Simpson plans to appeal

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC-Olympic 100m silver medallist Sherone Simpson plans to appeal an 18 month suspension for a drug test she failed last year.

An independent disciplinary panel suspended Simpson until December 20 this year after she tested positive for the stimulant Oxilofrine at the Jamaican National Championships last June.

The three man panel unanimously agreed that the athlete had been grossly negligent in all circumstances and was being punished accordingly.

But Simpson’s agent, Paul Doyle, has dismissed the ruling as unfair to her.

“We are disappointed at the ruling. We think it is unjust and we will be appealing,” Doyle told The Gleaner.

He said an appeal would be filed immediately.

The ban will run from June 21, 2013 to December 20, 2014, which means Simpson will miss all of the 2014 season  including the inaugural World Relay Championships in May and the Commonwealth Games in late July.

“We are happy that the period of ineligibility started from the sample collection period,” Simpson Attorney Kwame Gordon said.

“So she would have served most of her sanction already, but we will have to get instructions from her going forward.”