MONTEGO BAY, St James — Traves Smikle, Jamaica’s national record holder for the discus throw, has defended his integrity after being charged with a doping violation and says he is “saddened and surprised by these finds”.
Smikle is the fourth of five Jamaicans, who tested positive for illegal substances at the recent Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s (JAAA) National Senior Championships held at the National Stadium in June, who have admitted being made aware of the adverse analytical findings.He spoke publicly for the first time since the news broke on Sunday through a release from the sports department of the University of the West Indies, where he is a first year student.Sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson, and discus thrower Allison Randall have already admitted being notified by the anti-doping agency, while the fifth athlete, a junior, has not yet made any public statements.The 21-year-old Smikle, who created Jamaican track and field history in 2009 when he won a bronze medal in the discus throw at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Brixen-Bressanone, Italy, the first ever global throwing medal for Jamaica, was notified of the finding a few days ago after he returned from the World University Games where he placed fourth.While the release did not say what substance Smikle was said to have tested positive for, it is said to be a diuretic.Smikle, a two-time national senior champion and a member of the Jamaica team to last year’s Olympic Games in London, while admitting his responsibility for whatever enters his body, said he has not “knowingly or wilfully ingested any banned substance”, and said he had requested analysis of the ‘B’ sample and will await notification of the time and date for this to be done.Smikle, who was also a finalist in the discus throw at the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2010 in Canada, said he would be willing to work with the Jamaica anti-doping authorities into any investigations to clear up his name as soon as possible.“Personally, I am very saddened and surprised by these findings, as I have never attempted to cheat and have always considered myself an ambassador for the sport, and a strong supporter of drug testing. For that reason, I have always willingly made myself available for the many drug tests conducted both at home and abroad.” He also apologised for the “hurt and embarrassment which it has caused to my country, family, coach, the UWI, friends and many supporters.”SMIKLE… I have never attempted to cheat and have always considered myself an ambassador for the sportView the original article here
Smikle proclaims innocence
