KINGSTON, Jamaica — Pre-trial dates have been set for five Jamaican athletes, who were said to have returned adverse analytical findings, at the National Senior and Junior Championships in June.

Former 100-metre World Record holder and Olympian, Asafa Powell and 2004 Olympic relay gold medalist, Sherone Simpson are among the five athletes.

The others are National Record holder in the men’s discus, Traves Smikle; discus thrower, Allison Randall; and triple jumper, Demar Robinson.

The athletes, with the exception of Randall, who currently resides overseas, faced members of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCo) Disciplinary Panel, during a mentioning of the disciplinary hearing held Friday morning (September 6) at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, where the dates were set.

Pre-trial for Smikle, Randall and Robinson, who are all represented by a team of attorneys led-by, Dr Lloyd Barnett, William Panton and Sabrina Cross, has been set for Friday, September 20, at 10:00 am at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Smikle will face a four-member pre-trial panel comprising former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Chairman of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, Kent Pantry; Deputy DPP and second Vice Chairman, Jeremy Taylor; physician, Ivor Crandon; and Olympian, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn.

Additionally, a four-member panel consisting of Pantry, Taylor; physician, Dr Archie McDonald; and FIFA referee, Peter Prendergast will head the pre-trial hearing for Robinson.

Randall will face a four-member panel, which includes Pantry, Taylor, Dr McDonald and Cuthbert-Flynn.

Powell and Simpson, who are being represented by attorneys Kwame Gordon and Danielle Chai, will have a pre-trial hearing Friday, September 27 at 10:00 am also at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

A three-member panel led by attorney-at-law and vice chairman of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, Lennox Gayle; physician, Dr Jephthah Ford and Prendergast will preside over Simpson and Powell’s pre-trial hearings.

“The pre-trial is really where certain orders will be made for documentation and other things and then a (disciplinary) hearing date will be agreed on (for each athlete) on that day,” Pantry explained.

—JIS