Recommendation for new board of JADCO coming soon

Minister of Sports Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange says recommendations will be made for a new board of directors of the country’s Anti-Doping Commission at the next meeting of the Cabinet.



Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Wykeham McNeill raised the issue of a new board in Parliament yesterday, just over three weeks after Minister Grange dissolved the previous body.



The previous board, which comprised 15 members, was dissolved after a review by the World Anti-Doping Agency.



Minister Grange says a delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency, which visited Jamaica in May, raised concerns about conflicts of interest for panel members.



The government established the anti-doping commission in 2005, recruiting some of the country’s leading sports officials to manage the testing of athletes for banned substances.



In the meantime, the report of the Anti-Doping Commission tabled in Parliament yesterday is indicating that the body does not have enough money to carry out adequate drug testing.