KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Olympic 100m silver medallist Sherone Simpson was yesterday slapped with an 18-month suspension after testing positive for a banned stimulant.
A Jamaican anti-doping panel voted unanimously that Simpson was “negligent in all the circumstances”.Simpson, 29, said in January that a supplement provided by her Canadian trainer was responsible for the positive test.
Simpson, an Olympic 4x100m relay gold and silver medallist, and her training partner, former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell, tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine at last year’s national championships.
She had previously said that she researched the ‘Epiphany D1’ supplement for up to 14 hours online before taking it.
The Jamaican sprinter said nothing had “raised a red flag or an alarm bell” but acknowledged that she did not disclose the new supplement on doping control forms.
The 29-year-old was training in the United States and was not able to fly back in time for the hearing.
Simpson will miss the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July but will be eligible to compete in December 2014 as her suspension is calculated from the time she returned the positive test for oxilofrine at the Trials in June 2013.