team will be most affected.

I never had much hope for our men in the 400m or the men's 4x400m relay, which would have done well to get to the final even at full strength.

It is unfortunate that these athletes should have their names dragged through the media, both here and internationally and from henceforth, no matter what the outcome of the B samples and the hearing, they will be tainted.

One of the expected and more interesting reactions after the news broke was how quick many were to jump to the defence of people they did not know and swear that Jamaican athletes were clean and had no need to 'juice up'.
But our history does not support the myth that the only thing that would show up in our drug tests are yellow yam and cassava.
Our history is littered with failed drug tests by both well-known and little-known athletes.
Former Vere Technical triple jumper Trevor Black has the dubious history, as being the first to be caught, then there was sprint hurdler Robert Foster.
Since then sprinters Aston Morgan, Merlene Ottey, Steve Mullings, Patrick Jarrett and last year Julien Dunkley as well as long jumper James Beckford, shot putter Dorian Scott triple jumper Suzette Lee and an unnamed schoolgirl have all failed tests for a variety of substances ranging from ganja to stimulants, including anabolic steroids.
While I am in no way linking this present situation with the actions of those who have been caught in the past, the point is simply that we are no better off than those we point fingers at and make judgements about.

[Sir X]

Big problem with your article , how many of them challenged those test and were found not guilty and 2nd how many were frigged by incompetent testing i.e Mullings.

I really dont see where you get off using names to make a point that have been cleared and screwed by incompetent testers.

3rd how many didnt have the resources to challenge whatever test and were screwed ?

I believe you should have listed those that had the resources to challenge the due process and were found guilty to make a point.

Other than that nice article.

[Sickko]

fine I get your points but I get the feeling you are coming off a background of not trusting our local people.

But hear this..think back to 2002 and our staging of the WJC, even the IAAF have acknowledged that it was one of the best event they have ever had be it Youth, Juniors or Seniors, not with standing the fact that people were jumping the walls to get in...matter of fact the IAAF wont admit but they loved the idea that people were actually jumping over walls to see track and field.

Every time there is an IAAF event people still talk about it, seven years later and they all keep asking when are we going to bid for another meet.

Did you know that nearly 100 percent of the people who worked that meet were local people trained by the IAAF to wolrd classed standards.

I say all that to say this as well that the samples are NOT TESTED here in Jamaica. They are tested at an IAAF approved lab in Montreal.

The people here are well trained and can work at any track and foield meet anywhere in the world including the World Championships.

As for the stories we hear about samples being switched in the Mullings case and all that...guess what, you may be right but as for the records, Mullings failed a drugs test and was banned for two years.

Case closed.

BTW except for his case of the other 10 were there any other case of mishandling that you know of?

[Gamma]

if there is any mishandling, who should get the benefit of the doubt?

[Sickko]

The athlete which is what happens in the case of Ottey and in this case of Brooks...her B sample was tested without her or her representatives.

But as per Mullings we have heard so many duppy stories you dont know what to believe and I prefer to believe the system that has been tried and tested and passed so many times before and since.

[Sir X]

I hear you , but that lab in Montreal doesnt impress me one bit other than the fact that Jamaica doesnt have the technical expertise to do lab testing.

It doesnt impress me one bit because I have seen 1st hand what lab techs, MDs and RNs do with lab specimens , blood , urine and feces as it pertains to collecting and labelling it .I can just imagine what they do in the labs to verify a pathogen, blood gas or a chemical agent and thats in NY .

[Baddaz]

i take serious issue with this article... in fact, i find it offensive...

[Yuttie]

repected the initial phase of the article as you seem to be the only writer brave enough to call for common sence...the last part is quite a stretch, the ratio of doped athletes compared not clean athlete is pretty much in the top percentile of competitive contry, that is what Jamaicans take pride in.

Also atleast two names mentioned above has been reported as positives due to mishandling by the authorities....like Bolt every youth smoke ganja, Low Scotty

[Historian]

Montreal Lab Testing

I hear you , but that lab in Montreal doesnt impress me one bit other than the fact that Jamaica doesnt have the technical expertise to do lab testing.

It doesnt impress me one bit because I have seen 1st hand what lab techs, MDs and RNs do with lab specimens , blood , urine and feces as it pertains to collecting and labelling it .I can just imagine what they do in the labs to verify a pathogen, blood gas or a chemical agent and thats in NY .

