AFTER two weeks of what she described as ‘a dark period’, the outlook is decidedly getting brighter for embattled Jamaican female sprint star Veronica Campbell Brown as the IAAF yesterday described her doping violation as ‘minor’.

Nick Davies, deputy general secretary of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), was quoted in online articles as confirming the adverse analytical finding in Campbell Brown’s sample that was taken at the Jamaica International Invitational (JII) in May, but asked for caution in how people react to and perceive the information.

“We can acknowledge that there is a case, but also take the opportunity to urge a sense of perspective… this seems, from evidence, to be a minor doping offence, according to our rules, so we want to remain realistic in our reaction, pending the conclusion of the case,” Davies was reported as saying.

Davies later confirmed to the Jamaica Observer that he had given an interview to a news agency and the quotes were in fact correct.

The IAAF’s declaration and earlier information reaching the Jamaica Observer that the two-time World Indoor 60m champion had declared the substance on her medical declaration form after winning the 100m at the JII meet, is expected to go a far way in lessening whatever punishment that would have been issued when she faces the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Disciplinary Committee.

On Tuesday, six days after news broke that the 31-year-old — who has won 16 medals at the Olympic and World Championships levels — had tested positive, the JAAA issued a release that the Florida-based runner “voluntarily withdrew herself from competition and accepted the provisional suspension”.

Later, on Tuesday, Campbell Brown’s management team, headed by Claude Bryan, broke their silence with a release defending her integrity, saying in part: “Veronica is not a cheat, she has, via hard work and dedication, accomplished a record on the track which is absolutely remarkable.”

Well-placed sources had told the Observer last weekend that “no serious drugs were involved; No PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) were involved…”

The source also said that Campbell Brown had declared the substance she had used on her medical declaration form, but said no prior Therapeutic Use Exemption had been submitted, which would have allowed her to use certain banned substances for medical reasons.

The suspension effectively rules her out of competing at this weekend’s JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships and the IAAF World Championships later this year in Moscow, Russia.

Campbell Brown won the 200m at the 2011 World Championships held in Daegu, South Korea, and would have had an automatic entry this year as the defending champion.