regarding reports this week that certain national squad players had either failed or refused to take drug tests as required by the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sport.

While it is true that the Bermuda Football Association national team players were subjected to drug testing, it should come as no surprise to anyone that this is the case. The Bermuda FA has been conducting drug screenings of all of its national teams players for over four years on a consistent basis.

The recent reports by Bermuda Broadcasting Company have attempted to illustrate a sporting organisation; in this case, the BFA, as having done something that was contrary to its standard procedures regarding national team commitments. Specifically, I refer to the broadcast statement that the "BFA is once again involved in controversy.'' For the record, all Bermuda national team players were required to undergo drug screening prior to the games against the Cayman Islands national team.

These tests were conducted according to the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sport and administered by the testing agency, Benedict Associates. It was revealed after the entire testing process that certain players were in violation of the policy and were subsequently adjudged to have committed an infraction according to the policy. The BFA were informed of these infractions and advised of the next course of action to be taken according to the provisions of the policy.

Because of the confidentiality provisions attached to the policy, the BFA is unable and unwilling to disseminate information specific to any of the cases, including the names of the players involved or the nature of the infractions in question. With this in mind it is quite disturbing to the BFA that such confidential information was broadcast over the media. The BFA wants to make this point. Our national programme has taken the lead in declaring that any and all of our players without exception must abide by the conditions of the policy for Drug Free Sport if they wish to represent the sport of football internationally. And we are proud that we have done so to this point and will continue to ensure that all our players abide by the policy.

We also recognise that football, like all other sports will be faced with challenges not of our making but because of the many issues that come with sport. All of Bermuda can be reassured that any player that puts on a Bermuda national team jersey and enters the playing field will have conformed to the drug free sport policy and participated having satisfied the provisions of this policy.

We must also add that this current situation has no negative impact on our national programme. On the contrary, it reaffirms our position that drugs in our programme will not be tolerated. It also says that we must continue to emphasise the importance of compliance. And we are proud that there is a nucleus of players wishing to represent Bermuda who have no problem conforming to the policy.

However, we are also mindful that people associated with sport have their own life challenges. And as such, these challenges may conflict with the provisions of the policy. Hence, procedures are in place to address these challenges and as such the individuals and agencies concerned have gone about the business of conforming to those procedures.

The BFA national programme and the general populace, who are genuinely concerned about Bermuda sports, should be proud that steps have been taken to safeguard our international programme from the abuse and misuse of drugs by athletes given the opportunity to represent Bermuda. However, everyone must be reminded that according to the policy, every athlete has the right to a hearing, based upon the appropriate circumstances, as specified in the policy and it is the right for the athlete that must be reserved prior to any conclusive decisions regarding their guilt or innocence.

Our focus must turn away from the individual cases and allow the BCDA Drug Control Review Panel to conduct its business. In the meantime our national team will move forward and we will continue to give the opportunity to players that wish to represent Bermuda and football according to the conditions of our national programme.

In closing we remind the media that we will not engage in any discussions specific to the cases including how many test were conducted, the number of players charged with an infraction at this time and the names of those players.

NEVILLE S.TYRRELL (BFA president) DAVID SABIR, (BFA general secretary)