KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Lawyers representing West Indies batsman, John Campbell, say the cricketer will make a decision soon on whether to appeal a four-year ban imposed by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) for an anti-doping violation.
Jamaican law firm, Nunes Scholefield Deleon & Co, said in a statement that it was “very disappointed” with the ruling of JADCO’s three-member independent disciplinary panel.
The 29-year-old Campbell, who has played 20 Tests, six ODIs and two T20Is for West Indies, had been accused by JADCO of “evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection,” based on his refusal to provide a blood sample at his home in Kingston in April.
“We have read the written decision of the disciplinary panel and believe that there are legitimate grounds for an appeal concerning whether the necessary ingredients to sustain the alleged anti-doping rule violation were proved before the panel, particularly as it relates to the notification requirements,” the lawyers for the Jamaican said.
“Mr. Campbell’s position was that he was not properly notified by JADCO. There were several breaches by JADCO of the mandatory International Standards for Testing and Investigations in respect of the notification of the athlete which, in our view, were not adequately addressed by the panel.”
Additionally, the legal team said, there were several mitigating factors supported by evidence that were not challenged by JADCO and which ought to have militated against the imposition of the maximum penalty, even if the panel found that the athlete committed a violation.
“It does not appear from the written decision that these factors in mitigation were adequately considered by the panel. Our client will therefore at this time consider exercising his right of appeal after further consultation with his legal team and will make a decision shortly,” Nunes Scholefield Deleon & Co said.
The statement from the lawyers insisted that Campbell has been a clean athlete throughout his career as a batsman and remained committed to clean sport.
They emphasized that the allegation against their client was not one relating to an adverse analytical finding for banned substances, but the allegation that he refused or failed to submit to sample collection after proper notification pursuant to the JADCO Anti-Doping Rules.
“Our client has, to date, never returned an adverse analytical finding for banned substances,” the law firm stressed.
The ban imposed on Campbell on October 7 has been backdated to start from May 10, the date of the notification of the violation.