JAAA warns Francis

Stephen Francis, head coach of MVP Track & Field Club, an association responsible for the development of several of the country's top athletes, has been given a strong reprimand by the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) for his role in the fiasco involving Olympic and World 100 metres champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser.

Fraser is currently serving a six-month ban issued by the JAAA, after returning a positive test for the banned substance Oxycodone in July.

According to reports, Fraser, while at the Shanghai Diamond League track meet in May, had been in excruciating pain following a dental procedure.

Painkillers given to her by meet officials proved to be ineffective and the athlete, as a result, used one given to her by coach, Francis.

However, contrary to IAAF stipulations which require athletes to list medication being used in such circumstances, Fraser neglected to list the medication on a doping form provided by meet organisers.

Francis' reprimand, according to a release posted on the JAAA website jaaaltd.com, comes after a meeting between the coach and the athletic association, in which he acknowledged "his dereliction in the case" and also conceded the embarrassment his actions caused the sport's ruling body here.

Having also submitted a written apology, the coach was cautioned that any such recurrence would lead to stronger sanctions.

The association went on to state in its release that in order to protect the integrity of Jamaica's track and field, all coaches and other athlete personnel should learn from the incident.

Possible ban

Other sanctions on the table, for Francis, had included a minimum four-year ban, or a life ban from the sport.

"All must abide by the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federation and the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association with particular emphasis on the anti-doping rules and to participate in the athlete's education accordingly," the document read.

Both, Dr Warren Blake, second vice-president of the JAAA and head of the association's medical and doping committee; and MVP president, Bruce James, declined to comment further on the issue when contacted by this newspaper.

Fraser will be eligible to return to competition on January 7 next year, clearing the way for her to defend her sprint title at the 2011 World Championships.

- Kwesi Mugisa