'Be more vigilant'
Published:Wednesday | July 17, 2013 | 12:00 AM
PRIME MINISTER Portia Simpson Miller yesterday cautioned the country's athletes to be "far more vigilant" in protecting themselves from substances that could show up on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list as well as prove harmful to them.
Making particular reference to supplements, Simpson Miller, who has portfolio responsibility for sports, implored athletes - and Jamaicans, in general - to be mindful of such substances.
Quoting from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the prime minister warned that "while some dietary supplements are fairly well understood, others need further study".
She made the point that the FDA explained that "dietary supplements are not approved by the (US) government for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. If the dietary supplement contains a new ingredient, that ingredient will be reviewed by the FDA (not approved) prior to marketing - but only for safety, not effectiveness".
Simpson Miller's comments came in the wake of the severe damage to Jamaica's image after adverse analytical findings in the 'A' sample of some of the country's top athletes.
STANDING BY ATHLETES
In a statement to Parliament yesterday, the prime minister said the Government stood by "all our athletes and values the significant contributions they make towards engendering national pride".
However, she made it clear there was need to "reiterate the importance of integrity in sports, fair play, and the maintenance of a doping-free sporting environment".
The prime minister assured fellow lawmakers that the country, through the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, has a thorough programme for in- and out-of-competition testing.
"The rigour of this programme is not new and it is clear that it is effective as it is from our own testing protocol that the adverse findings in these 'A' samples have been revealed," she added.
Portia's facts on drugs
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller says that since the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) was established in 2009, the commission has conducted 860 tests.
Of that number, 504 were conducted in-competition while 356 tests were done out-of-competition.
For the period of testing spanning May 2009 to June 2013, JADCO received reports of 15 adverse analytical findings and has informed the athletes of these.
Ten of these anti-doping rule violations were referred to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel and the athletes received varying levels of sanctions.