Tribunal to continue hearing athletes’ case tomorrow

The Jamaica Anti-Doping Appeals Tribunal will continue the public hearing for the five athletes accused of doping violations tomorrow morning at the Institute of Jamaica, East Street.



The tribunal is hearing an appeal brought by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, JADCO, against the decision of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee to clear Marvin Anderson, Yohan Blake, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Allodin Fothergill and Lansford Spence.



The athletes returned Adverse Analytical Findings for the substance Methyl Hexa-na-mine during the National Championships in June.



Kent Gammon, chairman of the Jamaica Anti Doping Disciplinary Panel, said last month its members did not find any evidence to suggest that an anti-doping violation occurred with respect to the athletes.



Gammon said the panel cleared the athletes because the substance was not on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA.



However, JADCO appealed the decision of the disciplinary committee immediately saying the substance is considered by WADA as being of a similar chemical structure to Tua-mino-heptane, which is listed as an example of a stimulant in the WADA 2009 prohibited list.



As a result of JADCO’s appeal, the matter was referred to the Appeals Tribunal, which is chaired by the Honourable Justice Ransford Langrin, a retired judge of the Court of Appeal.