Alarm bells ring

Dr Warren Blake, a veteran member of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s medical commission, is raising concerns over what he describes as a growing number of athletes being flagged for whereabouts and filing failures under anti-doping rules.

Blake, a former JAAA president who has also served on medical commissions for World Athletics, told The Gleaner that the violations have become more frequent in recent months.

“It is a worrying trend that we are seeing, because every month over the last few months, we have gotten two and three athletes, different athletes, being flagged for whereabouts failures or filing failures,” Blake told The Gleaner. “Whilst it has not gone to the level where they have been called up for sanctioning, the sheer numbers are a cause for concern for the federation.”