Jamaican Sports Minister Meets with WADA Representatives

Perspective: We respect the role and invaluable contribution of The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) …as we support fair play and a level playing field. For any athlete or sporting body to indulge in any practice which could be seen or perceived as trying to undermine the integrity or effectiveness of RADA should be frowned on.

Performance enhancing drugs like steroids have no place in sports. If such is prescribed by a qualified medical doctor to cure a medical condition in an athlete there should be full disclosure and dialogue with RADA.

It is unacceptable to cheat to get an unfair advantage in any sport. “Let us do unto others as we would have them do unto us.” So states the Christian Bible.

We are also calling on RADA to ensure that the list of banned substances are communicated to all and if updated this too should be widely known.

Let us clean up the sporting arena going forward.

We wish RADA all the best … punish offenders but do not treat all as cheats. This approach if practiced is wrong and is not fair play also.

Let us treat all as honest until proven to be otherwise.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.