This is a completely farcical situation.
It's top 6 from each heat through to semis. Assume in heat 3, it will be top 7 - if Shelby manages to navigate her way around 10 furious athletes and finish top 6. Otherwise we're going to end up with an athlete running under protest in the semis (and then final), and quite right too.
I’ve checked her Instagram account several times and there is no news about her participation in the trials and I’m not sure that she’s in the right state of mind to take part in these running trials.
Guilty or not, she should be given her day in court just like anyone who faces allegations.
What do we do about the contest?
blue man wrote:
What do we do about the contest?
I’m picking Shelbo FTW.
Ghost1 wrote:
Guilty or not, she should be given her day in court just like anyone who faces allegations.
She had her day in court.
Butch Reynolds all over again
I doubt it will happen since Houlihan and Purrier are probably going to gap the field by the homestretch but consider this situation.
What if we have an ending like we had in the 2016 Trials 800 meters, where a fall cost Martinez any chance she had of making the team? What if this fall is caused by Houlihan? Whether or not Houlihan gets DQed doesn't matter; someone else's Olympic dreams are trashed because someone who should not have been in the race caused her to stumble or fall. What if Runner #3 is one of her teammates, Elise Cranny or Sinclaire Johnson? If Houlihan thinks the situation is bad now, how will she feel going the practice the next day?
In the Butch Reynolds case from 1992, this could not happen because the race was run in lanes. But the 1500 is different since contact is possible. Look at how many falls we had just last week in the NCAA races.
Bottom line: Houlihan should not be in the race and I hope (although it will not happen) that all other competitors refuse to take the track until she is removed from the race. USATF, do the right thing!
Ghost1 wrote:
Guilty or not, she should be given her day in court just like anyone who faces allegations.
You mean like The Court of Arbitration for Sport?
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed Tuesday its panel of judges “unanimously determined that Shelby Houlihan had failed” to prove how the anabolic steroid nandrolone got into her system."
They are doing the right thing allowing an innocent runner to compete.
teamboss45 wrote:
This is a completely farcical situation.
It's top 6 from each heat through to semis. Assume in heat 3, it will be top 7 - if Shelby manages to navigate her way around 10 furious athletes and finish top 6. Otherwise we're going to end up with an athlete running under protest in the semis (and then final), and quite right too.
This- just add an extra person through the rounds.
All athletes deserve to go to the line thinking, to the best of their knowledge, that their competitors are clean. Whether you believe it or not, Shelby Houlihan has been found guilty of doping. How can other athletes have faith in the system when they know they are racing someone who has been found to be dirty? It's totally unfair on them. Contracts, sponsorships, whole careers can hang on whether someone makes the Olympic team, imagine losing out in a race against an athlete who has been cesured for doping. I'd be furious.
blue man wrote:
They are doing the right thing allowing an innocent runner to compete.
This is a hard thing to balance. If she is innocent she is going to do everything possible to compete. Not so sure that would be the case if she was guilty. Most people who are caught (not just accused but actually caught) give up pretty easily without a big fight.
God bless America
So Colleen unfollowed Shelby? They used to be pretty good friends right? I also noticed Kate Grace didn’t put out any type of support message. Kind of telling when your former teammates don’t say anything.
Jeff Albertson wrote:
Doper or not, she’s the American Record holder and our best shot at gold in Tokyo, so let her run.
I've basically come around to this, the crusade on "clean sport" is hurting the sport more than the people that are doping.
Seems to be true that she might compete. This tweet includes a link to a FBook page thats says something about a lower court decision and yadda yadda yadda.
I am just wondering where I can get sport drink mix with boar offal ground up with electrolytes. Anyone know of a dealer...er, I mean seller...of this kind of product?
This would be a travesty and outrage like no other. A convicted doper is in the trials. Come on USA, you can do better!!
Could the IOC or IAAF ban the entire US track team from the Olympics if they select a convicted doper who is supposed to be banned?
are they going to allow an extra runner in each round of the trials? If not, the fastest non-qualifier will have a lot of beef. What is she trips someone in the finals!!??
What if the slowest runner trips someone?