More cheating Africans trying to swoop in to medium size races to steal the prize money. (Richmond Marathon)

Clean & Green wrote:

The Americans haven't had a distance runner test positive for dope since Eddy Hellebuyck back in 2004, and Regina Jacobs on the female side in 2003.

Offhand, Americans Christian Hesch (EPO 2012), Mo Trafeh (EPO 2014), Deeja Youngquist (EPO 2004), and Mary Akor (clenbuterol 2012) all committed doping violations after Hellebuyck and Jacobs.

Avocado's Number wrote:

Clean & Green wrote:

The Americans haven't had a distance runner test positive for dope since Eddy Hellebuyck back in 2004, and Regina Jacobs on the female side in 2003.

Offhand, Americans Christian Hesch (EPO 2012), Mo Trafeh (EPO 2014), Deeja Youngquist (EPO 2004), and Mary Akor (clenbuterol 2012) all committed doping violations after Hellebuyck and Jacobs.

Are these runners sub-elites? I've never heard of any of them except Hesch, who never came close to making an Olympic or WC team (wasn't he just a lower tier roadie making a few bucks here & there on the circuit?). Any of the others ever make an Olympic or WC team, or done anything of note?

flynt wrote:

https://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/213-marathoner-ricky-flynn-faces-embezzlement-charges

How is this guy even out of jail? I hope he gets ZERO sponsors back.

I thought the charges against Flynn got dropped. Did he actually get convicted or plead guilty to anything?

Old Man Runner wrote:

Lorretta Lynn wrote:

The West Virginians are just resting up until the coal mines re-open.

Fixed your post.

No, when the mines open the Virginians are going to tunnel all the way to West Virginia.

Drinking their milkshake as it were.

C'mon - give Smoove and his phone's iffy autocorrect a break. Anyone who follows these boards knows he's intelligent and literate and offers some of the better insights that you'll find here.

Old Man Runner wrote:

Lorretta Lynn wrote:

The West Virginians are just resting up until the coal mines re-open.

Fixed your post.

It comes from both.

Don t some basketball players go over to other countries play?

Right. Is that really still not common knowledge?

Couple of more quotes from recent years:

John Hoberman, an expert in performance-enhancing drug use from the University of Texas at Austin: “The entire elite global sports system has built incentives to dope into itself in such a way that these are irresistible incentives,” he said.

Dick Pound, on behalf of WADA:

"you can miss two tests simply by not answering the door if you're on something."

"There is no general appetite to undertake the effort and expense of a successful effort to deliver doping-free sport."

"There's this psychological aspect about it: nobody wants to catch anybody. There's no incentive. Countries are embarrassed if their nationals are caught. And sports are embarrassed if someone from their sport is caught."

ESPN:

"Pound complained that athletes don't speak out against doping, national and international federations are weak on the issue, national agencies are under the influence of governments, and governments have no incentive to catch their own nationals."

And from August 2017:

Oh, and who had the most suspicious blood passport of them all in 2016? An American long distance runner.

Clean & Green wrote:

Avocado's Number wrote:

Offhand, Americans Christian Hesch (EPO 2012), Mo Trafeh (EPO 2014), Deeja Youngquist (EPO 2004), and Mary Akor (clenbuterol 2012) all committed doping violations after Hellebuyck and Jacobs.

Are these runners sub-elites? I've never heard of any of them except Hesch, who never came close to making an Olympic or WC team (wasn't he just a lower tier roadie making a few bucks here & there on the circuit?). Any of the others ever make an Olympic or WC team, or done anything of note?

Oh so no one *good* dopes is your point?

Well sure, in Kenya you have a pool of 427 men that made the marathon trials, 10 of which have sub 2:06 PRs compared to the US which fielded exactly zero runners with a sub 2:06 and only 108 runners with the same entry standard. So that is pretty easy to say. They have 4 times as much depth, and we aren't out here trying to sacrifice the few guys that actually stand a chance. Isn't it telling that we still have masters runners in the mix like Meb, Lagat, and Abdi? Mo Trafeh was a eight-time US road champion, US 25k record holder, and 2 time footlocker winner, by the way.

I wonder how common this is. One could easily get away with cleaning up at US road races while on the sauce. These races aren’t testing, they simply don’t have the resources because they blow it all on finisher’s medals and t-shirts.

Clean & Green wrote:

Avocado's Number wrote:

[quote]Clean & Green wrote:

Offhand, Americans Christian Hesch (EPO 2012), Mo Trafeh (EPO 2014), Deeja Youngquist (EPO 2004), and Mary Akor (clenbuterol 2012) all committed doping violations after Hellebuyck and Jacobs.

Are these runners sub-elites? I've never heard of any of them except Hesch, who never came close to making an Olympic or WC team (wasn't he just a lower tier roadie making a few bucks here & there on the circuit?). Any of the others ever make an Olympic or WC team, or done anything of note?

Trafeh - 1:01 1/2 I believe, Youngquist 2:29 in Chicago - both were looking like they would challenge for WC and Oly spots till they got caught. Akor did make some teams (not Oly but I think might have a WC marathon team) and generally placed pretty high in US Championships. So maybe 2nd tier on the international road/track scene but certainly top tier of Americans.

Did anyone notice the headline link to the right of the original story?

"Richmond Marathon race director says banned agent used an alias"

http://www.nbc12.com/clip/13910481/richmond-marathon-race-director-says-banned-agent-used-an-alias

I'd like to defend myself here, but that is pretty indefensible. All I will say is that I should have proofread that after using the dictation feature on my iPhone. Restated, in English: And let's be honest here, there are not very many 2:20 marathoners who are being tested on a regular basis here in the US. We are talking about second-tier, sub elite to near elite runners. These guys may occasionally get tested from time to time if they earn some money at some midsize to decent size races, but otherwise there's no comprehensive testing program for people in this range. Plus, things worked out just fine here. His association with this agent was uncovered and he was disqualified. Disqualification could have been done via testing the winners post race, but most race directors won't do that because of the expense. But the approach used in this case was still more effective than simply relying upon nonexistent testing procedures for those who run in the 2:20 range.

I read through this thread looking for an explanation as to why 3 of the top men in the marathon were all disqualified, but saw no mention of it. Anybody know? I had a female athlete finish 30th overall. The results now have her listed as 27th.

IllinoisPhotographer wrote:

I wish race directors would limit prize money to US citizens only.

Definitely! US citizens don't dope. No sir. Ban the Africans because all US citizens are clean. America first.

Olde Hickory House wrote:

ESL 2 wrote:

What does size of a racist have to do with any of this?

Freudian slip?

Also, bro, take some English classes.

C'mon - give Smoove and his phone's iffy autocorrect a break. Anyone who follows these boards knows he's intelligent and literate and offers some of the better insights that you'll find here.

Thanks, Smoove.

He's also dashing and handsome!

who you foolin? wrote:

Olde Hickory House wrote:

C'mon - give Smoove and his phone's iffy autocorrect a break. Anyone who follows these boards knows he's intelligent and literate and offers some of the better insights that you'll find here.

Thanks, Smoove.

Hey, I use to eat at the Olde Hickory House in the 80's, in between workouts, if you know what I mean.

Eddy was elite top tier for master's money.