BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH St. Kitts and Nevis becoming a household name around the sporting world, most specifically in the discipline of Athletics, its Anti-Doping Programme is said to be one of the highest standards.
According to Minister of Sports Glenn Phillip, the programme is one which has received praises from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
He boldly stated that this is something St. Kitts and Nevis should pride itself on; that is, producing top class athletes who have never tested positive for any banned stimulants.
“I got a message from WADA congratulating St. Kitts and Nevis in spearheading the anti-doping initiative,” he said.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Phillip revealed that due to the recent success of the island’s top athletes, it is expected that they remain at the top of their game and so must the drug test.
He noted that it would hurt fans in particular and the nation as a whole if any of those athletes were to test positive for a banned substance.
“What we don’t want is any scandal. We have been enjoying success and what we don’t need is a scandal in terms of an athlete in St. Kitts testing positive in any way. So we try to circumvent that by subscribing to those organisations.”
The Minister related that the government, through his Ministry, has been paying the subscription for the doping programme.
He explained that once they fall under the purview of the St. Kitts and Nevis Olympic Association, all athletes and their associations have to be regular and cooperative when it comes to drug testing in the Federation.
“Once they come under the SKNOC they have to cooperate, because they can risk their athlete or the association being expelled from the SKNOC,” he added.
The Minister could not recount any athlete testing positive but noted that one athlete was accused of using performance enhancing drugs and was later placed before a hearing.
“Based on the testing that were completed, I haven’t heard of any athlete, not say that there are none, but I haven’t heard of any athlete or association be sanctioned as it relates to anti-doping.”.
It was recently realised that some of the world’s top sprinters from Jamaica had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, and it was later revealed that that island’s Anti-Doping Agency has not gotten its drug testing up to international standards.
