Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission admits errors

Kingston, April 17 (IANS/CMC) The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has conceded that some procedures carried out while collecting samples for testing last year were not consistent with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) international standards.

JADCO made its concession Wednesday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) blasted Jamaican anti-doping officials for mishandling the drug test of sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown.

The three-time Olympic gold medallist Campbell-Brown had a successful appeal to her two-year ban on the grounds that international standards were violated during her sample collection.

"JADCO acknowledges that some procedures carried out in the sample collection process in May 2013 at the Jamaica Invitational Meet at the National Stadium here, Jamaica were inconsistent with the WADA international standards," said a JADCO statement.

CAS has cited errors in the collection and handling of Campbell-Brown's urine sample last year that could have resulted in its contamination.

"Specifically, no partial sample kits were used in the collection process. We therefore, take this opportunity to state that there is no documentation in existence at JADCO indicating that WADA gave the commission permission to deviate from the standard which is applicable to all signatories of the WADA code," said JADCO.

Eight Jamaicans, including former 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, failed doping tests last year, forcing a major overhaul of doping procedures highlighted by the resignation of the entire JADCO board and the appointment of a new executive director.

Additionally, Doping Control Officers (DCOs) are being recruited and trained to boost JADCO's personnel. JADCO is soon to sign a joint training initiative agreement for 15 months with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and WADA.

"Currently, the restructured JADCO, working in concert with its recently appointed chairman and board of commissioners, continues to refine and upgrade its operational procedures to remove any weaknesses in the system," the statement said.

"In order to further strengthen the capacity of its testing programme, JADCO has taken the necessary steps to fully adhere to all the WADA international standards as we are now in possession of the partial sample kits."

The Jamaica government recently approved a 63 percent increase in budgetary support to JADCO for the 2014-15 financial year.

--IANS/CMC

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