DESPITE major success for some of our Jamaican athletes in 2013, it was a rather bittersweet year for others. Asafa Powell, Sherone Simpson and Veronica Campbell-Brown were among the more popular names who faced scrutiny following the doping scandals surfaced late last year.

Dr Warren Blake, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), describes the incident as the most challenging experience for his administration.

While Campbell-Brown has been cleared of charges brought against her, Simpson and Powell are still to face trial on April 8 and April 10 respectively.

teenAGE wants your take on this issue.

How big of a threat is the doping scandal to the future image of Jamaican athletes?

The recent doping scandals are indeed a great threat to the careers of our future athletes because there will be more persons eagerly waiting for us to be ‘caught’. Our athletes will also come under more scrutiny with an increase in drug tests.

Alexei DaCosta

It will definitely tarnish the image of Jamaican athletes. No longer will persons think that the methods or diets of our athletes are fair and legal. The fact that both established and developing athletes have been implicated, hurts the image perceived on a global scale, and may prove a hindrance to future athletes obtaining scholarships and other opportunities.

Antonet Bell

Very big of a threat! Jamaican athletes are specially highlighted when it comes to track and field. With the current doping scandals going on, the credibility of the past, present and future athletes will be questioned. Of course, that is a big problem with us being the “sprinting capital” and more.

Mikhail Palmer

I believe it is an immense threat to our athletes. Like any other rumour, it can completely destroy their credibility and by extension, their reputation. Our athletes are exceptional, so drugs as a claim behind their greatness will be easily accepted by the masses and can ruin how our athletes are perceived locally and internationally.

Samantha Grierson

I personally think that it threatens the image of Jamaican athletes on the international stage, providing the sporting prowess Jamaica wields internationally. In addition, the recent cases of doping have put Jamaican track and field under a negative microscope and also put the athletes under immense pressure, particularly from the media.

Nicholas Martin