A few criticized Rojo for his question. One said he'd be fine with the question if LetsRun had been consistent on the matter. Here is Rojo's reply to that.
We have been very consistent since day 1 at LetsRun. We've asked doping questions or let the messageboarders ask doping questions from the moment this website was founded.
Also in the same year, when I started coaching at Cornell, a freshman on the team from Oregon came up to me at the first practice and said, "Alberto Salazar does not like you guys."
Why? Because people were talking about doping at Athletics West on the messageboard.
We've been 100% consistent on doping. We ask the questions that need to be asked whether you are white (Galen Rupp, Salazar, etc), black (Regina Jacobs, Justin Gatlin, etc.), male, female, American or Kenyan.
It is really odd to me how much criticism he is getting for asking those questions. NOT asking them would be a prime example of journalist not doing his/her job.
All of us that follow the sport wants these questions to be answered as well.
Right. Plus, it was not an accusatory question, the way it was phrased. (Sometimes Rojo's phrasing could be better.)
Instead, the question was an opportunity for an athlete to address the inevitable questions/claims of folks who will say "well, lot of dopers in Kenya lately, how do we know you're not one?"
Right. Plus, it was not an accusatory question, the way it was phrased. (Sometimes Rojo's phrasing could be better.)
Instead, the question was an opportunity for an athlete to address the inevitable questions/claims of folks who will say "well, lot of dopers in Kenya lately, how do we know you're not one?"
Rojo's phrasing can always be better
he doesn't actually understand that he says something wrong due do a*tism or something of the like
However, Kenya is in the midst of a massive doping crisiswith waves of positive tests and suspensions announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit almost weekly. Chepngetich is represented by Federico Rosa, who also worked with 2016 Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong and Boston/Chicago Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo before they were both stripped of their titles for positive tests for EPO. Rosa was also under investigation in Kenya for “conspiracy to cause injuries to professional athletes through doping” but those charges were later dropped. Aside from her management team, Chepngetich seems to keep a small and close circle. She told reporters that she has been self-coached since she has been running professionally and trains in Ngong, Kenya, with a small cast of pacemakers.
It is really odd to me how much criticism he is getting for asking those questions. NOT asking them would be a prime example of journalist not doing his/her job.
All of us that follow the sport wants these questions to be answered as well.
When did LetsRun reporters ask Jessica Hull this question?
‘What would you say to someone who says, “This is too good to be true. I have questions about it.”‘
However, Kenya is in the midst of a massive doping crisiswith waves of positive tests and suspensions announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit almost weekly. Chepngetich is represented by Federico Rosa, who also worked with 2016 Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong and Boston/Chicago Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo before they were both stripped of their titles for positive tests for EPO. Rosa was also under investigation in Kenya for “conspiracy to cause injuries to professional athletes through doping” but those charges were later dropped. Aside from her management team, Chepngetich seems to keep a small and close circle. She told reporters that she has been self-coached since she has been running professionally and trains in Ngong, Kenya, with a small cast of pacemakers.
White western runners get different treatment.
When did Citius ask Jessica Hull this question?
‘What would you say to someone who says, “This is too good to be true. I have questions about it.”‘
On an unrelated note, "We ask the questions that need to be asked whether you are white (Galen Rupp, Salazar, etc), black (Regina Jacobs, Justin Gatlin, etc.), male, female, American or Kenyan." makes me laugh a ton. They wokely banned the usage of the words Rupp / gay in the same sentence yet claim they're protecting Rupp??
However, Kenya is in the midst of a massive doping crisiswith waves of positive tests and suspensions announced by the Athletics Integrity Unit almost weekly. Chepngetich is represented by Federico Rosa, who also worked with 2016 Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong and Boston/Chicago Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo before they were both stripped of their titles for positive tests for EPO. Rosa was also under investigation in Kenya for “conspiracy to cause injuries to professional athletes through doping” but those charges were later dropped. Aside from her management team, Chepngetich seems to keep a small and close circle. She told reporters that she has been self-coached since she has been running professionally and trains in Ngong, Kenya, with a small cast of pacemakers.
White western runners get different treatment.
When did Citius ask Jessica Hull this question?
‘What would you say to someone who says, “This is too good to be true. I have questions about it.”‘
I'll wait.
While they both were huge jumps in performance, one smashed an already highly suspicious record while the other simply set a big personal best, not a WR (or within 1.5 seconds of the WR). It's not the same unfortunately but good attempt at grandstanding.
Comparing Jakob's 7:17 to this is idiotic. He didn't come out of thin air like Kiptum or this woman. He has been doing this for 10-12 years and ran 3:31 1500m as a 17 year old. His times are a normal trajectory. Just a Jakob hater, not from a country that like Kenya who has had over 300 cheats in the last 8-9 years. Throwing Jakob in this just devalues the conversation and demonstrates an extreme bias.
