Sport
Jamaican sprinter Sherone Simpson banned until Dec. 20
Her former trainer, Christopher Xuereb, has told reporters he never gave Simpson or Powell any performance-enhancing drugs and only purchased major brand vitamins. In July, he told reporters the 2 Jamaican sprinting stars were clearly looking for a scapegoat.
Simpson’s agent, Paul Doyle, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. He testified earlier this year at disciplinary hearings for Simpson and Powell, who is also a client.
The Jamaican disciplinary panel on Tuesday also issued a 2-year ban for Jamaican Olympic discus thrower Allison Randall, who is suspended until June 2015. Randall’s ban also begins from her June 21, 2013 sample collection date. She represented Jamaica during the 2012 Olympics in London but failed to reach the final.
Randall tested positive for a banned substance at the national championships, and commission members said they could not establish how the substance came to be in her body. She was one of five Jamaican athletes, including Powell and Simpson, who tested positive at the same June meet.
Randall had testified earlier that she believed the source was a supplement she was taking called “Animal Pak,” but the panel ruled she was unable to establish how the substance got into her body. She appeared via Skype during Tuesday’s hearing but showed no reaction after the ruling was announced.
The commission is expected to issue a much-anticipated ruling on Thursday in the case of Powell.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press
