Tahesia Harrigan - Scott has been banned from all competition until Januar 2012 after testing positive for the drug Methyllexanamine during at a May 26th Grand Prix meet in Rio de Janiero, Brazil

According to a press release from the BVI Athletics Association Harrigan - Scott tested positive for the drug Methyllexanamine during at a May 26 Grand Prix meet in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

Meanwhile, Tahesia Harrigan-Scott has since made a public apology but made it clear that she did not intentionally use a banned substance.

The association’s General Secretary, the release said, received a confidential letter from the IAAF on June 28, indicating that Harrigan - Scott tested positive at the meeting in Rio. The General Secretary informed Harrigan-Scott of the findings and she immediately began to investigate and later discovered that a supplement she had newly began using as a substitute for a previous supplement that was not available at the time, contained the ingredient in question methylhexanamine.

According to the press release, the ingredient is listed by an alternative name on the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) list of banned substances.

The release from the BVIAA continued, “As the substance—neither performance enhancing nor a stimulant—was in her system she had committed an Anti doping-violation under IAAF Rule 32.2. She was immediately provisionally suspended under IAAF mandate on July 8th.”

After the Disciplinary Committee’s investigations and finding and based on IAAF Rule 40.4, the committee made the final decision of a six month suspension effective July 8 and ending January 7, 2012. She can return to national and international competitions thereafter.

The release concludes, “While this is an unfortunate and unexpected situation it has in no way jeopardized or affected her qualifying marks for the London Olympic Games.”

On the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 2010 and 2011 Prohibited Lists, methylhexaneamine (dimethylpentylamine) is listed as a stimulant, prohibited in-competition.

Within the last year, nine Australian athletes tested positive for methylhexaneamine and faced bans of up to two years. Similarly, the use of the stimulant resulted in the loss of two medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) reported a case in January 2010 where an athlete received a six-month ban for the presence of methylhexaneamine in his sample. USADA confirmed that a supplement consumed by the athlete contained methylhexaneamine, although it was not listed as an ingredient on the label.

Harrigan-Scott responds

Below is Harrigan-Scott's response to the issue

In June, I was notified by the BVI Athletic Association that a urine sample I provided at a competition in Brazil was tested positive for the substance Methylhexaneamine. Due to this positive test finding, I was placed on a provisional suspension by the IAAF until a final sanction was made by the BVI Athletic Association's disciplinary team. As a result, I was unable to attend the CAC Games and World Championships. A final decision of a 6 month suspension from competition was given for my violation.

When I was notified about the findings of my sample, I was distraught because I felt that I did everything I should have done to stay away from all banned substances. I always check the ingredients and labels on all the supplements I intake with the WADA prohibited list (a list with all banned substances during in and out of competition). There are a number of things I struggled with in this situation. The biggest one is getting tested positive and dealing with the fact that my integrity could be greatly jeopardized because of an unintentional mistake I made. I also struggle with the fact that the substance, methylhexaneamine, was not listed as one of the ingredients on any of the supplements I took. Despite this, I am still held responsible for anything I put in my system. When I received the positive analytical finding, I did more research on the substance and learned that there are more than 10 synonym names for this substance. One of the names are 1, 3 Dimethylamylamine which was listed on the supplement, OxyElite, that I used. I was mad at myself for not knowing but also that the other names were not listed on the WADA prohibited website that I used to check the ingredients in my supplements. There is no way in this world I would have used that supplement if I had known that one of the ingredients in the supplement was banned. I make it my business to check all my supplements and report all the supplements that I take on my drug sheet during doping test. And OxyElite was one of them that I did not neglect to list.

I know that some of you may be thinking why did you use the supplement in the first place. To be honest, it was a supplement that I used for the first time in May. It was recommend by a sales representative for a supplement I took previously that they didn't have. Since it was a new supplement I did my normal routine check and when I didn't see any of the names that was on the container listed on the WADA website, I thought it was ok take.

Some of you, probably most, if not all of you maybe disappointed with me. It is understandable because I was also disappointed and hurt that something like this happened when I tried my hardest to follow all the rules and stay away from all banned substances. I am a 100% believer of a drug free sport and despite my mess up I still am and support WADA efforts to clean up the sport.

I would like to apologize for my mistake and any negativity it may have caused you and the people and my country. Even though I wish none of this ever happened, there is nothing I can do to change it. I have to accept and take responsibility for my actions despite my lack of intent to use a banned substance. My next step is to move forward and not let this incident destroy me and my athletic career. I would definitely be more careful and make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. I pray that you would find it in your heart to move pass this situation and not think that I used a banned substance to enhance my performance. In no way or form is that the case. I work hard and diligently to accomplish all my achievement the right way and nothing I have done is and will never be credited for the use of enhancing drug. And to also clarify, the substance I used was not a steroid or performance enhancer, it is actually classified as a weak stimulant that is prohibited during competition.

I would like to thank my family and friends for helping and supporting me through this difficult situation. Your words of encouragement made a world of difference to motivate and help me move pass this obstacle in my life. I hope many of you would continue to support me in my athletic career even with this unintentional mistake I made. To the BVI Athletic Association General Secretary and Disciplinary Committee, I thank you for your support and discretion as this matter was being resolved. I would also like to thank my sponsor, Digicel, for their support and contribution in my athletic career.

Tahesia Harrigan-Scott