Bermuda, the Sport Minister said yesterday.

The Hon. Pamela Gordon spoke out in the wake of the soccer drugs scandal.

It follows last week's disclosure that one of the Under-23 players arrested in Miami faced a heroin allegation in Bermuda.

Today The Royal Gazette can make further revelations about the "Miami Seven''.

One of the players was released from the Co-Ed facility less than a year ago, according to informed sources. He was freed on December 24, 1993, after breaching a community service order for a breaking and entering offence.

Ms Gordon revealed last night she had received a preliminary report from the Bermuda Football Association on the Miami arrests.

The report ran to seven pages, with nine additional pages containing "back-up material'', she said.

"I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I will do so as soon as I can.'' Ms Gordon said she expected a much fuller BFA report in the near future. This should examine the broader issues of drugs plaguing soccer.

Following revelations about BFA knowledge of the drugs problem in the Under-23 squad, Ms Gordon met with the association's general secretary Mr. David Sabir yesterday.

She put to him the importance of background checks being carried out on players.

"I would recommend that any athlete who is going to represent the Country should have a background check.

"It's a simple matter of sending a list of players to the Police who could express any concerns they might have.'' She added: "To be honest I don't know if such a policy had been in place in the past, but it is something we shall be recommending.'' Ms Gordon said the present leaders of the BFA, including Mr. Sabir and president Mr. Richard Thompson, were relatively new to their jobs.

And this could explain why they apparently failed to take such precautions with the squad which went to Jamaica.

"I concede there was a degree of naivete. Unfortunately Mr. Sabir probably did not get the level of guidance necessary,'' she said.

Ms Gordon, however, refused to say whether she believed the BFA leaders should resign.

She had to examine the BFA reports first, she said.

BFA officials, under mounting pressure to step down, yesterday remained tight-lipped in the face of allegations against them although Mr. Sabir said that he supported a full inquiry into the matter.

The Hon. Pamela Gordon