Athlete on National Team fails drug test

Patrick Henry

A Belizean athlete failed an anti-doping test by the Central American Regional Anti-Doping Organization in February of this year. Kleon Coleman of the Belize National Volleyball Team tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide and metabolite chloraminophenamide. As a result, Coleman, along with his doctor and representative, attended a hearing in April. A decision from the Central American Results Management Committee concluded that Coleman would be suspended for three months, effective February seventeenth. News Five spoke to the Director of the National Anti-Doping Organization of Belize.

Patrick Henry, Director, National Anti-Doping Organization of Belize

“A Belizean athlete tested positive in the out of competition anti-doping test that was carried out in February of this year.”

Jose Sanchez

“Now the substances that the young man, Kleon, was found with; could he have taken them by mistake? Are they found in a medication?”

Patrick Henry

“Actually, he was using both as prescription drugs by his medical practitioner. Unfortunately, he did not fulfill the TOE Requirements which is the Therapeutic Use Exemption Form and it was actually the out of competition test which means it was unannounced which means that none of the athletes in this country were aware that they would have been tested in the out of competition tests. The national federations—the five major national federations—were informed that the out of competition drug tests would have taken place, but the athletes were not told.”

Jose Sanchez

“Now but the substances you said could have been used. If he filled out that form, he would have been spared the embarrassment. Would it have affected him in any way?”

Patrick Henry

“Then the TOE committee and Belize is a part of the Central American Regional Anti-Doping organization and there is a committee that consists of a doctor from each of the seven Central American countries that suits on that committee and the case file would have been presented to the chairperson of the TOE committee and then there would have been no sanction because if it was for valid medical reason, then they would have been granted the TOE.”

Jose Sanchez

“Clearly, he has been given a three month suspension and some embarrassment, but does it affect him long term in terms of competition?”

Patrick Henry

“Not as far as I am aware of.”

Belize since 2011 ratified UNESCO’s convention on anti-doping on sports.  Belize has no certified water labs so the tests were sent to Montreal, Canada where the analytical part of the test was carried out. Samples from five athletes were sent; however, Coleman’s tests were the only ones that proved positive for banned substances.