IN an audio clip aired on local radio yesterday, Jamaican sprinter, Mr Steve Mullings’ state of mind at the confirmation of his positive drug test is captured in seemingly bewildered responses including “I really don’t know?” and “what can I do?” as he spoke of available options.

As we understand it, Mr Mullings has a right to request a hearing. But as he asked: how does he now prove his innocence given the weight of the evidence against him and the fact that this is his second such transgression?

Mr Mullings, who is at risk of receiving a life-time ban, is insisting that he never took the banned substance Furosemide for which ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples have now tested positive.

As we understand it, Furosemide is a loop diuretic (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loop_diuretic) used in humans to treat hypertension, heart dysfunctions and related conditions. It is also used in horses to prevent bleeding.

It is on the World Anti-doping Agency’s banned list because it could be used as a masking agent for other drugs, including performance enhancing steroids.

It’s easy and tempting to simply categorise Mr Mullings as just a reckless risk taker who has been caught for the second time in his promising career; this time with possibly career-ending consequences.

But how often, we wonder, are positive tests simply the result of accidents and even outright sabotage?

Of course, the authorities have made it clear that athletes must take responsibility for everything entering their bodies. As we pointed out in this space a week ago, that’s the reason a listing of banned substances is routinely made available to athletes, their coaches and their handlers.

So ignorance, we are told, cannot be an excuse.

From this distance, it would appear that there has to be an elaborate safe-check system surrounding athletes in terms of their diet and lifestyles. Furthermore, only those most trusted, should be allowed to provide support services that may impact on an athlete’s intake of food, drink and medication.

Yet even with all of that, the chance of something going wrong with catastrophic consequences in a moment of carelessness or stress is obvious. We can’t forget the case of women’s 100m champion, Olympic and World champion, Miss Shelly-Ann Fraser who ran into serious trouble just over a year ago after taking a tooth painkiller provided by her coach which she forgot to declare.

It is clear that in order to protect our sportsmen and women, a culture of rigour and care as regards banned substances must be actively cultivated at all levels from their earliest days in school.

We feel it for Mr Mullings who, we believe, had a real chance of medalling in either the 100-metre or 200-metre sprint at the Daegu, South Korea World Championships later this month. Yet, we cannot fault the authorities who must apply the rules equitably among all athletes.

It’s a crucial lesson every athlete must learn.