GDS has left BTC, cites Houlihan explicitly

Reading GDS's explanations was a good read. And with so much controversy behind Shelby's actions during her ban. I'm shocked a coach wouldn't let GDS train to avoid the company of Shelby. As long as she's motivated and putting in the training. Accomadate her. Instead he chooses to accomadate a banned athlete. Salazar would've faced more outrage if he had conducted himself the way this coach is catering to a banned Shelby.

This right here is key and is what is missing in a ton of cases the past few years and used as excuses by other athletes to said they weren't aware of what they were given or that it contained XYZ, etc. Personal responsibility, it's your livelihood.

I have completely changed my innocent until proven guilty approach to BTC, I like some of their runners a lot. But this thing is nuts. How tone deaf can you be to PED controversy that you have the this banned athlete right back in the fold...effectively. Distraction is an understatement. No way BTC coaching is this stupid, seems almost made up its so stupid. I though MAYBE they were coaching her a bit from a few states away --online. But this is crazy. Nike might be the most Teflon Don of all time.

Participation in what, exactly? Training sessions? Not bloody likely. They're talking about competition, obviously.

+1 what a disappointing ordeal. They were such a fun scrappy group. Now they put themselves as cheats.

I don’t know how you could read that and NOT think GDS is 100% in the right.

There is no definition of participation in the Code but there is one for participant and that involves both athlete and support. And the latter don’t compete so one assumes in what is involved by competing and not just the actual competition.

To further put this in perspective, its not hard to get track access in the Portland area. Duniway is free to all, which means sometimes old people walk in lane 1, but that is something allowed even if its annoying. Saw Ryan Hill there fairly often when he was with Hoka last spring/summer. Watching him do solo workouts made me want to pull for him in trials, seems like he had a rough outing though.

Also Buckman is basically always empty and useable, its a weird track but always available. Its a traditional mile for 3 laps, which while odd is still a track.

Portland has many long road/bike trail routes that you can rip out tempos on, as does Beaverton which is closer to Nike campus.

A lot of GDS comments also seem targeted at SH using the track during their altitude camp. If that's the case I'd argue training with Bowerman during their altitude camp on a track that Bowerman reserved, seems against the rules. Not to mention excessively selfish to do.

Even if I was a banned pro athlete and I was "innocent", I would not try as hard as I could to actively put my team in jeopardy. I however do not think SH is innocent, as a professional GDS made a good choice here.

DeBues-Stafford said that if Houlihan was going to be in Flagstaff at the same time as the team, she wanted clear separation between the group and Houlihan. She said she requested that Houlihan work out on separate days from the group, but her suggestion was rejected.
“When that suggestion for different workout days was rejected, I asked for morning/afternoon, and when that was rejected I asked for a 30min to 1 hour window between when Shelby finished her cool down and when we arrived at the track,” DeBues-Stafford said. “Still, that suggestion was dismissed.”

Something is rotten in the Bowerman Track Club...

Yes, sorry a typo.

Damn right. They're all dirty. Grant Fisher, Mo Ahmed -- all of them. Nullify that indoor 5,000 AR and that Canadian outdoor 5,000 record. Take away Ahmed's Olympic silver. Destroy. Them. All.

Man, this mindless cynicism stuff is FUN. I feel so world-wise, so righteous.

Its wild and insane that people in here dont understand that its an reasonable ask that active athletes is prioritized while banned athletes are not prioritized. Its bad enough for her reputation (which means $$$) to be associated with BTC, even worse to keep training with convicted dopers.

A good defense against doping cynicism would be to stop coaching, training and supporting someone serving a doping ban.

Obviously not. Read the comment to 10.14:

Ineligible Athletes cannot participate in a training camp, exhibition or practice organized by their National Federation or a club which is a member of that National Federation or which is funded by a governmental agency.

Even practicing with the club is not allowed. Which is why - as stated by GDS - the banned doper was cooling down when GDS started.

Why is it that you so frequently misconstrue the argument that you are responding to? Is it intentional (intellectually dishonest) or just from a lack of comprehension?

Thank you Jonathan Gault and GDS for the article and GDS statements. This provides the most clarity of any article on the subject I have read so far.

Jerry S.'s and Shalane F.'s arrogance and disrespect for the non-banned athletes they coach is astounding. What a display of poor ethics. They wouldn't even allow a separation of Shelby finishing 30 minutes-1 hour before the team started training? Or after the team finished their workout? Wow.

If Shelby is truly innocent, why aren't Jerry and Shalane leading the charge to reform/improve the anti-doping process?