"I never knew of her concerns and struggles until finding out about all of this through her announcement. Having to find out about it and deal with it through such a public manner has been really hurtful and frustrating. I know her choosing not to come to me to discuss it was out of kindness and wanting to protect me and my mental health but I wish I would have been given the opportunity to have those conversations with her regarding her concerns to see if I could have cleared anything up or eased the situation for her in any way. I never wanted to have a negative impact on anyone in my decision to continue training and it hurts that I’m finding out that I did.
"Running and working out has always been a source of joy and happiness for me as well as a coping mechanism. My legal team and I have been very deliberate and intentional in contacting the AIU and other governing bodies to figure out how I can continue to run and train for my own mental health in a way that is also abiding by and respecting the rules put in place. I care about all of the athletes and staff on BTC and I was always considering them with every decision I made. I realize now that I should have been more communicative in those decisions.
"I do wish Gabriela the best with her transition and moving forward. I hope she found a training environment that’s positive and brings her happiness.
"As for my appeal, the status hasn’t changed and I am still waiting on it. I'm still running and training because it's what makes me happy but I'm also continuing to stay hopeful in clearing my name and I'm trying to trust that the truth will win in the end.
"Training and having to tackle workouts alone has at times been very difficult and challenging for me, mostly mentally and emotionally. It’s been a learning curve in establishing a new sense of normal but overall, training is going well."
How tone deaf can you be? She have nothing to discuss with SH, there isn't anything to sort out. She wants her coach to stop bringing a convicted doper to her trainings, which should be an obvious and commendable ask for everyone looking at this objectively.
So let's get this straight. GDS has been training in Victoria for at least two weeks (she's on strava now). She presumably told the coaches before she left Portland.
Did BTC actually not tell Houlihan GDS had left? Not a single athlete on BTC mentioned it to her since then? At all? Jerry didn't say "by the way Shelby, Gabriela has left." For two weeks?! Karissa, Elise, Courtney, Evan? These people who have staunchly supported her publicly didn't hear Stafford was leaving and think "I wonder how Shelby is taking the news?" and reach out?
I could believe that GDS didn't have a heart to heart with Houlihan. That would be awkward, and the call should come from the coach (given he's coaching both athletes). I can't believe that GDS, and potentially other athletes, would raise this over several months with the coaches and they wouldn't say a word to Houlihan.
GDS' requests to the coaches partly revolved around Houlihan going to Flagstaff. That means those conversations were happening in December at the very latest. So over 4 months ago. Either Houlihan is lying about not having a clue about these problems, or what the actual fudge-sundae is Jerry Schumacher doing? I know he doesn't talk to the media but does he stonewall his athletes too? Did he just say nothing all the time, hoping it everything would blow over?
Either way, this is all super strange.
knowing she left and the exact reasons for doing so are two different things, like these quotes that directly reference Houlihan,
“This absence of clarity surrounding the boundaries between BTC and a banned athlete is the critical reason for my departure”
“BTC staff and Shelby’s lawyers have spent a lot of time and energy to clarify what Shelby can and cannot do during her period of ineligibility,” DeBues-Stafford said. “The athletes at BTC and I are not privy to these discussions. While the [World Anti-Doping Code] has clauses relating to athletes serving bans, they are light on detail and leave some pretty key words undefined. Unfortunately, for reasons I don’t fully understand, the athletes and I are not allowed to read the verbatim clarifications and guidelines given to Shelby and her lawyers by the anti-doping authorities.
I wonder how much details Staford gave to her teammates during this initial period in December and prior to her departure.Nonetheless I don't think its Schuacher's place to publicly share the private coach-athlete conversations he has and concerns an athlete raises to the entire group. That responsibility is on GDS, so absent any information GDS publicly discloses it's entirely speculative.
Shelby shouldn't be receiving any training assistance at all from BTC coaches or athletes including a training program to follow individually.
But the rules say different.And so does AIU.
So you would have two old pals, one banned, having a pint and discussing training or Physios and they would get bans. Absurd; yes; but so could your demands be seen.
Shelby shouldn't be receiving any training assistance at all from BTC coaches or athletes including a training program to follow individually.
Is that your moral stance, or is that actually a rule? I repeat my questions from 451, above:
Honest questions: While she serves her suspension, is SH still a member of the BTC? Is she allowed to receive her payments from Nike? Does she have other sponsors / income? She clearly is receiving “something of value” from Nike, with coaching and BTC facilities. Is this permitted?
