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• Attorneys clash over virtual hearing decision in Julian Morrison doping case

  The legal battle surrounding Jamaican squash player Julian Morrison has taken a contentious turn as his attorneys, Matthew Gayle and Dr. Emir Crowne of New City Chambers, are at odds with the Independent Anti-Doping Panel (IADP) over its decision to hold the upcoming hearing virtually. The dispute arose after Morrison’s legal team, who had planned to attend the hearing in person, was informed at the last minute that the proceedings set for September 3 and 4, would be conducted via Zoom.

  Morrison, who was provisionally suspended by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in April after testing positive for trace amounts of the banned anabolic agent Boldenone, has been eagerly awaiting the chance to clear his name. His legal team has argued that Morrison unknowingly ingested the substance and is determined to prove his innocence.

  Matthew Gayle expressed his frustration with the IADP’s unilateral decision to conduct the hearing virtually, especially given the substantial expenses incurred by the athlete for his legal team to travel to Jamaica.

  “My personal opinion is that the unilateral decision by the Independent Panel to hold this hearing, a substantive hearing by virtual means, made at the 11th hour, and without any consultation with the parties, offends every sense of justice of the matter," Gayle said. "In particular, Dr. Crowne and I indicated that we were in the midst of making travel arrangements some two weeks ago, and this was communicated to the panel."

  He continued, “Since then, the athlete has expended significant funds for us to travel to Jamaica in order to represent him in person, only to find out less than a week before we travel that the hearing is to be held by Zoom. This is in the context of there has been very little, if any, movement in bringing this matter to a head since April. It reeks of bureaucratic inefficiency. I just hope that the athlete is able to get a fair hearing. At the end of the day, this athlete has been on provisional suspension for a significant period, and the case is yet to be heard, yet to be proven.”

  The situation escalated further when Sportsmax.TV obtained copies of the correspondence between Morrison’s representatives and Christine Minto, chairperson of the IADP. In the emails, Morrison’s legal team expressed their surprise and disappointment at the decision to hold the hearing virtually, especially after making it clear on multiple occasions that they intended to be present in Jamaica for the hearing.

  “We are very surprised to learn that the choice of online forum for the hearing is on account of the athlete's representatives living/working out of the country. The experts appearing virtually is also a surprising rationale, since by that account there would rarely be an in-person hearing," the correspondence read.

  The attorneys emphasized that their plans to attend in person had been communicated clearly, both verbally and in writing, yet the decision to go virtual was made without their input.

   In response, Minto defended the Panel’s decision, stating that the hearing had been conducted virtually from the start and that it should not have been unexpected that it would continue in the same manner. She pointed out that the athlete’s representatives did not specifically request an in-person hearing early enough and suggested that their decision to book accommodations in Jamaica was based on their preference to be in the same room as their client during the virtual hearing.

  “This matter has been conducted virtually since the commencement of the hearing process. We have had at least four hearing dates so far, virtually. Therefore, it ought not to have taken anyone by surprise that the hearing will be continuing and concluding virtually," Minto explained.

  She added, "A specific application ought to have been made for an in-person hearing by the athlete. Perhaps at the same time, as the application for a public hearing. It was certainly neither clear to us nor unequivocal that the athlete desired an in-person hearing. Further, the importance of the athlete’s evidence is not diminished or undermined if it is taken virtually.”

  As the dispute over the hearing format continues, the focus remains on ensuring that Julian Morrison receives a fair trial and that the case, which has been pending for several months, reaches a timely conclusion.

   

   

• British and Irish authorities announce anti-doping initiative

  Governing bodies in Britain and Ireland have pledged to pull together to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy on doping in horseracing.

  The British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board will combine resources to formally continue stepping up levels of out of competition testing across both jurisdictions.

  To kick off the new anti-doping and medication control initiative, almost 250 samples were taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the Cheltenham Festival in an operation across 14 training premises in Ireland.

  While any tests will be subject to individual IHRB or BHA protocols relating to the relevant region they are taken in, there will be a transparent exchange of any adverse results or findings that arise.

  All samples will be tested by LGC Laboratory, one of six laboratories worldwide which is recognised as a referenced laboratory by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.

  BHA director of equine regulation, safety and welfare James Given said: “The BHA welcomes the collaboration with the IHRB to demonstrate to stakeholders and the public that horses running from either side of the Irish sea in each other’s races do so under the same level of scrutiny.

  “Not only will our Medication Control and Anti-Doping (MCAD) team have access to more information about visiting horses, but there will be opportunities for our wider team to share ideas and best practice in other areas of our work.

