Jamaican Sprinters’ Hotel Room Raided For Drugs

Police in Italy have raided the hotel rooms of Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson for drugs.

This follows the fact that both of the athletes tested positive for banned and illegal substances. Canadian trainer and coach, Christopher Xuereb’s room was also raided by the police and after the search various drugs and muscle stimulants were seized.

The Associated Press reports that local police captain Antonio Pisapia said it has not yet been confirmed if the drugs seized are in fact illegal, this is to be confirmed following lab analysis:

“We are examining the substances now. No arrests have been made and nobody has been placed under investigation.”

Back in June of this year Powell and Simpson tested positive for an illegal drug, along with team-mate and record holder Allison Randall, who throws discus. In a statement Randall said she was “shocked and surprised” by the recent results and looked forward to clearing her name.

On the same day of the Jamaican sprinters hotel raid, America’s Tyson Gay, who is also a 100 meter record holder, came out and admitted that he had also tested positive in recent dope test.

Asafa, aged 31, specializes in the 100 meter sprint, which he held the world record for between 2005-2008. His team-mate Simpson was an Olympic gold winner in 2004 in the woman’s 4×100 relay.

The Italian authorities confirmed that the process of testing for the suspected athletes was under-way, but that none of them, as yet have tested positive for illegal substances.

What do you think about the latest Jamaican sprinters doping scandal? do you feel that sports, in general, are so competitive these days that athletes feel compelled to dope in order to improve performance? Or is there never an excuse for using illegal and banned substances? Sound off in the comments below.