Proverbs 21, verse 11 of the King James Authorized Version of The Bible, states: “When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise; and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.”
For the context of this article, it means that the average person learns from the misdeeds of others, and when one teaches the wise, he acquires knowledge.
The above passage was postulated to say that it is full-time professional athletes surround themselves with management teams – as a matter of course – to preside over all their needs while the pros direct their full attention on their field of endeavor.
To be more specific, many are alarmed by the recent news of another of our professional athletes being charged by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for a breach of its code.
It appears that sports in general, and track and field athletics, in particular, are replete with athletes erring by not engaging experts to help manage the various aspects of their professional careers.
The latest appears to be Mr. Christopher Taylor, a standout sprint athlete throughout his secondary school career at Calabar High School. He has been steadily rising the ladder and is poised to assume the mantle of being Jamaica’s leading quarter-miler.
He was a finalist (6th) in the 400m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games and 7th at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, last year.
Taylor was charged last week for evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection last November when he was on the island.
If found guilty, Taylor would breach the WADA Code Article 2.3, which states: “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection. The Evading Sample collection, or without compelling justification, refusing or failing to submit to Sample collection after notification as authorized in applicable anti-doping rules.”
Taylor, 23, faces a minimum two-year ban from the sport according to WADA)Anti-Doping Rule 10.3.1, and a maximum of four years.
“For violations of Article 2.3 or Article 2.5, the period of ineligibility shall be four years unless, in the case of failing to submit to Sample collection, the Athlete can establish that the commission of the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional (as defined in Article 10.2.3), in which case the period of ineligibility shall be two years,” the rule states.
Obviously, the case has not yet been heard, but there are unconfirmed reports that the athlete was contacted at home by anti-doping officials as he had indicated on his whereabouts form.
A sample was not provided, for whatever reason, and the athlete and the doping officials travelled to the Norman Manley International Airport from where he was booked to travel. Again, no sample was provided, and it is understood that the doping officials made a copy of his boarding pass to confirm that he was indeed scheduled to travel.
Again, it is unclear if he travelled with the blessing of the doping control officers, or of his own volition.
But being au fait with the anti-doping regulations is crucial for any professional athlete and Taylor is no different. Furthermore, ignorance, it is often said, is no excuse.
And that is why it is so important for professional athletes to arm themselves with expertise to help them navigate the minefields of pro sports.
Indeed, it was only the month before Taylor’s incident with the anti-doping officials that another Jamaican professional athlete, cricketer John Campbell, was suspended for four years for a similar anti-doping violation. And there are many others before who would have run afoul of the WADA Codes because of simple errors in judgement on their part.
It is almost certain that on reflection Taylor would have delayed his travel plans to meet the requirements of the doping officers at the airport, rather than risk being suspended for between two and four years.
Clearly, that can’t be up for debate.
This breach has the possibility of being career-changing, at the least, or even career-ending, as four years can be a very long time. It could have been avoided if the athlete had been fully cognizant of the WADA Codes and their repercussions.
The proverb, “It’s better to be safe than sorry” aptly describes this scenario. Also, it is better to incur the added expenses of constructing a proper management team to help athletes navigate the minefields of professional sport than to fall prey to the same and lose out on everything.
Best wishes to Christopher Taylor as the Athletics Integrity Unit takes charge of his case. However, for the umpteenth time, other athletes should take stock of what happened and learn from it.
One does not have to personally experience the ills of life to learn from them.
