Asafa hearing: I didn't do any background check on Xuereb, says agent Doyle

Andre Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter



KINGSTON, Jamaica:

Paul Doyle, long time agent for embattled Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell, dismissed arguments that due diligence was not applied in the hiring of physical therapist Chris Xuereb, as Powell's Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel hearing continued this morning at the Jamaica Conference Centre.



Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) attorney Lackston Robinson suggested negligence and a lack of proper research into Xuereb's credentials, pointing out during this morning's session that the Canadian, who was hired in May 2013 to help treat Powell's chronic injuries, was administrating tasks that he was not certified to undertake.







Powell tested positive for the banned stimulant Oxilofrine at last year's National Championships, a substance contained in the product Epiphany D1, one of nine supplements provided to him by Xuereb in a new regimen which started three weeks before the championships.



Robinson, during his cross examination of Doyle, underlined that Xuereb, who was in addition to handling Powell's physical recovery was also administering anti-inflammatory injections and Vitamin B12, was neither certified as a doctor, massage therapist, chiropractor or physiotherapist.







Doyle, noted during his examination in chief, which was led by Powell's attorney Kwame Robinson, that Xuereb's name came up after he approached other well-known professionals about working with Powell on a long term basis.



"I didn't do any background check on Xuereb. I simply relied on the referrals of well known and trusted physios who we had worked with in the past," Doyle told the panel, which consists of Lennox Gayle, Dr Japheth Ford and Peter Prendergast.



"He is very qualified to be Asafa's Physio. Whether or not he is certified is a different matter," said Doyle who referred to noted US-based Physio Andy Miller, who despite not holding industry certification, is highly regarded in the ranks.



Earlier, Gregory Plummer, a long-time friend of Powell, testified that he had helped the two-time World Championships 100m bronze medallist research the ingredients of Epiphany D1, before he actually started taking the supplement.



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