How tone deaf can you be? She have nothing to discuss with SH, there isn't anything to sort out. She wants her coach to stop bringing a convicted doper to her trainings, which should be an obvious and commendable ask for everyone looking at this objectively.
+1
And here the convicted doper wanted "to have those conversations with her regarding her concerns" - lol.
Shelby: you are the drug cheat - banned for four years for intentional doping with roids - that at least some people, quite understandably, want to stay away from.
How tone deaf can you be? She have nothing to discuss with SH, there isn't anything to sort out. She wants her coach to stop bringing a convicted doper to her trainings, which should be an obvious and commendable ask for everyone looking at this objectively.
+1
And here the convicted doper wanted "to have those conversations with her regarding her concerns" - lol.
Shelby: you are the drug cheat - banned for four years for intentional doping with roids - that at least some people, quite understandably, want to stay away from.
And she refused to co operate by saying where she did get the drugs from and lied about the food stupidly.
This is clearly an aggravated offence and she should get a ten year ban like that Blessing women got.Lets see her train on her own for ten years.
How tone deaf can you be? She have nothing to discuss with SH, there isn't anything to sort out. She wants her coach to stop bringing a convicted doper to her trainings, which should be an obvious and commendable ask for everyone looking at this objectively.
+1
And here the convicted doper wanted "to have those conversations with her regarding her concerns" - lol.
Shelby: you are the drug cheat - banned for four years for intentional doping with roids - that at least some people, quite understandably, want to stay away from.
I WAS WRONG
Shelby is the selfish one. Every statement that she makes is about herself and what is best for her. Even if innocent her decisions have destroyed the reputation of her team her teammates and her coaches.
Shelby shouldn't be receiving any training assistance at all from BTC coaches or athletes including a training program to follow individually.
Is that your moral stance, or is that actually a rule? I repeat my questions from 451, above:
Honest questions: While she serves her suspension, is SH still a member of the BTC? Is she allowed to receive her payments from Nike? Does she have other sponsors / income? She clearly is receiving “something of value” from Nike, with coaching and BTC facilities. Is this permitted?
This is how the rules were applied against an Australian swimmer who served a doping ban between 2019-2021. Her ban even ended in time for Tokyo games but was unable to compete because there wasn't enough time back in training to be ready. The ban had a large mental toll on her because it disconnected her from her support network. This was a person who's ban was reduced for being unintentional/no fault.
"I never knew of her concerns and struggles until finding out about all of this through her announcement. Having to find out about it and deal with it through such a public manner has been really hurtful and frustrating. I know her choosing not to come to me to discuss it was out of kindness and wanting to protect me and my mental health but I wish I would have been given the opportunity to have those conversations with her regarding her concerns to see if I could have cleared anything up or eased the situation for her in any way. I never wanted to have a negative impact on anyone in my decision to continue training and it hurts that I’m finding out that I did.
"Running and working out has always been a source of joy and happiness for me as well as a coping mechanism. My legal team and I have been very deliberate and intentional in contacting the AIU and other governing bodies to figure out how I can continue to run and train for my own mental health in a way that is also abiding by and respecting the rules put in place. I care about all of the athletes and staff on BTC and I was always considering them with every decision I made. I realize now that I should have been more communicative in those decisions.
"I do wish Gabriela the best with her transition and moving forward. I hope she found a training environment that’s positive and brings her happiness.
"As for my appeal, the status hasn’t changed and I am still waiting on it. I'm still running and training because it's what makes me happy but I'm also continuing to stay hopeful in clearing my name and I'm trying to trust that the truth will win in the end.
"Training and having to tackle workouts alone has at times been very difficult and challenging for me, mostly mentally and emotionally. It’s been a learning curve in establishing a new sense of normal but overall, training is going well."
Strange statement from Shelby Houlihan and even stranger that BTC didn’t release one first.
At the end of the day, this isn’t a petty disagreement between friends, it’s about BTC’s coaches’ decision to potentially expose their athletes to a risky situation. Shelby’s feelings are valid but frankly irrelevant to the matter at hand.
It seems that Gabriela went through the proper channels to “discuss” the arrangement and her concerns were dismissed. What is Schumacher doing? If communication within the team is so bad about something so important and public, I can’t imagine what it’s like to be part of it day-to-day.
