JAMAICAN Olympic silver medallist Raymond Stewart, who was recently slapped with a lifetime ban from the sports by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for obtaining performance-enhancing drugs for his athletes, say he is the victim of sabotage. CHAT! Newspaper to read the full article…

“As far as I am concerned, it looks like a conspiracy. It seems prejudicial. It seems like a way to get back at Jamaica for the successes which the country has enjoyed in recent years,” he said by phone from his home in Texas.

“I have had such a long and distinguished career representing Jamaica at the highest level, as a junior athlete at the Carifta Games and later as a senior athlete at the Olympics and World Championship. At no point during my 20 plus years as an athlete did I ever test positive or was linked to drug use. Why would I now put my reputation at stake by encouraging the use of drugs? It just does not add up,” he said.

Stewart said he became aware of the arbitration hearing in an e-mail from the USADA that was sent to him in December 2009. The e-mail mentioned evidence against him for trafficking and intent to distribute drugs. The arbitration hearing, which was held in Dallas, Texas on June 2, 2010 and attended by legal representatives from the USADA, determined that Stewart bought drugs from whistle blower Angel Memo Heredia, whose co-operation was used in the investigation of banned Jamaican-born coach Trevor Graham. Stewart had no legal council at the hearing.

“I brought all the evidence that I had and presented but they never acknowledged one bit,” he said. Concerning checks and money orders that were paid to Heredia for the purchase of injectable Winstrol for use by McDonald, Stewart denies Heredia’s testimony.

“I am denying all the charges against me. They are trumped up charges with no physical evidence to support it. I presented evidence (at the hearing) that it was vitamin supplements that I bought for myself. I will vigourously fight the charges,” he noted.

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