JAMAICAN sprinter Sherone Simpson says she is confident going into next week’s hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) as she seeks a reduction of the 18-month suspension she is serving.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday in New York. “I am confident going into the hearing with CAS,” she told journalists on Sunday at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium, but said also, “It will be hard to trust unconditionally again”.

Both Simpson and former MVP training partner Asafa Powell had blamed Canadian trainer Chris Xureb for giving them the tainted stimulant in a supplement. “I am happy for the chance to run this weekend,” she also said, but added she was not happy with how she was treated by the Jamaican anti-drug agency.

Simpson and Powell both appealed their 18-month suspensions by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in April this year, and have consequently been granted a hearing. Both had returned positive tests for the banned stimulant oxilofrine at the National Senior Championships last year.

The JADCO ban was retroactive to June 2013 and would have expired in December this year. Additionally, both athletes were given a provisional lifting of their bans to compete at last weekend’s JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium.

While Simpson contested the women’s sprint double, Powell pulled out before the start of the event citing an illness, but is scheduled to run at an IAAF Diamond League event in France on Saturday.

Simpson was fourth in the 200m and failed to advance to the finals of the 100m after placing fourth in her semi-final heat, her first competitive event since testing positive.