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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
FOLLOWING revelations of long-distance runner Munyaradzi Jari testing positive for a banned substance recently, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president Tendai Tagara has said he stood guided by World Athletics and World Anti-Doping Agency on the matter.
Jari, a seasoned long-distance runner, tested positive for Drostanolone (M1), which is on the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.
He was tested after winning the Diacore Gaborone International Marathon in Gaborone, Botswana, on June 5.
The Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) confirmed the sad development to The Herald on Tuesday.
The seasoned runner has been notified and is currently on provisional suspension.
Jari is facing a ban of not less than two years.
Speaking to The Herald, Tagara said they can only comment when the final decision is made.
“I am guided by WA (World Athletics) and WADA. I can only comment when a position and all steps (are) done. That’s why I am not even commenting,” said Tagara.
Jari won the Diacore Gaborone International Marathon in a time of 2 hours 16 minutes 9 seconds and was hoping to compete at the Cape Town Marathon in October, among other races.
But with this case now, the Zimbabwean runner is likely to miss out for quite some time.
According to Board member representing Zimbabwe on the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation and Chair of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation, Nicholas Munyonga, the provisional suspension allows the result management processes to take place.
“I think for starters, you will find that a provisional suspension is there to allow processes to take place, which are what we call the result management processes.
“And result management processes help in terms of making sure that all things have been looked at in terms of the athletes’ own submission, the disciplinary or the result management committee’s submission. They are all looked at to come to a dissemination.
“I don’t want to speak more in terms of the actual substance that we found and what that means but when the result management process is complete it will then give us the actual sentence.
“In this case there is a likelihood that the athlete will definitely be suspended for a period and that period will take consideration of the provisional suspension. So when the determination is made it will take into account the provisional suspension period that the athlete would have served.
“Depending on the suspension, there are only two periods that are now coming through. One is a period of two years and a period of four years depending on the substance.
“So from that perspective you will see that the athlete definitely will not escape those two when all things have been looked at. So I think we are looking at that length,” said Munyonga.
While anti-doping education and awareness programmes are carried out, led by the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, it remains the athletes’ responsibility to ensure they are not found on the wrong side of the rules and regulations.
Jari has represented the country at international level and was one of the athletes earmarked for qualification to the World Athletics Championships currently taking place in Eugene, Oregon, United States, but he missed the qualifying time.
It was the same story last year as he also failed to make the grade for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa