Magness:
In 2012, I sat in a boardroom with Alberto Salazar and the team sports psychologist, Darren Treasure. We were discussing the performance of an athlete who had just run at a world championship. She’d performed well for herself, beating athletes with much faster personal bests.
That didn’t matter to Salazar. “Her bütt is so big, she can barely lift her knees,” was the comment that stung. I countered by showing him the athlete's body fat testing results that we’d had done in a performance lab shortly before.
It stated 12.4% body fat, about the lowest she could get while still maintaining her health. “I don’t care what the science says! I know what I see! Her bütt is too big!” I refused to tell the athlete to lose weight.
It was getting heated. Darren stepped in and said “Maybe, instead we provide a model. Someone to look to and emulate. How about Jenny Simpson.”
Salazar responded. “No. Not Simpson. You know why she's not fast right now? Her bütt is big too! She's way too soft and pudgy.” This was in 2012. Simpson was already a world champion.
There were other instances.
-Comments about using thyroid meds to speed up metabolism
-Comments to runners about their weight/size of body parts during/after workouts.
-Encouragement to leave meals hungry and admonishing athletes for eating things like a burger
The point is. It was part of the culture. As I listened to Mary Cain speak, it all resonated.
Salazar was obsessed with weight. He'd 'joke' about using liposuction or removing your appendix for weight loss. He'd try to get athletes to take shady diet supplements.
I've witnessed the harm and damage that such a culture creates. It's lasting mental health issues.
That's the issue.
The culture made it where crazy was normal. Where people justified all sorts of crazy shít with mental gymnastics. They rationalized it.
I encourage all of those who witnessed or were part of this, to speak up. We all stood by at points in time. We were all blinded by the "cult", where secrecy and us against everyone else mindsets were used to manipulate us all.
But, change only happens if we speak out.
And it's time for the group "formerly known as NOP" takes a hard look at themselves. They have some difficult choices to make. It's hard to leave a cult, but what kind of sport do you want in the future? The one Cain experienced or a better one?
I get it. It's hard to walk away from $. To get your mind out of the craziness & to see clearly.
Some of you I warned about this & other stuff, and you still chose to join. I don't fault you. But the fog is clearing. See what Mary, Amy, Kara, and others are saying. That's real.