By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

July 12 - The Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) has dissolved its Board of directors after a review found potential conflict of interests, which it is claimed are not linked the recent positive test involving Olympic and world 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (pictured).



Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President Mike Fennell revealed that all 15 members - some of them who hold high-powered international positions - had their contracts terminated by the country's Sports Minister, Olivia Grange.

"The Minister just said that based on the review that was done by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), she would like to restructure the board and therefore, she was asking everybody to resign and then she would reappoint those that they wanted to reappoint," he said.

The timing of the announcement is unfortunate because it comes less than a week after it emerged that Fraser had been provisionally suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last week for use of a painkiller she claimed she took to alleviate a toothache.

But Fennell claimed that the two events were unconnected.

Members of WADA visited the Caribbean island in May on the invitation of Grange to conduct an audit of the two-year-old anti-doping body.

During the visit, WADA's director general David Howman, who led the delegation, raised the issue of conflict of interest, as there were members of the Board also heading national governing bodies.

Among those who doubts were expressed about were Howard Aris (pictured with Usain Bolt), the President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association.

Another singled out was Paul Campbell, President of the Jamaica Cricket Association.

"If you're creating a perception which is not helping the organisation you're working for, pull out," said Howman.

"That's a decision that I think needs to be taken pretty carefully in the way forward here in Jamaica, and I'm sure they will do that."

Other members of the JADCO Board forced to resign include Dr Herb Elliott, a member of the IAAF Medical and Anti-Doping Commission; Molly Rhone, President of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA); and Neville McCook, a member of the IAAF's ruling Council since 1999.

"This is to facilitate a restructuring of the organisation," Fennell said.

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