Sport

'Just say no'

By LEVAUGHN FLYNN, Staff Reporter

WITH ALLEGATIONS OF widespread dope use now a hot topic in the world of track and field, the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) announced on Wednesday that it will be conducting extensive doping tests at this year's junior and senior National Athletic Championships.

The junior championships are set for G.C. Foster College on Saturday and Sunday and the seniors' from June 25-27 at the National Stadium. Both events will showcase Jamaica's top athletes from which the national teams will be selected to take part in upcoming international meets.

Doping tests are not new for the championships but the JAAA said it would be beefing up the process to screen most of the athletes.

The JAAA and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) have come together to help eradicate drug use in the sport as explained by Dr. Herbert Elliot, IAAF medical and anti-doping commission officer.

"The IAAF and the JAAA have collaborated to do extensive testing because a number of our athletes (Jamaican) are going into the international arena this year and neither the JAAA or the Jamaican people want to be embarassed by anybody showing up positive at an international meet," Elliot said.

Banned substances

"So this is one way we can at least ensure that at the time of selection the athletes were negative (if found positive later)."

In the past, athletes have unknowingly consumed banned substances through medication or health supplements. Donovan Powell received a three-month suspension after ephedrine was detected in his urine. He consumed the banned substance through a cough medicine and Elliot said the JAAA will be helping athletes to avoid such incidents.

"We're putting out an extensive education programme, warning our athletes about supplements," he said. "We have been looking at the amount of supplements these athletes have been taking and that many of the supplements are not controlled. This means that some contaminants can be in these supplements and somebody can show up positive despite the fact that none of the labels show that there is any banned subtsance in them."

Athletes will be chosen randomly for testing but those that qualify for the semi-final and final stand a greater chance of being chosen. At US $300 for each test and about 600 athletes between both championships, Elliot said the JAAA is determined to clean up the sport.

"It's an expensive process but the IAAF is supporting us in the fight against drug use in sports," he said.