January 2, 2020

Negative Narrative takes a toll on Team TTO

By Newsroom

The prohibited substance which led to  Team TTO cyclists being stripped of two medals  from the PanAm Games in Lima, Peru, has not yet been identified because of “confidentiality provisions.”

But Tyrone Marcus, attorney for the team, in his latest statement on Thursday is insisting that the intention was definitely not cheating.

“In light of this persistent negative narrative, I am compelled to inform the national community that the prohibited substance in question, according to  the World Anti Doping Code, is described as a substance which is “more likely to have been consumed by an Athlete for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance.

“In other words, no member of the team tested positive for an anabolic steroid, masking agent, or any other substance that may suggest an intention to cheat or to gain an unfair competitive advantage over his competitors,” Marcus said.

“Further to my media release of December 27, 2019, I am hereby providing a further update, following the Pan Am Sports’ December 26, 2019 media release, in which they stated that Trinidad and Tobago had been stripped of two medals won at the 2019 Pan Am Games.

“This case has been, and continues to be, the subject of an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and is, therefore, an active legal matter,’  he stated.

“Pan Am Sports’ premature disclosure has created increasing negative speculation regarding the integrity of the local cycling programme. This speculation has taken a toll on each member of the team, the team’s coach, the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation and the local sporting industry as a whole.

“The applicable confidentiality provisions prohibit me from saying anything more than this, but as alluded to earlier, this release has become necessary due to the unfortunate growing speculation regarding the team, the cycling programme, the persons associated with it, and the potential such unfounded speculation has for the tarnishing of their good name and reputation.

“The current legal procedure must run its course and so no further comment will be made until the process so permits,” J. Tyrone Marcus said.

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