Justin Gatlin Still Doesn’t Want to Answer Our or Any Drug Questions But Christian Taylor Talks About What Supplements He’s On
by: Weldon Johnson, LetsRun.com
June 25, 2015
Last time I saw Justin Gatlin was at the 2015 Prefontaine Classic. There Justin got a little bit testy with my pre-race drug questions and he asked if I was a history major and said “you can go back in the archives and read those articles.” (video here)
So that’s what I did. I read the entire 900+ page plus transcript of Justin’s doping hearing and was going to ask Justin even more informed questions at Wednesday’s pre USATF Nationals press conference. Justin never gave me the chance.
Justin Gatlin at the Pre Presser
Me: Last time I saw you was at Pre, and you told me to do my research and I read the trial transcript from your doping hearing, 946 pages….
Justin (interrupts): Who you with? Letsrun?
Me: Yes.
Justin: I have no comment.
Audio
Two questions later, Scott Reid of the Orange County Register tried again:
Scott: Why won’t you answer the doping questions? It seems like you’ve never taken responsibility for your positives?
Justin: First of all, why would I answer that? I answered it ten years ago. There is nothing to talk about.
Scott: He’s got new data.
Justin (interrupts): Who are you with?
Scott: Orange Country Register.
Justin: No comment to you either.
Scott: Thanks.
Audio of Scott:
I then tried to ask everyone about their supplement/prescription drug usage and got one answer from Christian Taylor before USATF Marketing and Communications Manager, Christa Mann, shut down that line of questioning.
Me: This is for everybody. There’s been some allegations against the Nike Oregon Project and Alberto Salazar had a strong response today, but one of the things that has come up is at least the impression that athletes have to take a lot of supplements or prescription drugs to be good. So this is for anyone, would you feel comfortable talking about that concept in general and what supplements and/or prescription drugs you guys take. Because for a kid who reads about all this, they might think to be a good athlete I have to take a bunch of prescription drugs and supplements.
Christian Taylor: As I said in Birmingham, as for the allegations, I just got with Nike and live overseas so I can’t tell you what’s happening in Oregon, so sorry (on that). In regards to (the supplements), I’m really big on inspiring a generation. I really took on that after 2012, that was the motto of the Olympics. Myself, I’m a big fan of Aleve, I have a lot of joint pain, krill oil, fish oil, I can go on about that. Especially jumpers, at the levels we are pushing ourselves, recovery is key, recovery is as important (as anything), protein, I’m a big fan of Muscle Milk, I drink a lot of muscle milk. I’m not trying to throw out supplement names, or if this is what you are even looking for, but I’m just telling you what I do. I think getting the necessary protein if you are not getting it from the normal food you are cooking. I’d be more happy to tell you (more) but I think it’s pretty basic. If you drink a lot of water and Gatorade or whatever recovery drinks, you just want to take care of your body. But when you push yourself to the limit you also want to replenish those nutrients, and anything you lost in the workout. Sorry if that’s not what you are looking for but that’s the best I can give you.
The MC for the press conference Christa Mann then stepped in and didn’t let the others attempt to answer saying, “And with that, we have this great event coming up this weekend, if you have any other questions in that regard just let us know. “