DR Herbert Elliott, member of the International Association of Athletics Federations Medical and Anti-doping Commission, has suggested that government bans smoking at all sporting arenas.

Speaking at the weekly luncheon of the Rotary Club of Kingston at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston yesterday, Dr Elliot said such a move would not only serve to protect members of the public from the effects of secondary smoke, but athletes as well.

ELLIOTT... if it's in your body, it's your responsibility to keep it out

"We have a system in sports where if it's in your body, we don't care how it got there, it's your responsibility to keep it out. It's harsh but that is the only way we can operate," he said.

"What we would like to see (and I don't know if the government can do it) is to ban smoking in all sporting arena, that way we would get rid of smoking," Dr Elliott told Rotarians.

He said while the health ministry has imposed a ban on smoking in all health facilities and the government has tried to ban smoking in all government buildings, he was of the opinion that smoking "should also be banned in all restaurants, bars and public spaces".

In the meantime, Dr Elliot, who was representing Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, said governments - past and present - have made commendable efforts to "respond to the scourge of doping in sports".

As part of further efforts, he said, legislation is now being drafted by the Chief Parliamentary Council to help eliminate doping in sports.

"It is a very comprehensive one and we hope to get it through the Legislature before the end of March, but at least we hope to have it prior to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China," the former Olympian said.

According to Dr Elliot, it is hoped Jamaican athletes will give a "fair account of themselves as usual".

Jamaica in July of 2006 ratified the International Convention Against Doping in Sport. It is also a signatory to the Copenhagen Declaration on Anti-Doping in Sport which it signed onto in February 2004 following Cabinet approval for the adoption of the World Anti-Doping Code in November 2003.

Under the Copenhagen Declaration, signatory countries are expected to recognise and advocate the role of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to co-ordinate, harmonise and standardise anti-doping efforts according to the WADA Code.

They are also required to implement measures, including legislative and administrative activities, to restrict the availability and use of prohibited substances and methods in sport.

Dr Elliott said the Government is to spend more than $40 million on testing programmes for players in all sports.

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