JADCO clears the air

The Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has refuted claims that its drug testing procedures are not of the required standard.

In a statement issued on Thursday night JADCO also shot down reports which raised the possibility that Jamaican athletes could be barred from the next Olympics or upcoming championships.

"During its fourth year of operations, in July 2012, representatives of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) visited Jamaica and expressed satisfaction with the development of JADCO and its operations under the guidance of the new commissioners. JADCO will continue to collaborate with WADA to improve its systems, and is assured that Jamaican athletes face no threat of being barred from participation in the next Olympic Games or other international events," the statement said.

The following is the full text of a statement issued on Thursday night by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission:

The Jamaica Anti-Doping (JADCO) views with deep concern the utterances by various persons in the public sphere in their attempt to discredit the work of JADCO, its commissioners, the Government of Jamaica and the success of Jamaican athletes.

Like most Jamaicans, JADCO joins in congratulating our athletes for their outstanding performances at the recently concluded World Championships. Our athletes were tested in June 2013 at the National Senior Athletics Championships and none of those selected to be members of Team Jamaica returned adverse analytical findings. They would also have been tested by the IAAF at the World Championships, as they are in every major international competition.

In February 2012, when the new commission took office, the mandate given by the Government was to undertake steps to secure the full independence of JADCO. It is to be noted that JADCO was formed in 2008 and it began testing in 2009.

In this regard several initiatives were undertaken:

• An increase in JADCO's budget from $27.9M in 2011/2012 to $55.8m in 2012/2013. The budget increased further in the 2013/2014 financial year to $63.4m.
• A Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Committee, an independent body was established by the commissioners on August 3, 2012 in keeping with the provisions of the Anti-Doping in Sport Act. The TUE Committee has considered and taken decisions on the applications they have received for TUE Certificates.
• A steady increase in the number of in-competition and out-of-competition tests conducted by JADCO as indicated in the table.

This total includes tests done by JADCO on behalf of sporting bodies and international agencies, but does not include tests conducted on Jamaican athletes by other testing authorities overseas.

The reduction in tests done in the 2011/12 financial year was largely due to the unavailability of resources to fund the Test Distribution Plan in its entirety, which is valued at US$350.00 per test. Outdated kits in JADCO's stock at the end of the financial year were not used for testing. New kits were acquired in May 2012.

It is important to note the following:

• JADCO develops an annual Test Distribution Plan which guides its testing activities. The plan and result for the period January to July 2013 are as follows:
• Sixteen out-of-competition tests were conducted in July 2013.
• 
  
• Two hundred and seventy eight (278) tests were planned for the period January - July 2013 and two hundred and sixty two (262) were conducted. Eighteen (18) of the tests conducted in February 2013 were for an event organiser.
• One hundred and seventy four (174) or 67% of the two hundred and sixty two (262) tests conducted from January - July 2013 were conducted for athletics.

The increase in the number of tests for the 2012/13 financial year commenced before the much-publicised Adverse Analytical Findings of our athletes in July 2013. It must be emphasised that it was JADCO which administered the tests in June 2013 when five of our athletes, including two of our elite athletes were found to have returned with Adverse Analytical Findings. This underscores the efficacy and effectiveness of the JADCO's testing system. JADCO therefore condemns any allegation in the public sphere of inefficiency, ineffectiveness or the incompetence of its testing system.

During its fourth year of operations, in July 2012, representatives of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) visited Jamaica and expressed satisfaction with the development of JADCO and its operations under the guidance of the new commissioners. JADCO will continue to collaborate with WADA to improve its systems, and is assured that Jamaican athletes face no threat of being barred from participation in the next Olympic Games or other international events.

The procedures and processes employed by JADCO in its doping control programme are in keeping with international standards. They have been reviewed by quasi-judicial bodies like the Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel and Jamaica Anti-Doping Appeals Tribunal, and a judicial body outside of Jamaica, the Court of Arbitration for Sports, which earlier this year found them beyond reproach.

JADCO acknowledges that as it matures, its organisational structure and staffing have to be reviewed to ensure that it remains optimal to support the growing testing programme. The commissioners have therefore been moving to fill vacant positions, starting with that of executive director, a position which was left vacant when the decision was taken to separate from Renée Anne Shirley.

In keeping with the usual confidentiality requirements, the commissioners do not propose to disclose the reasons for that separation. The selection process for a new executive director is now near completion.

Three other positions have been advertised since the beginning of this financial year and the position of Finance and Accounts Manager has been filled paving the way for full devolution of JADCO's accounting functions. The commissioners and the staff of JADCO have worked beyond the call of duty to ensure that the operations of JADCO were not compromised and that all roles and functions were adequately carried out by competent individuals.

JADCO remains committed to observing international best practices and preserving integrity in sports.

• Number of Tests Conducted by JADCOfrom May 2009 - July 2013
  

Period In Competition Out of Competition Total

2009 (May-Dec) 11720137

20102410312720119180171201210871179

2013 (Jan- July)16498 262

TOTAL504372876

PLANNED CONDUCTED

MONTHICOOCTOTALICOOCTOTAL

JAN0191901717FEB01717181634MARCH251741121729APR0101031013MAY151429441357JUN40135387996TOTAL (JAN-JUNE)1679025716482246JUL4172101616TOTAL (JAN-JULY)17110727816499262