Windhoek
The dust refuses to settle in the aftermath of the deliberately half-hearted disclosure of Harry Simon’s doping scandal as boxing officials struggle to keep the lid on the boiling pot of this unfolding debacle.
New Era Sport is in possession of a leaked letter addressed to the Namibia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (NPBWCB), dated the 16th of this month and duly signed by the president of the Namibia Olympic Committee (NNCO) Abner Xoagub, under the headline: Result Management of Doping Test – Harry Simon, September 2013.
Xoagub wrote to inform the boxing control body that NNOC has finally received feedback on the issue raised by NPBWCB, supported by the NNOC as the local anti-doping organization.
According to the analytical test report on urine, A-sample analysis, the beginning of the analysis was only completed on March 26, 2014 (six months after the incident) following the submission of the A and B samples to the laboratory.
In an effort to clear the air, the Olympic movement distanced itself from any blame, insisting it was agreed by both parties, NNOC and NPBWCB, that the latter initiated and directed the sample collection process in line with article 5.2.6 of the world anti-doping code of 2015.
In the meantime, NPBWCB expressed serious concerns with the time-lapse issue and sought to know, in addition, the credibility and validity of the A-sample collection analysis after the lapse of six months.
However, the general manager of the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport, Fahmy Galant, is having none of that.
“If there was an AAF with regard to an athlete then one should proceed with the matter because the statute of limitation is 10 years after the event in question, according to article 17 of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) code,” charges Galant.
Galant adds that the only exception would be if it were impossible to obtain the confirmatory B-analysis, however there should still be enough evidence to continue with an alleged use of ADRV, though code 10.8 allows for some leeway, when considering disqualifying all other competitive results subsequent to sample collection, into fairness in cases of substantive delays.
Xoagub says the dominant view is that there’s no justification for more delays. He bluntly directed the boxing control body to get their ducks in the row and without further delay proceed with the result management.
“We have decided to follow the directives to proceed with the result management. Failure to finalize the result management will render Namibia non-compliant with the WADA code and subsequent disqualification.”
The Namibian professional boxing authorities have been given 10 working days as of the 16th of this month to finalize the process or face the consequences.