BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - EMBATTLED Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson have proclaimed that they have never contemplated quitting despite facing time on the sideline after testing positive for banned substances.
According to The Gleaner, the two athletes said, "I have never considered quitting", as they sat before a specially selected media conference, for the first time, since they both tested positive for banned stimulant Oxilofrine at the Jamaican Trials.
Powell, the former 100 metres world record holder, highlighted the turmoil he experienced since the positive test but declared that he was committed to putting everything into clearing his name and prolonging his career, The Gleaner reported.
"I have never thought about it (retiring). I was just shocked by the news. I have been thinking a lot but never once thought about giving up," said Powell, who was in his hotel room at his MVP Track Club's camp in Italy when informed of the test results.
"I am still training. I consider this an off year, but I am still working hard, training, going to the gym almost every day. It's very unfortunate that I will not be going to the World Championships, but there is a lot more to go.
“There is a World Championships, in two years time again and then the Olympics. So there is a lot to look forward to."
A tearful Simpson shared her experiences since her 'A' sample returned the unfavourable finding and disclosed that she had no interest in pointing fingers at anyone.
"For me, no retirement; it was not in my thoughts. I do think that I am still pretty young. I have a few years to go, and I will continue."
She also highlighted her emotions upon hearing the news of the failed test.
"I was shocked! I got the call about 1:30 a.m. in Madrid and I could not believe it! I had to ask Dr. (Herb) Elliott (Chairman of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission) if he was sure that he had the right name. To be honest, I cannot remember what happened after that.
"I would like to make it clear that we are not blaming anyone. We were asked if we were taking any new supplements, and we told the authorities where we got it from," the Jamaican media house quoted her as saying.
Powell, the fourth-fastest man in history, thanked his fans for their support.
"I want to thank God for sparing my life, and I want to apologise to my family, my friends, fans, and supporters for all that has been going on," Powell said.
"I could not have done it on my own. My family has been great support for me. They have been there since the finding and also my team-mates. They have supported me a lot as well. I have been getting a lot of calls as well. I have been getting messages a lot - every day. And, of course, my fans! They have been tweeting like crazy and showing some love," Powell said at the media conference.
Powell and Simpson were among five Jamaicans who tested positive for banned substances at last month's National Senior Championships held at the National Stadium.
