Victim or co-conspirator?
The nation is saddened. Her daughter. Victim or villain, consciously or unconsciously, true or false. Did Kelly-Ann Baptiste test positive for doping by the IAAF, WADA? If the final declaration is guilt beyond a judicious doubt, then there is a need for mercy and compassion, forgiveness and understanding, it’s the way of social progression.
1. Was this something to be expected? Check the company she kept!
2. Who is to be cross-examined? The one who gave her the drug, the Canadian herbalist or the X-Factor!
3. Who are the turncoats? The coach, the training partners, a Canadian trainer.
4. What were the signs?
The history of her performances 2013.
An April visit to the doctor in Atlanta, Georgia.
A sudden drop in her times from 11 pt. to a pb of 10:83 secs hundred metres
A lowered 200-metres time to pb of 22:03
There was motive and opportunity which lead to enhanced performances.
2. Who is to be cross-examined? The one who gave her the drug, the Canadian herbalist or the X-Factor!
3. Who are the turncoats? The coach, the training partners, a Canadian trainer.
4. What were the signs?
The history of her performances 2013.
An April visit to the doctor in Atlanta, Georgia.
A sudden drop in her times from 11 pt. to a pb of 10:83 secs hundred metres
A lowered 200-metres time to pb of 22:03
There was motive and opportunity which lead to enhanced performances.
Chemical labs manufacture enhance-performance drugs. They also manufacture drugs that have the ability to mask them. Did Kelly-Ann become the victim or a willing conspirator? The NAAA lifted Semoy Hackett’s ban. Hackett was strong-armed into competing in the World Championships against the advised ruling of the IAAF. She was not allowed to compete. The IAAF overruled the NAAA’s ruling. Our decision makers were embarrassed! They are not without ambition and self-aggrandisement! For this, the nation pays.
1. What is the NAAA’s position? Not yet established. Their code of silence prevails.
2. What did the sprint coaches know? What did the T&T sprint coaches notice in practice about the behaviour of these two athletes?
3. What did the executives of the NAAA know that was not revealed? This is still a mystery.
4. Is it too much to expect integrity from the NAAA and its procedures?
2. What did the sprint coaches know? What did the T&T sprint coaches notice in practice about the behaviour of these two athletes?
3. What did the executives of the NAAA know that was not revealed? This is still a mystery.
4. Is it too much to expect integrity from the NAAA and its procedures?
Ken Brauman opened a training camp in Claremont, Florida. Tyson Gay left John Drummond and went over to Brauman’s camp. According to the tabloid, Baptiste joined Gay who was her training partner. During the Gay investigation, he gave the IAAF a list of names of athletes who visited the doctor in Atlanta, Georgia, in April 2013. Baptiste was on that list. All names became suspects. The samples re-tested were positive for doping the second time around. The list included all the Jamaican banned athletes. All Jamaicans involved had a hearing with representation. On this issue, Veronica Campbell-Brown, full disclosure was forthcoming within a reasonable time. She indicated what she was using and why. It was also reported that she informed the authorities that she was indeed using the particular product. Also, it must be noted that since then, she has appeared before the JAAA. This is very instructive. If nothing else, it indicates a structural process of handling issues.
To date, Baptiste has not come forward. Is this good, bad or under advisement? The result of the B sample is still to come in. This is dilatory tactics designed to frustrate people like Baptiste and the athletic fraternity. Adidas immediately pulled their sponsorship of Baptiste on August 11, at US$300,000 per year. Bledman belongs to the squad. He should be nervous but then again, the IAAF is not interested in athletes running ten points. The IAAF is managing their resources responsibly. The longer this hearing is on hold, the less of a chance of her competing in 2016. Leshawn Merrit, Justin Gatlin, Dwayne Chambers, first timers or minor infraction rulings, came back to compete at top level. Thomas Bach, newly-installed IOC president has been fighting doping, calling for four-year suspensions instead of two years. Do not procrastinate, Trinidad & Tobago! The injury process: to date the dopers were coming off an injury.
The trained chemist can take the “wings” off a drug. This means it is masked and cannot be detected. They take the DNA off, it cannot be traced. The NAAA got information of suspensions on July 8. They went to the national press at that time. The press released the information. The NAAA was not pleased with the outcome. It was not a timely release. They were confused. There is a lack of procedural structure within the organisation. An e-mail from the IAAF confirmed that no test was missed by Aaron Armstrong. The damage was already done and yet questions remains. Why did the NAAA not communicate with Armstrong? Why the NAAA went through the backdoor on Hackett? This move suggests an end of her career. Was she set-up?
The mission of the NAAA is to provide vision and leadership to our athletes and to promote the pursuit of excellence from youth to masters. From the grassroots to the Olympic Games. The NAAA executive is now faced with the challenge of being transparent in its business. The code of secrecy must change if we as a nation are to move forward and preserve our national dignity.
This historical platform provides further opportunistic evidence for the executive to realise. It is time for them to go. The following organisations have made changes: NACAC, IOC, TTCC, TTCF, TTOC. New and progressive leadership direction is needed. Stem the flow of recycling bodies and faces internally. The NAAA have shown no willingness to address the drug situation of our accused athletes. Jamaican by example is vigorously pursuing the hearing of their involved. They look for closure!
This historical platform provides further opportunistic evidence for the executive to realise. It is time for them to go. The following organisations have made changes: NACAC, IOC, TTCC, TTCF, TTOC. New and progressive leadership direction is needed. Stem the flow of recycling bodies and faces internally. The NAAA have shown no willingness to address the drug situation of our accused athletes. Jamaican by example is vigorously pursuing the hearing of their involved. They look for closure!
