Lauren Fleshman tests out whistleblowing on dopers

Cheating is despicable and (assuming that you're clean) reporting others is admirable. The whole "snitch" thing is so highschool. Grow up, guys.

Also is this guy's name really Dick Pound? That's awesome.

As much as I'd like to see another way to catch dopers, relying on snitching is a horrible system. It's a huge conflict of interest. The only thing worse is to name names publicly. Your hard fought career with honest efforts could be damaged beyond repair because a crazy or jealous competitor didn't like you.

If you know about a doping athlete, gather the undeniable proof of the doping process (not just the athlete), make copies of everything, and send it in to both WADA and USADA anonymously. Much like how the syringe was sent in that shed light on BALCO.

National drug testing agencies are notorious for covering up dopers (USADA has done it), so why doesn't WADA want to investigate these things itself?

Yeah because everyone believes if you run all you should do is run. It's nonsense. Pro Runners have so much down time. In their prime years and they shouldn't be using their brains and thinking about their future? She is my hero and after the running gig is over, she would be the first one I'd hire for a real job.

Bleu wrote:

Shalane and Lauren where at one point the future. Lauren made one bad choice after another. Bought a bus and lived in the same town as Vin, MTC, OTC. She is so ADHD that she can't get anything done. Makes candy bars and logs when she should be training.

I would love to hear what all her coaches say about her. Meanwhile Shalane runs faster and faster. Shalane wins medals. Lauren is 30 and pregnant. Sure she could come back and run fast but she hasn't done anything in yrs. Come back to what? Isn't she the one who slowed down the trials race?

She isn't even at the level of the dopers so why is she worrying about them!

How many titles and money did one of Lauren's associates cost some of her friends? It makes you angry--enough to want to snitch.

I don't see too much down time for Galan, Mo, Shalane and Goucher. I'm sure these other athletes have outside interests but they get the day job done. Fleshman can't do both. She is hurt more than she is healthy. She could have made the team and moved on but instead we have to hear about her inner demons. Don't call yourself a pro if you don't sacrifice for your "job." Call yourself what you are a good rec runner.

You go ahead and hire her and when she doesn't get the job you hired her for done I'm sure you'll understand that it's because she is privileged and has to attend to other "callings."

I'll continue to call Joanie my hero.

J.R. wrote:

Thanks! I'm going to call them right now!

Great, get back to us on what you learned.

the stupidity displayed on this thread is higher than normal on here. first, anyone who thinks that a snitch is as bad as a doper needs to realize that life progresses beyond tattling on a sibling to mom. the dopers are the bad ones -- not the snitches.

second, yes, it is shocking that the body in charge of enforcing PED rules doesn't have an easy way to report someone. telling a whistleblower to report back to his/her own federation is beyond ridiculous. so if you are american and see a bunch of kenyans taking epo at a training camp, WADA wants you to to report it to USADA? that sounds like a sure way to make sure nothing ever happens.

Blowing.Rock Master wrote:

A Duck wrote:

If you visit the USADA/USATF sites, you can find how to whistle-blow in a very few clicks.

While each website does have a "contact us" page, neither one has a link for "reporting a suspected doper".

What are you nuts?

USADA's "report a suspected doper" page is indeed there with not one, not two, but THREE ways to report a doper. It is called the "USADA PLAY CLEAN TIP CENTER."

"The USADA Play Clean Tip Center

In its mission to preserve the integrity of competition, inspire true sport, and protect the rights of athletes, USADA is unwavering in its belief that every athlete has the right to compete on a clean and level playing field, free from the pressures and influences of performance enhancing drugs. >>>>>>>For this reason, USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition."

PHONE CONTACT

SNAIL MAIL

EMAIL

If Lauren knew jack about her own governing body, she'd be well versed in the "Play Clean" program and well aware of the Play Clean Tip Center.

Lauren's problem is that she is a complainer, who goes off half-cocked before she researches or fully thinks an issue through. She wants WADA to do their job, only she doesn't do hers as a citizen runner.

Blowing.Rock Master wrote:

A Duck wrote:

If you visit the USADA/USATF sites, you can find how to whistle-blow in a very few clicks.

While each website does have a "contact us" page, neither one has a link for "reporting a suspected doper".

And here is USATF's whistleblower info:

Whistle-blower 24-hour hotline: 317-713-4702

Athletes, coaches, and the public can contact this number to report information in confidence.

As I said, EASILY findable in a few clicks.

Lauren should have done her homework first. While she may have wanted "special attention" as a former elite when she called WADA...if she had educated herself on the "ecosystem" of anti-doping whistle-blowing, she would have known that the proper starting place was/is one of these two places.

tyvm wrote:

bobobobob a ran wrote:

Here's the thing that is stupid about this. If Lauren had done her homework instead of going off half-cocked, she'd know the correct whistle blower contacts and process. USADA has one, and USATF have one. But kooky Lauren had to "go to the top." If she had researched her way through things, she would have found the EASY and PROPER places to whistle blow. Kind of hard to believe that she didn't already know.

Whether Lauren knew about the whistleblower process in the U.S. or not is irrelevant to the fact that WADA should also have one. As we have seen throughout the past few decades there are many countries/athletic federations that will either turn a blind eye to doping or actively cover it up. Who do athletes from these countries turn to if they have information about doping?

WADA DOES HAVE ONE, you just have to know how to navigate a website.

Under "Type of Inquiry" one selects "Report Doping."

So how hard is that people?

