triathleteguru wrote:
Valid Question wrote:
Could someone within LAM be involved in the fraud?
I've wondered this myself. Not only do they have all the info Derek Murphy has written about, but they have access to all the timing data. Also, they likely have access to any/all of the high resolution photos from the official race photographers. In a past life I was the logistics director for a large race/events production company and we were usually provided with CD's containing the original photos that we were then able to use for marketing purposes.
However, the LA Times article and Derek in his most recent post have said that they are in the process of DQ'ing him, so hopefully the reason they are taking so long is they are going back through all the races he has done with them and preparing to DQ him from all the races. They likely also preparing some type of statement with the help of legal counsel...
Derek, something you might consider writing an article about is a contrast between what happens to people like Meza and Rossi who don't admit to their cheating versus people whose names I can't recall, that do admit, apologize, are DQ'd, and everyone forgets, maybe forgives, and moves on. You could also compare the difference between RDs/races that DQ quickly versus dragging it out or never DQ'ing despite overwhelming evidence (like VIA Marathon). This article could then become something you could quickly link to and send to athletes that you are investigating and are likely to write about...
Race directors - if you don't already have this in your waivers, you should put something to the effect - "failure to appear in official race photography could result in a DQ if your results are ever in question" as well as some other type of notice that results will be analyzed and extraordinary performances without GPS or athletic validation could be removed.
I see this going either of two ways:
L.A. gave him thirty days to provide GPS data or other proof of his run (knowing he won’t do it but a nice CYA for them) while they draft a statement to disqualify and ban him for life. They have, at a minimum, access to all the proof compiled here and possibly have even more that we don’t know about. A DQ should be the easiest decision a RD ever makes.
Or they pull a Lehigh Valley, declare it inconclusive and leave it to the internet mob to handle. Or they never make any declaration at all and hope this just goes away.
Let’s hope it’s the former. It’s hard to imagine people are stupid enough or scared of a lawsuit (which will never be filed) to the point that they’d let this stand.