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.
