IN JAMAICA: ASAFA POWELL BANNED for 18 months says it's 'unfair and unjust'......I took a legal supplement—Ephiphany D1. As it turns out, that supplement was contaminated with oxilofrine.

Thursday, April 10, 2014 | 11:57 AM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Asafa Powell on Thursday said that the 18-month suspension handed down by the Jamaica Anti Doping Commission’s (JADCO) disciplinary panel exploring the circumstances under which his samples tested positive "is not only unfair, it is patently unjust".

A statement on his website iamasafapowell.com reads:

Asafa Powell, banned for 18 months

A short while ago, the independent disciplinary panel exploring the circumstances under which my samples tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine handed down a sanction. I will confirm that the panel handed down an 18-month suspension.

This ruling is not only unfair, it is patently unjust. Panels such as these, I understood, were assembled to allow athletes who, consciously or unconsciously come into conflict with the rules of sport, a chance at equitable redemption. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

As an athlete, I took a legal supplement—Ephiphany D1. As it turns out, that supplement was contaminated with oxilofrine. My team commissioned two private laboratories that confirmed that oxilofrine was present in the supplements, despite it not being listed as an ingredient on the bottle nor on its website. I would also like to share that upon realizing that the supplement contained oxilofrine my team made contact with both The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) who not only ordered samples of the supplement from the manufacturer, but also tested and confirmed our findings. The USADA has also since issued a warning on their website for athletes to avoid the product as it contains banned substances. more