Discus Thrower Smikle gets two year ban

Discus Thrower Smikle gets two year ban!

Written by Oshae Hudson

Photo:Travis Smikle

World Youth Bronze medalist, two-time national senior champion and Jamaican Olympian discus thrower Travis Smikle has been suspended for two years for using a banned substance, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced on Thursday.

Smikle is one of five Jamaicans, who tested positive for illegal substances at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s (JAAA) National Senior Championships held at the National Stadium in June 2013.

The IAAF on Thursday said Smikle, whose sanction began from the date of his positive test at the Jamaican National Championships in June last year, will not be allowed to compete until June 21, 2015. The athlete is a student and representative for the University of The West Indies, where he is pursuing his studies in International Relations and Affairs.

The former Calabar strong man, who competed at the 2012 London Olympics, maintained that he did not knowingly take any banned substance.

Smikle’s suspension was among those included on the IAAF’s latest list of doping sanctions released this week.