Softball chiefs have refused to confirm or deny claims that several members of a women's squad destined to play in Venezuela recently had to be scratched after they failed a drugs test.

But the same Bermuda Amateur Softball Association executives said they would stand by any player who tested positive for drugs.

In a statement sent to The Royal Gazette yesterday, the executives also hit out at recent media coverage of the allegations, declaring their unhappiness at the way the story had been reported.

As many as three players were thought to have been axed from the squad, chosen to play in the Pan American Softball Championships, after they took and allegedly failed a mandatory drugs test required by the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports.

"BASA is a fully engaged participant in the Drug Free Sport Policy as a NSGB (National Sports Governing Body). It has always been BASA's stance that all elite athletes who aspire to compete and represent Bermuda will be tested in full compliance with the drug policy," read the statement.

"To demonstrate our ongoing compliance, ladies and coaches aspiring to represent Bermuda submitted to the usual drug screening test, as they have done for the second year in a row."

The executives said BASA would always remain compliant and "comfortably reveals that several of its members have also been chosen and tested as part of random drug testing over the past months".

"In the event that any our athletes/members do test positive for drugs we would be disappointed, as any NGSB would be, but we will also do our part to work with any athlete who needs the support and guidance to lead a drug-free life," the statement continued.

BASA went on to say they were represented on the BCDS council and would continue to be "strong proponents of the advantages of the policy".

"The confidentiality of persons who may have tested "positive" must be protected and, in this regard, BASA wishes to comment no further as to do so might altogether erode the integrity of the process," the statement concluded.

Included in the release was a damning criticism of the way The Gazette handled the original story, broken last Thursday.

"We are disappointed that recent voice and print media articles on the subject were one-sided and cast aspersions on BASA," the executives said. "We expect we'd be allowed to be part of a public discussion before the media moves ahead with a topic - the ubiquitous "did not respond to calls" statements are never going to be perceived by the public as anything but a negative comment. We hope that the media might otherwise choose to state, if at all necessary, that they were unable to speak with a BASA contact. That at least reflects the likely truth that officers of any NSGB have full-time jobs, families and other commitments and as non-public servants are not on call for the public or the media."

However, what BASA failed to mention was the fact that at least three messages were left at the home of the sport's president Erica Smith on both Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week. On the first two occasions, those calls were not returned and on the Thursday, the day the story was printed, a call was received from BASA director Dean Williams.

Comment was also sought from Tony Mouchette, a respected police officer and coach to the women's side that travelled to Venezuela.

Mouchette, while understanding of the media's need to pursue such allegations, said he could not comment and that any statement should come from Smith.

The Gazette also spoke to Austin Woods, chairman of the BCDS, and contacted, though late at night, the head of Benedict Associates - the company that administers the drug tests.

The newspaper always seeks to obtain both sides of any story it is seeking to run, and on occasion, this being such an instance, even holds back from printing if a comment cannot be obtained from a party at the first time of asking.

The BASA statement is printed in full on Page 24.