  “Like the IHRB, this is aligned with our aims around international collaboration, the response to racecourse accidents and the overall improvement of equine safety and welfare.”

  IHRB chief veterinary officer Dr Lynn Hillyer commented: “The IHRB Strategy 2024-2027 commits us to close engagement with international horseracing bodies and benchmarking ourselves against best international practice.

  “This new venture shows stakeholders and the racing public that we collaborate as professionals across both sides of the Irish Sea, sharing best practice and resources and demonstrating equally stringent regulatory processes and standards to the extent that our anti-doping and medication control programmes are interoperable.

  “We are delighted to be collaborating with our BHA colleagues in this way and see it as a positive step forward that reinforces the point that there is no room for anything other than the highest standards of integrity and welfare in either jurisdiction.”

• Anthony Joshua calls for doping to be tackled at the root in boxing

  Anthony Joshua has acknowledged there is a doping problem in boxing but is unsure whether longer bans are the best solution for a cleaner sport.

  Joshua was set to fight old rival Dillian Whyte at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, but Whyte had to be pulled from the bout after “adverse analytical findings” were discovered in his doping test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) and he now aims to prove his innocence.

  It saw 39-year-old Robert Helenius drafted in as a last-minute opponent but the elephant in the room for Joshua’s latest fight week is the worrying trend of positive tests in the sport.

  During the past 18 months British duo Amir Khan and Conor Benn have failed drugs test and while Benn’s suspension was lifted last month, pending an appeal by UK Anti-Doping, it adds to the long list of boxers to fail tests with Tyson Fury and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvaraz previously serving suspensions.

  Joshua reflected on the darker side of the sport ahead of this weekend’s fight with Helenius and says targeting local gyms would help get to the root of the problem.

  “There is a doping problem in the sport, definitely,” Joshua said.

  “I can’t speak on the numbers, I don’t really mix inside the boxing industry. I don’t know but it’s a problem.

  “Am I surprised? It happens in boxing. It’s not the first and won’t be the last, so no, I was not surprised to be honest.

  “It is a dangerous sport but I am not disgusted. Boxing is not an institution where you join a club and everything is presented to you, these guys go to local gyms and they are around people who might be doing dodgy stuff so you have to be very, very responsible.

  “I hope it is a mistake (for Whyte) but it shows why I have to invest in these tests and the team have now got Helenius tested because it is important because this stuff happens.

  “It doesn’t fill me with anger, no, but it’s not good. I don’t think we just need longer bans, I think we need to look at it at the root.

  “I don’t know the solution but I always mind my Ps and Qs because I don’t want my reputation damaged.”

  Joshua is no stranger to seeing his opponent embroiled in a doping storm after Jarrell Miller failed a test ahead of their planned 2019 fight, which subsequently saw Andy Ruiz Jr given a chance and produce a huge shock victory at Madison Square Gardens to become world champion.

  Miller would later serve a suspension and test positive again a year later but it has not stopped him accusing Joshua of doping.

  Brixton boxer Whyte, meanwhile, has already served a two-year doping ban in 2012 and yet has taken aim at his British rival in the past with accusations of Joshua being “the Lance Armstrong of boxing” in 2019.

  Joshua questioned: “How can people get away with doping if you are getting random drug tests?

  “I get drug-tested all year round. Every quarter I have to submit my whereabouts, where I am going to be, every day, for every hour of the day so they can turn up randomly.

  “I have submitted that every day of my life since 2011. So, I don’t know why I am under this pressure but all these other boxers aren’t?

  “When you sign up to a promoter, they should all have that in the deal. It damages the sport. Look where we are at with this situation, we lost the fight and nearly lost the card because of this situation.

  “I have a long history of being drug-tested and sometimes you have to question the person who keeps pointing the finger.

  “It’s funny that the two people who have accused me have popped dirty themselves.

  “Maybe they did it because of my physique or my success, my rise. It maybe didn’t make sense to them but it’s God-gifted and a lot of hard work.”

  Joshua first found out about Whyte’s failed test on Saturday morning and despite wanting to fight at O2 Arena, he would never have stepped in the ring with the south Londoner after learning of his test results.

  “I don’t know what Dillian supposedly took,” Joshua said.

  “(But) I wouldn’t fight him on drugs, no way. It’s not right, it’s not morally right.

  “I was drug-tested in our previous fight, I have been drug-tested since 2011, I don’t know if he was on drugs when he boxed before, but I won.”