By Steve Campbell, World-Track
KINGSTON — The five Jamaican athletes who returned positive tests at the National Championships in June could miss the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, later this month.
According to reports, the five sprinters, four male and one female, did not complete the hearing ahead of Monday’s entry deadline, after some of the athletes reportedly expressed their disapproval with the panel put together for the cases.
"Based on what is going on, they will not be able to go to Berlin," Warren Blake, the second vice-president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association, was quoted as saying.
"We would have had to name them on the final team list by today, but the hearings began today and will not be completed until later this week.
"It is therefore fair to say that the five will miss being on the team, as they can’t be selected until they are cleared," he added.
It was understood, however, the reported five – Commonwealth Games 100m champion Sheri-Ann Brooks, quarter-milers Allodin Fothergill and Lansford Spence, as well as sprinter Yohan Blake, were included in the Jamaican squad for the championships, with the team manager Trevor Campbell reportedly stating "there is no reason to exclude the athletes from the team."
It is believed that sprinter Marvin Anderson, who was down to compete in the 200m has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury he sustained at the Lausanne Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, following the premature ending of Monday’s hearing, the cases are scheduled to resume on Wednesday, the same day the majority of the local contingent depart for the training camp in Berlin.
