LOCAL football boss Captain Horace Burrell dismissed claims by a local media outlet that a senior national player has tested positive for a banned substance.
Speaking to reporters at the unveiling exercise for new Reggae Boyz coach, German Winfried Schafer at the JFF’s New Kingston office on Wednesday, said there was “absolutely no truth to the ugly rumour”, which surfaced at a time when the nation is struggling to come to grips with swirling news that two of its top athletes — Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson — were among a total of five who have reportedly failed drug tests.“I have no report of that (of a Reggae Boy) failing any drug test… there’s absolutely no truth to the claims that a player has been tested positive for a substance that is on the list of banned items,” Burrell said.The president of the JFF stated that the matter he has been made aware of, from a medical perspective, is that FIFA doctors had expressed concerns with the method an “approved medication” was administered to players on recent overseas assignments in the ongoing CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign.“I think the method of administering of medication by our doctor is what is in question here… some players were treated intravenously, and apparently that is not allowed.“Maybe the player was to be given a tablet rather than [being] given the same medication through the vein, so it was just a matter of method,” explained Burrell.He said that FIFA doctors, who he claims are present at international official competition matches, may not have been satisfied with the manner in which some players were treated.“As you know, there are FIFA doctors at these games who would send in their reports, so maybe realising that our doctor may have given a player, or players, fluid through the veins, thought maybe that was not right,” Burrell noted.He said that chairman of the JFF Medical Committee and a member of CONCACAF’s Medical Committee, Dr Guyan Arscott, is looking into the matter with a view of clarifying and putting the matter to rest.“In another few days, Dr Arscott should be ready with his report, as he is now meeting with all the relevant people, and I am sure he will issue a statement in due course to clear all of this up,” Burrell said.At the same time, the football boss urged the media to be very careful how they report on sensitive matters, saying it must be uncompromising in its pursuit of truth and responsible journalism.“I must say I am incensed, because our media practitioners need to be more responsible… one can’t just feel irie and send out any report you like,” Burrell said, taking a swipe at a popular local radio station that reported the story that a local-based Reggae Boy was tested positive for a banned substance.Like other athletes, footballers too are targets for random testing by anti-doping officials.
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Burrell dismisses claims Reggae Boy tested positive
