The announcement of the T&T team for the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar brought on mixed emotions, excitement with the prospect that two of the four members of the champion 4x400 metres men's team will be back to defend their relay title and despair that star women's sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye was left out after being suspended.
On Thursday, a tweet was posted stating that the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) confirmed a provisional suspension against the national women's sprint champion for a violation of the IAAF anti-doping rules.
In a release also on Thursday, the National Association of Athletics Administration of T&T (NAAATT) confirmed as much saying: "NAAATT has been advised that in accordance with Article 7.6 of the IAAF’s Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is satisfied that Michelle-Lee Ahye has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and has issued a Notice of Charge in accordance with Article 8 ADR.
"She was thereby charged with committing the following anti-doping rule violation (the “Charge”): A combination of three missed tests and/or filing failures, as defined in the International Standard for Testing and Investigations, within the 12-month period beginning on June 23, 2018, specifically for (i) a Missed Test dated June 23, 2018, (ii) a missed test dated February 23, 2019 and (iii) a missed test dated April 19, 2019.
"She was provisionally suspended from the date of the notice: August 30, 2019. NAAATT notes that there were no adverse analytic findings, meaning no positive tests were recorded for any substances or methods as per the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list 2019. Michelle-Lee has been charged with missing three tests and or filing failures within 12 months.
"Michelle-Lee has been allowed to defend this charge."
This means that T&T's women's relay team will be led by former national sprint champion Kelly Ann Baptiste and will be made up with the likes of Semoy Hackett, Kamaria Durant, Reyare Thomas and Mauricia Prieto.
Returning with the hope of repeating as champion are Jereem Richards and Machel Cedenio with the rest of the team including Deon Lendore, Onal Mitchell, Asa Guevera and Darren Alfred.
Two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott will once again chase success in the men's javelin event while Andwuelle Wright will compete in the men's long jump. Portious Warren is the lone women's athlete out on the field in the shot put.
The team will depart for a training camp in Doha on September 18, which runs till the start of the Championships on September 27 and ends October 6.
<TTOC pres speaks out>
According to the release, the association has been working alongside the anti-doping unit to clear up the matter.
It said: "NAAATT is committed to ensuring a clean sport and has been assisting the AIU in the conduct of its activities. Several of our senior athletes, including Michelle-Lee, were tested before and during the recent National Open Championships.
"The association will continue to work with its athletes and the various regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with all anti-doping rules and regulations."
T&T Olympic Committee president Brian Lewis refused to condemn 27-year-old Ahye, who sprinted to Commonwealth gold last year.
"People are always so quick to rush to judgement and jump to conclusions. The due process must take place The whole issue of whereabouts sometimes can be (an) administrative hiccup, it is serious but generally and usually its really about the athlete's support team helping and assisting the athlete to make sure that their whereabouts process is updated and that specific attention is paid to it.
From the TTOC perspective I think it is very important that the Olympic Committee continues and deepens and intensifies its education and awareness process, to make sure that our athletes, Team TTO athletes, are fully aware of the required processes, the importance of ensuring the processes such as the whereabouts forms and stuff that your agent and managers and whoever is your support team that they pay particular attention
So, due process will take its course in this case and as always I remain confident and I know our athletes take very seriously their obligation to clean sport and to, ensuring that they comply with all the requirements of WADA (World Anti-Doping) code."
T&T TEAM
Men: Keshorn Walcott (javelin), Kyle Greaux (200m); Jereem Richards (200, 4x400m relay), Darren Alfred (4x400m relay), Deon Lendore (4x400m relay), Onal Mitchell (4x400m relay), Asa Guevera (4x400m relay), Andwuelle Wright (long jump), Machel Cedenio (400m, 4x400m relay)
Women: Kamaria Durant (200m, 4x100m relay), Kelly Ann Baptiste (100m, 4x100m), Mauricia Prieto (200m, 4x100m relay), Reyare Thomas (4x100m relay), Semoy Hackett (4x100m relay), Portious Warren (shot put).
Management team
Dexter Voisin (team manager), Wendell Williams (coach long jump), Ian Carter (coach sprints and relays), Ismael Lopez (coach throws), Charles Joseph (coach sprints and relays), Dr Anyl Gopeesingh (team doctor), Anthony Walcott (medical), Nicole Fuentes (medical)