If Lauren had done her homework, in 5 minutes she could find 3 Legit ways to report a doper.

Bleu wrote:

I don't see too much down time for Galan, Mo, Shalane and Goucher. I'm sure these other athletes have outside interests but they get the day job done. Fleshman can't do both. She is hurt more than she is healthy. She could have made the team and moved on but instead we have to hear about her inner demons. Don't call yourself a pro if you don't sacrifice for your "job." Call yourself what you are a good rec runner.

You go ahead and hire her and when she doesn't get the job you hired her for done I'm sure you'll understand that it's because she is privileged and has to attend to other "callings."

I'll continue to call Joanie my hero.

I wouldn't go this far. While at times I think Lauren is a bit of a complainer and an attention seeker*, she comes from a working class "get it done" background.

Her biggest problem may be that she believed in big dreams and wanted to stand on the podium and "bring home the gold," and her body and genetics have just not allowed her to do it, and this had caused her to seem bitter. Running is a horribly cruel sport. It is not like the NFL where every year 50 something guys get a Ring. Logically, running is a freaking cruel sport. As Flagpole implies, you have to win the genetic lottery, both for talent, and be durable. And all the other variables.

*And it takes all kinds to make up the world. We need some complainers in the group. That's life. Without complainers things wouldn't get better.

She should, however, have done her homework on how to report a doper, and also been freaking realistic...anyone who has "worked the phone" in any effort for charity, or business, or getting your bill straightened out with your mobile provider, has the common sense to know that you don't always get the brightest bulb on the line on the first call. Sometimes you gotta call back until you connect with a live wire.

Nonetheless, she could have found the "Report Doping" option on WADA email form. etc.

neverwaslol wrote:

Fleshman is a sore loser and, judging by this story, an idiot as well.

She's not an idiot, she went to Stanford. She just speaks before she thinks something through sometimes. And other times (her blog and RW column) she slows down and makes a great case.

With all that has been said, even though she was wrong about the WADA thing...in that she judged them too quickly, she does make some good points.

Just as there is not really any Fan Stakeholder voice in the sport -- there has not really been any Athlete Stakeholder voice in deciding punishments for cheaters.

Hopefully the new track and field athletes association will get to a point of having a voice.

She makes the points that punishments are too soft, and that changes take years to implement. That is true. As Dick Pound states, it is a matter of will. If you want clean athletics, you have to have the will to have harsher penalties.

Imagine this, you were starting a whole new international track and field federation, and you wanted it 100% drug free. What would you do? You'd probably start with lifetime bans. Who made the cases...and why...for shorter bans back in the day??? Stakeholders for classes of dirty athletes? Why? This new 4 year ban...why do we have to wait for it to be implemented, it should be "we decided on it, it starts NOW." And it should not be 4 years, it should be so long as to serve as a draconian deterrent. THAT is the real way to get the doping stopped. Make getting caught a "death penalty" for the athletes career. Boom, lose all eligibility to compete or coach - For Life. And all your results are erased. Not just a few years back to whatever clean tests. Everything is erased. And you are pursued to pay back prize monies.

The drug use cheating, is no less than theft.

What Dick Pound is trying to get across is that if "they" really wanted to stop the drug use in sport they would make the penalties harsher and they would test more thoroughly.

Yes, cheaters will always try and find a way to stay ahead of the tests...as judged by the chat we've seen on body building chat boards where they talk of using unapproved drugs...where they attain the information for making the drugs from public sources, the drugs never get approved, but someone bootlegs them. It's sick.

They could get the job done if they really wanted; ergo, it IS a matter of WILL.

This MB is littered with people who jump on every impressive performance as being "drug-fueled". Then someone who actually has credibility in the sport (as opposed to an anonymous MB douche) steps up in an effort to make some progress and the thread turns into a hate-fest on her. Lauren, you're not going to get WADA and USATF to move if your so-called fan base wont participate. Sorry folks, but you deserve your lousy media coverage and lousy Team USA. You can't even stand behind the people who are trying to help you.

No this is not Lauren's friend. I've never met her. But I've met you, thousands of you every day on MBs, and you're completely worthless.

Really, who is she going to snitch on? Seriously, she has spent most of the last 3 yr. hurt or rehabbing in the states. She hasn't trained with any break out runners besides her OTC teammates. Maybe she is going to roll over on the team that cut her?

Unless she has video or DNA on a syringe she is wasting time. She could be making picky bars, painting her kids nursery, doing volunteer work or better yet strengthening her plantar fascia so we don't have to hear about the come back from hell.

Author:Bleu

Subject: RE: fox smells own scent first

And very likely a huge doper.

She's using the same technique as Radcliffe.

What's that smell? Uhoh.... hey look over there!!!!!

exactly

except PR aint the only one

ADuck is in on the diversion game too with his friends at nike

Yes, but at least Radcliffe was running fast and furious and in the mix. Fleshman calling is like me calling and saying I believe someone who I saw run the 5,000 final on TV is doping so check it out.

Give us names or shut the hell up! I'll start: rupp and radcliffe.

Yeah. That accurately describes life -- in kindergarten.In real life, whistle blowing may involve inside information on those that control some important aspects of your life, like income, or job, or any future career.Anonymity is an important asset against combatting many kinds of corruption, while providing an important incentive for those to come forward with otherwise unobtainable information, avoiding obvious risks of repercussion.I'm sorry -- are you still in kindergarten -- do I have to dumb down the mesage?

gfxgxrgx wrote:

It's not the tattling. It's the being anonymous that is bad.