As soon as the "life-ban" sentence was handed down by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) Disciplinary Panel on Monday, Mr. Alando Terrelonge - Steve Mullings' lawyer was on Television Jamaica stating that Mullings would be appealing the decision.
He told Cliff Williams - host of Eye on Sports, that Mullings will be making an official appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
Now, according to Mr. Terrelonge, the cost of this appeal would be €80,000 (US $108,066).
So, the question of the day is, should Steve Mullings bother to make this appeal, seeing that his taking masking agent - furosemide, represents his second doping violation - a second violation for which World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) rules clearly state will result in an athlete being banned for life?
I say that he shouldn't even bother.
Steve Mullings did not help his case by refusing to appear in front of the JADCO Disciplinary Panel, in person...something that the Panel bore in mind in coming to their "banned for life" decision.
Neither did it help Steve Mullings that his lawyer, Mr. Terrelonge, did not make arrangements prior to the hearing, for a video link to be in place to facilitate video conferencing at the hearing...he only waited to do so on the first day of the hearing...
...This is after he was told that if a video link was the only means for Steve to appear before the Panel, that that link should have been in place prior to the Hearing.
If Steve Mullings is smart, I think he should let the ruling stand.
Sure:
1) It's embarrassing for the world to find out that you've been caught in a second doping violation...
2) He'll feel that he's let down his supporters, including family, friends and countrymen, but Steve Mullings needs to understand and accept the fact that his international athletics career is over.
Steve now needs to concentrate on the career that he went to college for.
...because his excuse for not appearing at his previous Disciplinary Hearing, was that he had college commitments in the USA and could not afford to be travelling back and forth for that Hearing.
In my humble opinion, that €80,000 that Steve Mullings would have spent on his appeal, would be better spent on him furthering his career and eking out a living for himself.
€80,000 is a lot of money to throw away when you know that you're guilty and have very little chance of winning an appeal.
Steve, many persons have rebounded from making bad decisions in their lives.
Use this experience as a lesson to further yourself and your career...who knows what doors will open up for you, when you do so? :)
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Top-paying careers that Steve Mullings could pursue, now this his athletics career is over, include:
1) Sportscaster
2) Sports Commentator
3) Motivational speaker.
Other top-paying jobs in sports can be found here.
Gillian
Sources Include
1) Television Jamaica Programme - Eye on Sports, November 21,2011
2) Television Jamaica, November 18-21,2011
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