In August David Howman, director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), said that Jamaica risked expulsion from the next Olympics if it failed to address allegations by the former executive director of Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO), Renee Anne Shirley, that the country's politicians and administrators had ignored her warnings that positive tests returned by Asafa Powell and four other athletes were a "disaster" waiting to happen.

Shirley added that JADCO had conducted just one out-of-competition test in the five months leading up to the London 2012 Games.

WADA has subsequently visited Jamaica to run an audit on the dope-testing programme.

WADA's recent actions have caused some resentment within the IAAF ©AFP/Getty Images


"I know there's been a lot of talk when it comes to drug testing, WADA, and the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations)," said Bolt hear at the 2013 World Athletics Gala.

"This actually caused some problems for me.

"A sponsor came up to us and was asking 'we would like to sponsor you'.

"Then they used an agency which does background checks to figure out if it's viable to sponsor you.

"For me it came across in the conversation that WADA had said Jamaica was not going to be eligible to run at the next Olympics.

"For me that information was not correct.

"I feel we need to be clear because now it is starting to take money from my sport.

"It's something we need to sort immediately.

"We really need to get this out of the way, move past this, get everything straight and move on.

"In every sport there are drugs scandals and problems - but people deal with it and move past.

"And that's what we need to do.

"This is really costing me money and I'm not really happy about it."

Meanwhile, Lamine Diack, President of the IAAF, has spoken of the "ridiculous" campaign which has been waged against the nation that has dominated world sprinting in recent years.

He made it clear that he was not happy with what he suggested was something of a witch hunt by WADA.

An IAAF source confirmed that there was considerable anger within the organisation that the sport was being unfairly targeted for reasons which appeared to have to do with publicity.

Lamine Diack says a "ridiculous" campaign has been waged against
Jamaica ©Getty Images


"I read in the newspaper about this," Diack said.

"It is like a campaign.

"But it seems to me ridiculous.

"Jamaica were asked about their doping control, and they answered that question.

"It was a good move for this country.

"Because in Jamaica, Kenya, Ethiopia we have to help them build their own testing.

"They are the most tested athletes in the world."

On the subject of WADA's visit to Jamaica, Diack asked, rhetorically: "They were there, what did they find?"

He concluded: "I think we need to stop all these angry outbursts."

Yesterday, Bolt's fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the world and Olympic 100 metres champion, had claimed she was working to create an athletes' union in Jamaica and had hinted that unless athletes received more support from their federation in the wake of the recent criticism they would consider going on strike.

Bolt, however, dismissed the thought that he might be about to withdraw his services from the track.

"Track and field is my job," he said.

"It's hard to go on strike because it's my job."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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