refusal to submit to random drug testing could be lifted within a matter of days.

Softball's governing body on the Island, BASA, had refused to accept the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports' request that players be made available for random testing.

BASA claimed softball was a recreational sport and therefore random testing was an infringement of civil liberties.

As a result, the Department for Youth and Sport banned them from using Bernard Park in October and their programme has been on hold ever since.

However, a series of meetings held between softball's chiefs and the Council for Drug Free Sport have brought the two bodies close to an agreement.

BASA have agreed to submit a series of names by the end of this week, and in return they will be allowed to put forward recommendations that, if adopted, could see a change to the council's terms of reference.

BCDS chairman Austin Woods said at a meeting two weeks ago BASA handed out a list of changes they would like to see introduced.

"The softball people came with a number of amendments and issued them at the meeting with regards to the terms of reference, those being how the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports basically operates,'' he said.

"I would not entertain any discussion on the terms of reference at that meeting because that was not the agenda nor was it appropriate to be able to do that.'' Woods said BASA was asked to attend a second gathering where the matter could be discussed properly.

"We invited them to the meeting and several representatives of softball turned up and we discussed a number of issues around the drug testing procedure, particularly the random testing,'' he said.

"It was a very fruitful meeting, it was a lively debate and more importantly the different factions from softball understood better the policy and the necessity for random testing.

"Out of that meeting softball indicated that they would comply with the random testing portion by submitting names of those persons who could be selected or persons who would play in a competition with persons who could be selected to represent Bermuda.'' The chairman said following on from the talks, Erica Smith, president of the Softball Federation, had now been elected onto the BCDS council.

Asked whether this was a satisfactory resolution to the long-running dispute, Woods said: "I would be happy with the outcome once we have received the list.'' In order to discuss softball's concerns, Woods said he had set up an ad hoc committee. "I invited them to select a representative and I formed a policy revision committee which is headed by Vaughan Mosher,'' he said. "I understand they met last Thursday and are due to meet again to discuss the changes that softball would like to make to the terms of reference.

"Once that committee reports back to the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports we will determine if, at all, any of the changes they recommend will in fact be adopted.'' When the committee has listened to the recommendations, a special meeting of the sports governing bodies will need to be called to bring the matter to a conclusion.

"We have to call a meeting anyway for the adoption of the terms of reference but we have to wait for the policy review committee to report back to the council first,'' Woods said.

As to how long it would be before softball was allowed to start playing again he said: "If the softball people make their submission within the time period that they say, then the council will write a letter to the Department of Youth and Sport indicating that softball is now complying and that they should be allowed to continue to play their sport. That is the final piece.'' The Royal Gazette has put in a number of calls to BASA president Erica Smith over the past few weeks, none of which have been returned.