X, I understand what you are saying, and based on your area of work and expertise, you are certainly more qualified than most of us to comment on what actually happens inside labs.

I’m adding to this conversation merely to point out that there are less than 10 IAAF approved testing labs in the entire world. Most, I think, are in Europe.

For Jamaica to start testing, we would have to become an IAAF-approved testing site. (By the way, WADA also has its headquarters in Montreal.)

[Time]

How many locally trained athletes?

Western News
About that so-called doping scandal...
On The Sporting Edge
Paul Reid
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The Jamaican sporting landscape has been overshadowed for the past two weeks by the so-called doping scandal involving five of our track and field representatives to the IAAF World Championships, which starts next weekend in Berlin, Germany.

Unfortunately, the process has been allowed to drag out and has led to speculation from all angles, including sections of the press that should know better but appeared to have been caught up in the frenzy and the rush to be first to break developing news.

As a result, many hard-earned reputations will be damaged and relationships cultivated over the years could be destroyed as well.

Like most who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the hearing and despite being well aware of the rules by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) that they be held in secrecy, I too am frustrated by what seems to be foot-dragging.

I have also given up any hope of seeing these five run in Germany.
Based on the names we've been hearing, in my opinion, the women's sprint relay team will be most affected.

I never had much hope for our men in the 400m or the men's 4x400m relay, which would have done well to get to the final even at full strength.

It is unfortunate that these athletes should have their names dragged through the media, both here and internationally and from henceforth, no matter what the outcome of the B samples and the hearing, they will be tainted.

One of the expected and more interesting reactions after the news broke was how quick many were to jump to the defence of people they did not know and swear that Jamaican athletes were clean and had no need to 'juice up'.
But our history does not support the myth that the only thing that would show up in our drug tests are yellow yam and cassava.
Our history is littered with failed drug tests by both well-known and little-known athletes.
Former Vere Technical triple jumper Trevor Black has the dubious history, as being the first to be caught, then there was sprint hurdler Robert Foster.
Since then sprinters Aston Morgan, Merlene Ottey, Steve Mullings, Patrick Jarrett and last year Julien Dunkley as well as long jumper James Beckford, shot putter Dorian Scott triple jumper Suzette Lee and an unnamed schoolgirl have all failed tests for a variety of substances ranging from ganja to stimulants, including anabolic steroids.
While I am in no way linking this present situation with the actions of those who have been caught in the past, the point is simply that we are no better off than those we point fingers at and make judgements about.

Paul, I believe that Ganja slows down an athlete, futhermore I would not be surprized if half of the patrons to a club, half of the patrons at a reggae show and half of the patron at a reggae boys match at the National Stadium test positive for 2nd hand ganja smoke.

Anyhow the bigger question is how manly locally trained athlete has tested positive for dope other than ganja?

[Sickko]

The fact is ganja is illegal and therefore automatically goes in the list and more than one athlete have tested positive for and have been banned for smoking weed, however we feel about it or how it may get into one's system.

If I am not mistaken I think the testers test for the levels of the drug that are found in one's system so if say Bolt goes to bleachers to watch a football game and two men near him smoke weed and the breeze blow it in his direction, I doubt it means he will 'test positive' for ganja.

[Sickko]

All of it or parts of it?

[Yuttie]

your article gives the impression of mass cheaters taking hardcore PED who were all given due diligence and proven guilty...

[Sickko]

ELEVEN people test positive from Trevor Black to now including a school girl and you get Mass cheaters using heavy PED????

What have you been smoking?

The fact is we have had peop test poitive for steroids but we try to ignore it as if it never happen and you and the idiots over the T&F forum are going on like Jamaican athletes are the most steadfast and honest athletes in the world and cannot be driven by greed like any other athlete.

Did you know that almost all the major camps in the US had Jamaicans in them...fopr example Michale Johnson's training partner for years was Gregory Haughton and people loved to talk about MJ's steroid use.

Gregory is a very smart guy dont you think he would have suspected something was wrong when he was vomitting out his tripe in training and MJ was hardly breaking a sweat???

[Sir X]

Gregory is an idiot that took to international TV to tear down a national icon.

2nd you choose to ignore that yes some tested positive but on whom shores were they trained given the impression we have our own local steriod industry ?

3rd you keep debasing a point by calling the individuals or persons names .People expect better from a journalist that should be unbiased. That could be why your points and posts get so much flack because that is your tone it carries over into your journalism.


Now look at that I made a damm good point without calling anyone from the site an idiot ..lol