It’s not idiotic or biased. People have been accusing that Norwegian science experiment of doping for years now. Running fast as a teenager has never proved anyone clean. All that shows is that they started doping at a younger age than most. It’s actually more evidence that they dope. And the reason why Kenya has so many more busts than Norway is because way more Kenyans participate in running than Norwegians do. There’s only a handful of pro Norwegian runners. So the rate of positive tests in Kenya compared to Norway proves nothing, especially the idea that Jakob is clean because there’s so many doped Kenyans.
Me when I argue against a wall 🤓🤓🤓🤓
Jakob is the cleanest runner today. His hard work and documentation is unlike any other Kenyan runner, keep crying.
Rojo says the following about Shelby in the other thread, which he locked as hes a pvssy (jk he avoids mentioning Shelby at all as hes a pvssy)
"We don't need two threads on this topic. I am answer your question by rephrasing what I posted another thread and then close this thread to new posts: If you are asking for consistency, you came to the right place. We have been very consistent on doping since day 1 at LetsRun. We've asked the doping questions that need to be asked or let the messageboarders ask doping questions from the moment this website was founded. We ask the questions that need to be asked whether you are white (Galen Rupp, Salazar, etc), black (Regina Jacobs, Justin Gatlin, etc.), male, female, American or Kenyan. Do you remember what I did in 2002? I asked American Regina Jacobs much more difficult questions. Also in the same year, when I started coaching at Cornell, a freshman on the team from Oregon came up to me at the first practice and said, "Alberto Salazar does not like you guys." Why? Because people were talking about doping at Athletics West on the messageboard. As you know I didn't ask Chepgetich if she was doping. I also probably won't ask Jakob if he's doping, particularly since he doesn't come from a country rocked by many doping scandals. We will certainly ask Shelby about doping but will not make every question for the rest of eternity be about doping - just as was the case with Chepngetich. I also asked her what was different"
Comparing Jakob's 7:17 to this is idiotic. He didn't come out of thin air like Kiptum or this woman. He has been doing this for 10-12 years and ran 3:31 1500m as a 17 year old. His times are a normal trajectory. Just a Jakob hater, not from a country that like Kenya who has had over 300 cheats in the last 8-9 years. Throwing Jakob in this just devalues the conversation and demonstrates an extreme bias.
Yes, the correct way to dope is to do it while ensuring that your progression is gradual over the years, no sudden jumps.
‘What would you say to someone who says, “This is too good to be true. I have questions about it.”‘
I'll wait.
While they both were huge jumps in performance, one smashed an already highly suspicious record while the other simply set a big personal best, not a WR (or within 1.5 seconds of the WR). It's not the same unfortunately but good attempt at grandstanding.
It's not the same, because Hull's jump was much, much bigger and more unusual.
But good attempt at defending people who look the other way.
Right. Plus, it was not an accusatory question, the way it was phrased. (Sometimes Rojo's phrasing could be better.)
Instead, the question was an opportunity for an athlete to address the inevitable questions/claims of folks who will say "well, lot of dopers in Kenya lately, how do we know you're not one?"
Rojo's phrasing can always be better
I do hope a lot of this "I would have asked it this way" is not serious. I am sure anything asked in an open venue like a press conference could be dissected and adjusted to be absolutely perfect but that's not how these things work. Even if the question had been asked in the ultra precise way that some posters would have liked, there is an obvious language barrier that would have erased nuance people are demanding.
Comparing Jakob's 7:17 to this is idiotic. He didn't come out of thin air like Kiptum or this woman. He has been doing this for 10-12 years and ran 3:31 1500m as a 17 year old. His times are a normal trajectory. Just a Jakob hater, not from a country that like Kenya who has had over 300 cheats in the last 8-9 years. Throwing Jakob in this just devalues the conversation and demonstrates an extreme bias.
It’s not idiotic or biased. People have been accusing that Norwegian science experiment of doping for years now. Running fast as a teenager has never proved anyone clean. All that shows is that they started doping at a younger age than most. It’s actually more evidence that they dope. And the reason why Kenya has so many more busts than Norway is because way more Kenyans participate in running than Norwegians do. There’s only a handful of pro Norwegian runners. So the rate of positive tests in Kenya compared to Norway proves nothing, especially the idea that Jakob is clean because there’s so many doped Kenyans.
Let’s see, no one here actually has any concrete threshold for what annual (or other timeframe) percentage improvement in time is too good to be true without doping.
There is only one reason why anyone concerned (or pretending as such) about doping can not do that: any such threshold will immediately declare some athletes they like as tainted and vice versa. Not to mention that even if any consensus threshold emerged, it would be trivial to game it.
We already have a clear threshold for whether someone is doped to the gills: it’s called failing a test.
The question isn't inherently unfair or particularly out of line.
The problem with the brojos as journalists is that they are apparently incapable or uninterested in developing relationships with athletes, coaches, and training groups. Thus their only opportunity to ask "the hard questions" is these sorts of open press events when there is zero chance of getting a substantial discussion about this sort of thing and nothing has really been gained.