Cudjoe says TT cyclists deserve due process
MINISTER of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe said the Ministry is waiting for the judicial process to unfold before making a statement on the situation in which TT was stripped of two cycling medals after doping was discovered at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
On Thursday, Panam Sports showed the TT men’s sprint team of Njisane Phillip, Nicholas Paul and Keron Bramble were removed as team sprint winners on the updated results list.
The results also showed one of the TT cyclists was removed from his podium finish in the men’s individual sprint. Paul’s individual sprint gold in the all-TT final remains intact. Attorney Tyrone Marcus is representing one of the TT cyclists, wish he did not wish to name.
Cudjoe said, “At this point in time, I know that the process taking place, there is a legal process that is taking place so I am not in a position to comment. I think everybody deserves due process and I think we need to let that time pass...I had the opportunity to chat with the chairman of SporTT, I am with Brian Lewis at TTOC. As you may know right now there is not much that we can say based on where the process is so we just have to allow the time to pass and allow due process because everybody deserves due process.”
In its statement, Panam Sports declared 15 positive doping cases, emerging from a total of 1,905 samples taken (1,652 urine and 253 blood) from athletes during the July 26 to August 11 Games.
The Panam Sports statement read, “After a long and thorough process analysing the doping cases discovered at Lima 2019, the Panam Sports Executive Committee approved the decisions and disqualifications proposed by the Disciplinary Commission, leading to a series of changes in the medal table of the Games held in July and August. These decisions were taken at the recent Executive Committee meeting in Fort Lauderdale, United States.”