Julien Dunkley competing in the men's 100 metres at the National Championships at the National Stadium last month. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

The name of 32-year-old sprinter Julien Dunkley was yesterday withdrawn from the list of 53 track and field athletes originally posted on the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) website.

That list, including athletes from the three other sporting disciplines, was submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for entry to the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China.

However, Dunkley, who was sixth in the 100 metres final at the National Championships from June 27-29, has not been identified by the JOA as the athlete who tested positive for the banned substance Boldenone, and who was withdrawn from the team yesterday.

"We've received the formal notification from the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) and we have to comply now with a certain process in accordance with their rule, (37), of their constitution," JOA president Mike Fennell told the Observer yesterday afternoon.

"This, of course, includes the advising of the athlete and giving the athlete five days to respond as to whether testing is required (for the) "B" sample or whether he accepts the finding based on the testing of the "A" sample," the JOA boss added.

He noted that the male athlete, who was verbally advised of his positive result last Friday by the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), was also faxed a written confirmation yesterday.

Fennell also confirmed that the athlete has been withdrawn from Jamaica's 53-member track and field squad which will begin competing in the 29th Olympiad on August 15.
"The JOA, in accordance with its own rules and regulations and the IOC's rules, has withdrawn the entry of the athlete," Fennell disclosed.

Asked whether the athlete would be replaced by an existing member of the team, the JOA boss pointed to the IAAF rule which indicates that athletes (with 'A' qualifying standard) can be switched from the list of those already entered, 48 hours before athletics competition begins.

Pressed further to confirm that the athlete was not originally entered to compete in an individual event, Fennell replied: "Yes!"

His utterance stoked the fire of raging speculation that the person who tested positive was included in the Olympic squad as a member of Jamaica's relay pool for either the 4x100 or 4x400 team. When the Observer broke the story yesterday that a Jamaican tested positive for a banned substance, Fennell indicated that the athlete was not one of the country's "big names", ruling out the likes of Usain Bolt (9.72 secs) and Asafa Powell (9.74 secs), the two fastest men in history over 100 metres.

The banned substance, Boldenone, is an anabolic steroid developed for veterinary use, mostly for treatment of horses. It is not indicated for use in humans and is only available through veterinary clinics.

Up to press time last night, no reason was given by the JOA for Dunkley's withdrawal from the squad.

The burly athlete, who was the NCAA 60-metre champion in 2003, has a personal best of 10.07 seconds in the 100 metres and 20.63 in the 200 metres. He was entered as a member of the 4X100 metres relay team and this would have been his first Olympic Games.

Last night, minister of information, culture, youth and sports, Olivia Grange expressed her disappointment with the doping scandal.

"Naturally, I am very disappointed that an athlete who was selected for our team to the Beijing Olympics has tested positive for a prohibited substance," she said in a statement.

"There is a process involved which includes the right of appeal by the athlete and I will reserve further comment until this process has been completed. I am in discussions with both the Jamaica Olympic Association and the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association on the issue," said Grange.

"If there is a positive in all of this, it is that our anti-doping procedures work, as the athlete in question was tested at the National Trials in June. Indeed, all athletes who qualified for participation in the Olympics were subjected to anti-doping tests immediately after the Trials.

"I am confident that this isolated case will have no impact on the team which has been selected for the Olympics. I am also assured that the team will perform very well in Beijing," she concluded.

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