Local coach wants more testing of junior athletes

A local high school coach wants more testing of junior athletes to help maintain Jamaica's reputation as a clean athletic powerhouse.

But the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) says testing won't solve the problem.

Ransom Edwards is among the coaches calling for tests to be conducted.

“The pressure is intense and at times people crack under the pressure. Coaches crack under the pressure, athletes crack under the pressure. At the moment I think there are drug users among us and they should be tested at this level,” Edwards said.

However, JADCO, through communications director Garfield Ellis, say their emphasis is on educating young athletes so they can make the right choices.

“Our testing agenda is not something I cannot tell you about because not even I know it…testing is not what is going to beat doping in sports, what is going to beat doping in sports is an anti-doping culture among athletes and that is what we are concentrating on mainly in the high schools,” Ellis said.