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Guiding our athletes through a minefield
Saturday, October 03, 2009
It seems that athletes are being asked to walk a minefield as they seek to avoid illegal performance-enhancing substances as defined by the international authorities.
At least that's the impression for many of us who looked on from a distance as the recent doping case involving five Jamaican athletes unfolded.
In case you missed it, the reports in this newspaper and the wider media suggest that the five said to have tested positive for the prohibited drug, 4-Methyl-2-Hexanamine did so after consuming a nutritional supplement which literature from the manufacturers indicated at the time was in compliance with the dictates of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
To further compound the confusion of us laymen, we are being told that the illegal substance found was not on the WADA banned list but had similar chemical structure to a named banned substance.
Note the comment from Dr Peter Ruddock, described in the Observer of September 25 as being "part of the Racers track club" that "the substance in question" is a natural product.
Said Dr Ruddock: "Based on my research... it's a natural compound which comes from a plant. In my research, I see no proof that this compound can be used as a stimulant." Further, he suggested, the substance could not be used as a masking agent. "It doesn't make any sense," Dr Ruddock was reported as saying.
Well then, if he, an expert, can't "make any sense" of it, far less chance for the majority of the rest of us.
We note the pledge by the Racers Club and its acclaimed head coach Mr Glen Mills that legal action is in the making against the manufacturers of the offending substance.
Equally, we note Mr Mills's pledge as reported by the Observer article that Racers will now appoint a medical panel of three professionals to advise and approve the supplement programme of each athlete.
"All our athletes must comply with the medical recommendations of the panel and will not be allowed to take any supplements on their own," Mr Mills was reported as saying.
We are also told that Racers will hold a series of mandatory educational seminars to raise the awareness of the anti-doping policies and testing procedures of the International Association of Athletics Federations and WADA and will intensify the education of athletes to make them fully aware of the make up of over-the-counter medications like cold medicines and popular energy drinks.
Frankly, we are surprised, if not alarmed, that such a regime of systematic monitoring and education was not already in place.
We note the comment by Mr Mills that the entire experience will serve as a "catalyst to build a better club".
We expect that other track and field organisations, including the MVP, and indeed all those in the administration of Jamaica's athletics, not least the overarching Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association, will take heed and act accordingly.
At bottom line, our athletes who bring such joy and glory to the Jamaican nation must be protected.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
It seems that athletes are being asked to walk a minefield as they seek to avoid illegal performance-enhancing substances as defined by the international authorities.
At least that's the impression for many of us who looked on from a distance as the recent doping case involving five Jamaican athletes unfolded.
In case you missed it, the reports in this newspaper and the wider media suggest that the five said to have tested positive for the prohibited drug, 4-Methyl-2-Hexanamine did so after consuming a nutritional supplement which literature from the manufacturers indicated at the time was in compliance with the dictates of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
To further compound the confusion of us laymen, we are being told that the illegal substance found was not on the WADA banned list but had similar chemical structure to a named banned substance.
Note the comment from Dr Peter Ruddock, described in the Observer of September 25 as being "part of the Racers track club" that "the substance in question" is a natural product.
Said Dr Ruddock: "Based on my research... it's a natural compound which comes from a plant. In my research, I see no proof that this compound can be used as a stimulant." Further, he suggested, the substance could not be used as a masking agent. "It doesn't make any sense," Dr Ruddock was reported as saying.
Well then, if he, an expert, can't "make any sense" of it, far less chance for the majority of the rest of us.
We note the pledge by the Racers Club and its acclaimed head coach Mr Glen Mills that legal action is in the making against the manufacturers of the offending substance.
Equally, we note Mr Mills's pledge as reported by the Observer article that Racers will now appoint a medical panel of three professionals to advise and approve the supplement programme of each athlete.
"All our athletes must comply with the medical recommendations of the panel and will not be allowed to take any supplements on their own," Mr Mills was reported as saying.
We are also told that Racers will hold a series of mandatory educational seminars to raise the awareness of the anti-doping policies and testing procedures of the International Association of Athletics Federations and WADA and will intensify the education of athletes to make them fully aware of the make up of over-the-counter medications like cold medicines and popular energy drinks.
Frankly, we are surprised, if not alarmed, that such a regime of systematic monitoring and education was not already in place.
We note the comment by Mr Mills that the entire experience will serve as a "catalyst to build a better club".
We expect that other track and field organisations, including the MVP, and indeed all those in the administration of Jamaica's athletics, not least the overarching Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association, will take heed and act accordingly.
At bottom line, our athletes who bring such joy and glory to the Jamaican nation must be protected.
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