Justice delayed is justice denied
• WIPA president bemoans lengthy Campbell doping case• Happy with reduction in four-year ban
Published:Sunday | April 28, 2024 | 12:09 AMOrane Buchanan - Staff Reporter
WEST INDIES Players Association (WIPA) president, Wavell Hinds, while happy with the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision to reduce Jamaica and West Indies’ opener John Campbell four-year ban to 22 months, he was still aggrieved at the length of time the process has taken.
Earlier this month, Hinds’ WIPA had complained that Campbell’s case was in limbo, which was another type of punishment for the 30-year-old.
The decision from the Switzerland-based court comes after a delay on six occasions and Hinds calls it ‘unfortunate’.
“I’m very grateful for the ruling and I’m happy for John Campbell. I also want to say thanks to our legal team as they stood with us all the way through. I’ve been part of WIPA for 22 years as an executive member and the length of time that the ruling took was quite unfortunate,” said Hinds.
In 2022, Campbell was charged with breaching anti-doping rule 2.3 of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) which speaks to evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection.
According to Hinds, this particular case begs the question of whether the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) should be the legal system that handles issues like this.
“If this is the avenue through which you should appeal and justice took well over a year to be handed down, I don’t believe that is justice. If we can look at our own Caribbean Court of Justice to deal with matters within our space for appeals, then it would be easier and cheaper. I believe that our justice system has the quality and personnel to certainly carry out those duties on our behalf,” said the WIPA boss.
Campbell, who could make his return to the pitch later this year, has played 20 Test matches for the West Indies, six One-Day Internationals, and two T20s.
According to Hinds, the case also points to inefficiencies in the way the World Anti-Doping Agency carries out its function.
Those issues, he said, should be looked at through a combination of the Jamaican government, CARICOM, and the Jamaica Cricket Association.
“In search of justice, we would have paid for that, we would have also paid for the appeal and paid the arbitrators. So, to be delayed for close to a year was quite unfortunate. Nevertheless, having a four-year ban being reduced to 22 months, I’m happy for him and I’m calling on Jamaica Cricket Association, Cricket West Indies, CARICOM and the Jamaica government to have a look at how WADA is treating these things. CAS would have been aligned with the WADA because they would have outlined that this is the avenue through which you can appeal.”