FIJIAN body builder Patricia Mallam has lashed out at the Fiji Bodybuilding Fitness Federation committee for what she claims was a lack of transparency and governance.
Mallam, who was part of the team selected for the South Pacific Bodybuilding Championship in New Caledonia, withdrew, citing what she claims was a discrepancy in the manner in which drug tests had been conducted.
Mallam says she withdrew from the national team citing unprofessional conduct by the local committee.
“There were suspicions that a couple of members of the team have not complied with the drug tests and one of them had confided saying that his test was positive,” Mallam said.
“My issue is with the management of that whole testing has been around the fact that Drug Free Fiji was not involved in it and FASANOC had no idea in the manner in which we have conducted the tests.”
FBFF president Vilash Chand said Mallam’s claim were not ethical.
“Fiji Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation is affiliated to South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation, therefore we are against the use of prohibited substance or illicit drugs by the athletes.
“We have shared the anti-doping rules and prohibited list of drugs to our athletes and advised them to seek professional advice where needed.
“In addition, we had requested the team to sign the personal declaration to disclose if any one of them is on any drug, even medically, so that we don’t breach the laws or rules set up by international agencies.
“The federation also took some necessary steps to carry out preliminary assessment on our athletes. These reports are confidential and it was used by the committee to formalise the team.”
He said the important point was that it was the athlete’s responsibility to ensure he or she fully comply with the anti-doping rules and prohibited list of drugs.
“If any athlete is found to be using the prohibited drugs, he or she will be taken to task by the SPBF as well as the Fiji federation. The athlete shall face ban from this sport and will not be selected by the Fiji federation for competitions during the ban period.”
