JAMAICA’S TOP FEMALE SPRINTER VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN, TESTS POSITIVE FOR BANNED SUBSTANCE!

By Andre Lowe—

The Gleaner can confirm that Jamaican sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown returned a positive test at the May 4 Jamaica Invitational at the National Stadium.

The sprinter, who has won 16 medals for Jamaica at the Olympic and World Championships level, turned up a diuretic in her A sample and was advised of the adverse analytical finding on June 3.

Diuretics are masking agents banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because of their ability to hide the presence of performance-enhancing drugs in the system.

confirmation yesterday

According to well-placed sources, Campbell-Brown, along with her management team, was in Montreal for the testing of the B sample on Thursday, with the confirmation of the positive result said to have come sometime yesterday.

Campbell-Browns sponsors have reportedly been informed of the situation and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which reportedly oversaw the doping control procedures at the Jamaica Invitational, is said to be preparing an announcement.

The athlete has withdrawn from the Edmonton International Track Classic, which is scheduled for June 29 at Foote Field. She will also miss next weekends Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association/Supreme Ventures Limited National Senior Championships and, by extension, this summers IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

Campbell-Brown, the reigning 200m world champion, is Jamaica’s most decorated female athlete and is only the second woman in history to win two consecutive Olympic 200m titles, after her victories at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing, respectively.

The matter will now be passed over to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel.

Efforts to contact VCBs management team since Thursday have proven futile.