Whistle-blower claims she has been `blacklisted’ in Jamaica

LONDON, England (CMC) -The whistle-blower credited with exposing deficiencies in Jamaica’s dope testing says she has been branded a ‘Judas’ and a ‘traitor’ to her country and has been forced to relocate because of the backlash against her.

Renee-Anne Shirley claimed she has been “blacklisted” because of her actions, saying she is “ostracised in the eyes of the entirety of Jamaica”.
The former executive director of JADCO, the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission, last year disclosed that only a single out-of-competition test had been conducted between March and July before the London Olympics.
“It is with trepidation people come forward,” said Shirley, at the Tackling Doping in Sport conference at Wembley.
“It is the culture you are going against. If you heard the things that are said about me, the things that are written.”
Eight Jamaican athletes failed dope tests last year, including Asafa Powell, the former world record holder.
Powell and Sherone Simpson, an Olympic gold medal winner, both tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine and have been suspended.
They are still waiting to discover their punishments.
“Personal safety is something you can’t take lightly,” declared Shirley.
“I have come here without the blessing of my family – they are not pleased about me coming (to talk about the whistle-blowing). And there are other things that have happened to me personally.”
A delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) completed a second visit to Jamaica recently, following up on last year’s audit of their programme.
Both WADA and Shirley say they are encouraged by progress made since her revelations, which led to all 12 members of JADCO’S board resigning.
“They are almost starting from scratch,” Shirley said.
“You have a new board. All testing people are new. All educational people are new. I genuinely believe they are going to make an effort.”