Shirley raises doubts about disciplinary action against Campbell-Brown

Renee Ann Shirley, former executive director of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, had raised doubts about the public warning handed down to sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown. She also once again criticised the efforts of the local anti-doping body.   

In an interview with the UK Telegraph, Shirley said with so many disciplinary cases stacking up she fears the local anti-doping body could be overwhelmed by the case load.

Shirley also sought to re-emphasize that JADCO has never conducted a blood test and is so short-staffed that it risks botching the prosecution.  As for Campbell-Brown getting a public warning and the likes of the suspended Asafa Powell  getting a similar punishment, Shirley said, “Let me put it this way: starting with Veronica Campbell-Brown, I’m waiting with interest to see what the technical committee at the IAAF has to say about her being given a warning.”

She added, “It should have been a two-year ban and, typically for you to get a reduction you have to show ‘exceptional circumstances’. So it will be interesting to see what happens.”

She added, “In Jamaica, we can’t afford for people to get off on a technicality because there was some breach in the processing of the paperwork.”

On Tuesday, Olympic Taekwondo player Kenneth Edwards became the eighth Jamaican athlete to test positive this year when he failed a drug test for a banned diuretic.

JADCO'S inability to accommodate a visit by WADA this week has raised further questions about the capabilities of the commission.