President of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee, Brian Lewis is intent on continuing the nationwide fight against doping, which has once again reared its ugly head.
Speaking to the sport administrator yesterday, Lewis is keen on promoting a well-educated sporting culture among all our local athletes and their respective managerial and coaching staff. With the most recent failed drug tests incriminating world renowned athletes Tyson Gay (USA), Asafa Powell (Jamaica), Sherone Simpson (Jamaica) and Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica), their future in the sport is unclear.
“With reference to the Anti-Doping Sport Act here in Trinidad and Tobago, I am advised that it is now law. It will definitely strengthen the infrastructure from a legislative standpoint. What is required now however, is the implementation of the NADO (National Anti-Doping Organisation) and the disciplinary committee which comes under the Act,” he explained.
When asked as to what may be some of the future strategies to be undertaken by the TTOC and other national sporting organisations to educate our athletes, Lewis revealed that he is currently in talks with the Ministry of Sport and several other local sporting firms to establish new avenues of anti-doping awareness.
“We are expectant that anti-doping awareness and implementation will find a place in the coming budget. The reality of this is that we must set guidelines and raise the public’s awareness, so that both athletes and coaches are well-informed on these worldwide developments,” he added.