Is that your moral stance, or is that actually a rule? I repeat my questions from 451, above:
Honest questions: While she serves her suspension, is SH still a member of the BTC? Is she allowed to receive her payments from Nike? Does she have other sponsors / income? She clearly is receiving “something of value” from Nike, with coaching and BTC facilities. Is this permitted?
This is how the rules were applied against an Australian swimmer who served a doping ban between 2019-2021. Her ban even ended in time for Tokyo games but was unable to compete because there wasn't enough time back in training to be ready. The ban had a large mental toll on her because it disconnected her from her support network. This was a person who's ban was reduced for being unintentional/no fault.
Swimming in designated club training times is a major restriction on swimming.
Not the same for athletes.
Thus rules applied the same; just different effect.
This is how the rules were applied against an Australian swimmer who served a doping ban between 2019-2021. Her ban even ended in time for Tokyo games but was unable to compete because there wasn't enough time back in training to be ready. The ban had a large mental toll on her because it disconnected her from her support network. This was a person who's ban was reduced for being unintentional/no fault.
Swimming in designated club training times is a major restriction on swimming.
Not the same for athletes.
Thus rules applied the same; just different effect.
I get the impression you are trying as hard as possible to not understand. I know for a fact she wasn't allowed to train with her club or be coached by her coach at all neither during squad times nor outside of them so no it's not the same application of the rules. Why are you being so dense?
Kyle Merber's newsletter has the full emailed interview with GDS. (This is the same info she sent to Let's Run and other outlets, just not redacted or edited.) Reading this in context, it seems clear to me that GDS is not the only BTC athlete who wasn't/isn't thrilled with this arrangement. She's just fortunate and brave enough to be able to leave (i.e., a top performer with a federation ready to support her)
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Swimming in designated club training times is a major restriction on swimming.
Not the same for athletes.
Thus rules applied the same; just different effect.
I get the impression you are trying as hard as possible to not understand. I know for a fact she wasn't allowed to train with her club or be coached by her coach at all neither during squad times nor outside of them so no it's not the same application of the rules. Why are you being so dense?
How do you know that she was banned from having a private coaching arrangement by the Wada code.If she could not be coached by her coach was that because of separate contract arrangements that the coach had?
The test would be could she have a private coaching arrangement at all.
You also fail to grasp that it could be the interpretation of the rules in Aus that were wrong
If you could not grasp all this it is you who would needs to sit on the dense persons step.
you forget you are talking about human beings in these situations until it hits close to home and you are forced to think about it.
Sad situation all around. hopefully everybody can find peace. Even those who are responsible for creating it.
Bingo. In everything in 2022, people are forgetting about humanity, that the "other side" of an argument is made up of real people.
High hopes wrote:
The best coaches in sports across the world put the team first and Jerry is now burying the team so that he can maintain the presence of a doper around the group.
Yes, you are right. Most coaches wouldn't do what Jerry is doing. Think about this for a moment. Why would he do that? It makes zero sense for him to keep her around. If he knows she's dirty and the group is dirty, you just keep paying her and tell her to shut the F up.
You've forgotten the humanity of the situation.
You wrote that Jerry is doing so he "can maintain the presence of a doper around the group." What? Why would he do that? That just hurts the group PR wise. I'd argue Jerry is doing it so he he "doesn't abandon someone he respects a great deal whom he believes is being ROYALLY screwed."
Again go back to the question I posed yesterday of ,"Do you think the WHOLE group is dirty or not?" If you think he's a dirty coach, then none of this applies but I think there is close to zero percent chance the group is a totally dirty group.
And if you are a clean coach and one of your stars whom you are very close to, whom has bought into your plan totally for 5 years, gets popped and you think it's totally unfair, you are going to react differently. It's emotional.
I've been talking about how the world is often grey not black and white but Jerry is more black and white. This is what you need to run to be world class - do it. He thought what Alberto was doing was crazy and said no and they split. He thinks Shelby is being railroaded and the system is totally F**ed and innocent athletes are going down.
PR wise, he should have reacted differently, "Under the rules, she's out. I believe in my heart she's innocent. And i"m going to devote my career to reform the anti-doping movement because it's a sham. I worked closely with a coach who was looking for a phamaceutical edge and he got away with it for years. We are trying to do things the right way and now our star athlete is out. I'm going to lead the way with a $100,000 donation."
