CANADIAN TRAINER AT THE HEART OF DOPING SCANDAL SPEAKS OUT

The story on Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson’s failed drug test just keeps on giving. At last check, the former 100-metre world-record holder and his teammate were formally placed under criminal investigation for allegedly violating Italy's doping laws.

This after Italian police confiscated unidentified substances in a raid on the hotel where they were staying in the northeastern town of Lignano Sabbiadoro. Not surprisingly Powell and Simpson’s agent Paul Doyle has since come out in vigorous defence of his athletes. Telling the Associated...

"We're not trying to throw Chris under the bus and blame him for anything. We know it has to be something in the supplements he gave them. We're not saying he did anything deliberate, but it's in those supplements. We need to figure out what it was that caused this and from there move forward."

Well naturally , Christopher Xuereb hasn't taken too kindly to these words and has made statements of his own in an email to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Here are a few excerpts you’ll find interesting:

“I worked extremely hard to help Asafa Powell and Sheron Simpson with their injuries. Most importantly, I did not provide any banned or illegal substances to Asafa Powell or Sherone Simpson. While I did recommend vitamins, all vitamins recommended by me were all purchased over the counter at reputable Nutritional stores and were major brands; Metagenics, SISU, AOR, Epiphany. I was instructed by the agent and athletes to buy these vitamins. All vitamins recommended by me were shown to the MVP club coach Stephen Francis.”

“Both athletes are clearly looking for a scapegoat,  I am confident that I have done nothing wrong”

“ I am extremely disappointed that these athletes have chosen to blame me for their own violations.  WADA and the public needs to stop accepting these stories and hold these athletes accountable.”

Folks, evidently this is turning into a war of words. Already we are grappling with a “he said - he said” story, but I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. The reaction in the track community has been mixed, several believing in a conspiracy theory, while others are calling for a permanent ban. As an observer there seems to be a very fine line between vitamins and supplements with a lot of room for mistakes/things to happen. I will continue to wait for the full details but I must say this is all VERY interesting.

In the meantime, police were still analyzing the substances seized to determine if they were legal or not. Being formally placed under investigation is a step up in the Italian justice system from someone simply "informed of the facts," which is how someone can be questioned by police.

TOP SPRINTERS FAIL DRUG TESTS: GAY, POWELL AND SIMPSON

Once bitter rivals on the track American Tyson Gay and Jamaica’s Asafa Powell now have something in common and I'm not talking about all the medals. Yes you've heard the devastating news that these illustrious Olympic sprinters have both failed their drug tests.

30 year old Gay the 2nd fastest man over the 100m ever, failed an out-of-competition test on May 16. While Powell, the all-time fourth quickest over the distance, was reportedly found to have a stimulant called Oxilofrine in his system at June's Jamaican Championships.

And let’s not forget three-time Olympic medallist Sherone Simpson who has also tested positive for a banned substance. 

Without casting any aspersions on anyone, I think at this juncture I can say “What the hell heck is going on ?” As if Veronica Campbell Brown's case wasn't bad enough, Now this!!!

As a long time supporter of the sport, I cannot tell you how difficult it was for me to walk into the newsroom this morning. The scandal is one of our top sport stories today and My fellow colleagues did not hesitate to point out these latest doping violations. You see, since that fateful day in Beijing when Usain Bolt shocked the world with a record of 9.69 sec, I have been fielding questions like: Surely he’s on drugs? Come on, all of them dope right? etc...you get the drift.

VERONICA CAMPBELL BROWN PROVISIONALLY SUSPENDED

You should all know by now that Jamaican Sprint Queen Veronica Campbell will not be participating in this weekend's National Trials. A statement on the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association's website  reads...

"She has been provisionally suspended from competition awaiting the outcome of a disciplinary panel that will be empanelled to hear this case. 

We also wish to point out that Mrs. Veronica Campbell Brown voluntarily withdrew herself from competition and accepted the provisional suspension" 

Veronica Campbell Brown fails Doping Test

Veronica Campbell Brown

ack and field community has been rocked by reports Jamaica's track star Veronica Campbell-Brown has tested positive for a banned substance. In fact I myself am having tremendous difficulty writing this. It would be one of the biggest doping violations to hit the sport in recent history.

According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Campbell-Brown's A sample tested positive for a diuretic, which acts as a masking agent, at the Jamaica Invitational meet on May 4.

Lifetime Ban for Steve Mullings

Jamaican sprinter Steve Mullings is to serve a lifetime ban from Athletics. The sentence was handed down  this afternoon by a disciplinary panel of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission.

Last Thursday the three member panel found him guilty of taking the masking agent Furosemide.
The prohibited substance was detected in his blood samples after competing at the country's national trials in June 2011.

Prior to that, Mullings had been the fastest athlete in the 100 metres for the season, clocking an impressive  9.79 at the 2011 Prefontaine Classic following that up with several other sub 10 performances.

Mullings has always maintained his innocence and has indicated his intent to appeal against the conviction to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

This is the second ban for the 28 year old who served a two-year suspension in 2004 for taking testosterone.    

Decision Day for Mullings

Jamaican athlete Steve Mullings will know today whether he will be allowed to continue his dream of becoming the world's best sprinter. A three day anti-doping panel will convene in Kingston Jamaica to decide his fate.

Mulling's who's 2011 season got off to a flying start, was forced to cut it short after he tested positive for the banned substance Furosemide during the Jamaica's National Trials in June of this year.

In 2004 he served a two year suspension for abnormal testosterone levels in his body. Mullings who is currently based in the U.S. has always maintained his innocence.
A decision is expected sometime after 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

Original Story:  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/D-Day-for-Steve_10183889#ixzz1dxo1vT1K