GFF institutes random drug testing
-amidst allegations of widespread marijuana use by footballers
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
January 12, 2003
The Guyana Football Federation has appointed a three-man Sports Medicine and Anti-Doping Committee as the organisation prepares to read the riot act to delinquent players who dabble in drug use.
The three-man Committee which is expected to assist in stamping out the use of illegal drugs in the sport will have its first meeting next week to plan its strategy for the remainder of 2003.
General Secretary of the GFF George Rutherford made the disclosure yesterday and warned that not only players but also officials could find themselves under the scrutiny of the committee.
The committee comprises Doctors Monica Benn, Joseph Haynes and Emanuell Cummings. Rutherford said that random testing will be done by the committee as is stipulated by the laws of FIFA.
The tests will be performed on players selected to represent Guyana and members of first division clubs who play in competitions sanctioned by the GFF.
“We have entered into an agreement with one of the local laboratories to help us to expedite analyses of tests and production of swift results,” the general secretary stated.
He assured that the programme would be carried out in accordance with the laws of FIFA. FIFA’s rules state that refusal to undergo a doping test or any attempt to manipulate same shall be considered the same as a positive test.
The governing body also has the exclusive right to publish the test results and the consequences thereof. These and other regulations were adopted by the FIFA Executive Committee at its meeting on December 7, 1996 and amended by the Executive Committee meeting held in Zurich in March of 2002.
The GFF will invest a ‘sizeable’ sum to facilitate the programme but Rutherford was adamant that Anti- Doping is a step in the right direction.
“What it says is that we are trying to ensure that the game is played within the rules of FIFA requirements. There will come a time when there is random drug test being done at regional tournaments. What we are doing is putting our house in order,” Rutherford stated.
The first set of testing should be done within the first four months of 2003 the general secretary said.
This will bring the yet to be selected national Under-23 squad, which will prepare for the Olympic Qualifiers, under scrutiny.
“What needs to be known is that even officials will be tested. We would rigidly enforce the penalties stipulated in the FIFA regulations once a player or official is found guilty,” the general secretary stressed.
In the past athletes in Guyana have competed locally without having to bother about being tested for drugs.
Meanwhile, one football source disclosed that marijuana is widely used among local footballers.
The source claimed that several players `binge’ on the drug before club matches.
He warned that with the appointment of the Anti Doping Committee many prominent players could find themselves off national teams.
“I think that many players think that it is no big deal to take a drag before a game. Some of the older players influence the younger ones and a culture is created,” the source said.
Since marijuana can be detected in the 30 days after substantial usage, the source said that players have some time to get their act together before the first set of testing takes place.
