John Campbell doping violation hearing adjourned until August 2
THE disciplinary hearing to determine whether Jamaica and West Indies cricketer John Campbell violated the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) whereabouts rule has been adjourned until Tuesday, August 2, 2022.
At a preliminary hearing on July 6 a disciplinary hearing date had been set for the morning of Tuesday, July 19. But on Tuesday the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) issued a release stating that the hearing has been adjourned until two weeks’ time by the Kent Gammon-chaired independent anti-doping disciplinary panel.
The WIPA statement did not indicate if details of the allegation or any evidence were presented at Tuesday’s hearing, which the Jamaica Observer has learnt was carried out via Internet stream behind closed doors.
The Jamaican opening batsman is represented by attorneys-at-law Ayana Thomas and Mark-Paul Cowan of Nunes, Scholefield, DeLeon & Co.
In an Observer story published July 7, 2022, Courtney Francis, the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) chief executive officer, had labeled the 28-year-old batsman’s plight as “unfortunate” but he declined to provide any detailed comment regarding the Jamaica Anti-Doping Agency’s (JADCO’s) allegation.
“We, at the JCA, are waiting to see the outcome of the disciplinary hearing and all the evidence that we expect to be presented… and then we can go public, if so required,” he had said, while confirming the JCA had been in contact with representatives from JADCO, WIPA, and regional governing body Cricket West Indies.
The WADA whereabouts rule states that athletes must make themselves available to drug testers for one hour each day, between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm, 90 days in advance, for out-of-competition testing.
An athlete can be deemed in violation of the rule for failing to file his/her whereabouts on three occasions in a 12-month period.
If found guilty an athlete could be banned for up to two years.
In 2017 West Indies star all-rounder Andre Russell was banned for one year after he was found guilty of a whereabouts violation.
Campbell, a standout batsman as a national youth player, transitioned to the senior team, making his first class début for Jamaica against Guyana in 2014. He averages 30.41 in first class cricket.
The left-handed opener played his first Test for the West Indies in 2019 and, after 20 matches, he averages 26.11 with three half-centuries. In last month’s two-Test series victory over Bangladesh the Jamaican showed signs of coming to grips with international cricket, averaging 68 with a best of 58 not out.
In six One-Day Internationals for the West Indies, Campbell averages 49.6 with a best of 179 against Ireland.
— Sanjay Myers