If she had admitted to the obvious doping her suspension would have been less. I'm not sure her lying about the violation should gain her more sympathy.
I know that Houlihan made that claim, but the offer is illogical. Are all those busted Kenyans offered the same deal? If a busted athlete actually did not intentionally cheat, but didn’t have evidence to prove it, should they lie to receive the reduction?
By going to CAS, Houlihan was attempting to have the ban overturned. She didn’t want to miss the Tokyo Olympics.
It's not really an "offer" - that's just one of the many things the doper twisted for PR reasons. It's an official WADA rule, see 10.8.1 in the current code ("One-Year Reduction for Certain Anti-Doping Rule Violations Based on Early Admission and Acceptance of Sanction").
So yes, Kenyans and others can - and do occasionally - use 10.8.1 to get a reduction. Examples include Jepkosgei, Kipserem, and of course our very own Mead.
By going to CAS, Houlihan was attempting to have the ban overturned. She didn’t want to miss the Tokyo Olympics.
Yes - she may have been blindsided by the previous successes of her $250,000 lawyer, as recommended by Jerry. At that time, he had won all 14 of his last (alleged) "contamination" cases - so "proving" contamination appeared easy.
But as we now all know, that burrito nonsense had too many problems (boar too unlikely, nandrolone amount too large for that claimed burrito, and it was synthetic nandrolone to boot).
I know that Houlihan made that claim, but the offer is illogical. Are all those busted Kenyans offered the same deal? If a busted athlete actually did not intentionally cheat, but didn’t have evidence to prove it, should they lie to receive the reduction?
By going to CAS, Houlihan was attempting to have the ban overturned. She didn’t want to miss the Tokyo Olympics.
It's not really an "offer" - that's just one of the many things the doper twisted for PR reasons. It's an official WADA rule, see 10.8.1 in the current code ("One-Year Reduction for Certain Anti-Doping Rule Violations Based on Early Admission and Acceptance of Sanction").
So yes, Kenyans and others can - and do occasionally - use 10.8.1 to get a reduction. Examples include Jepkosgei, Kipserem, and of course our very own Mead.
Interesting. As I commented above, Houlihan wanted to overturn the ban, so she probably never considered pursuing the one year reduction.
If she had admitted to the obvious doping her suspension would have been less. I'm not sure her lying about the violation should gain her more sympathy.
Exactly. If she lied about it and said she did something that she didn't do, then that would be a mistake.
In 2025 N$ke will present the latest in burrito technology. working with local farms to secure only the highest quality leftover pig offal, gerry oppenmacher will work with the burrito-wrappers in nearby Eugene to provide the perfect alibi for high nandrolone concentrations on unfortunate testing days.
Is it crazy that as a banned runner she's allowed to use Nike's facilities all this time?
I don't know about "use the facilities" but running on campus is pretty loosely enforced.
When I am in Portland/Beaverton I have often run on the Hollister Trail and/or the berm and even used the track (10x1000 or 5000m tempo). They don't usually kick people off unless you are not wearing Nikes. And even then, if you are from the community, I think they will often just turn a blind eye.
So maybe she's just "running at Nike" and not really using the real amenities inside the buildings?
One other obvious source is that someone spiked her food, in particular someone who felt threatened by Houlihan's faster times and wanted to get rid of her. Then right after Houlihan was banned, that person left the team because no one else on the team liked her being there.
I know this guy is getting clobbered with downvotes, I get it. I highly doubt someone on her team hated her so much that they knew to spike her food (and new when the tester was coming). I think that sounds crazy.
But as there was no Nadro in Shelby's hair (no long-term use), it does look like the positive came from a single use of the steroid. Doesn't that point to "tainted supplement" or something rather than a scheduled use of a PED?
Before you call me a naive idiot, just tell me why that is wrong. I don't know Shelby and don't need to be right one way or the other. I just don't understand why a person would use Nandro one time.
Shelby back! Can't wait to see this talented athlete back in action. All the haters will be seething 🙂
Shelby will be 32 on February 8th. Her best days as a track athlete are now behind her. She has absolutely no chance now of being a global medalist. That is the price she has paid as an athlete. Shelby might be able to make a World Championship team but she will not make an Olympic team, as she will be too old.
Ummm, no. First, the hair analysis was suspiciously selective - see CAS report.
Second, even ignoring the above, it would only show that there was no long time use of large concentrations - even Shelburrito's "expert" couldn't say how long and how large - see CAS report (and Tucker's explanations here on letsrun).
So no, it doesn't point to a one-time use.
Third, Shelburrito has ruled out the supplements - see f.ex. the interview with runnersworld.
Fourth, she could have been on a fancy professional steroid cocktail (see Balco), that normally - but not this time - included only traces of nandrolone.
And what about me any assumptions? Im your Physics King right
You seem to be one of the people I mentioned who have stupid opinions.
No I think you mixed up with that rekrunner or flagpole. You definitely didn’t call me stupid. I manufacture entire logical treatises on LRC with an intangible Center of Jesus. Please check your records!
Shelby supporters are not doping supporters. I am against doping. I am against crime also but I employ several felons. I employ adulterers. I employ many people who have done things that I don't agree with.
Let her who is without sin cast the last stone. It's easy for people to criticize the thing they didn't do, but what bad have they done that Shelby wouldn't do? As a side note, the vast majority of people are able to hide their dirt. The game is about not getting caught more than it is doing the dirty work.
Now let's say there was a misperception or error and she was innocent. She'd probably be more than likely to turn to cheating on her reinstatement because she was wrongly harassed. That would mess with anyone's mind. When ones world is dark, they adopt bad behavior as a coping mechanism.
Now let's say she did take the nandy candy. She probably internalized herself as a victim because she took it due to the propensity of her rivals to cheat. She feels cheated because she's the unlucky cheater to get caught out of a litany of cheaters who avoid being popped.
Regardless of her protestations of innocence, Houlihan did her time and served her penalty and forfeited two Olympic shots. Whatever career she was going to have is off the table, forever — the cost was total — and she's welcome to attempt a comeback. Hope she's ready for the potential crowd reactions at Hayward every time she steps out there.
If she ever admits guilt, she will be liable for fraud, because she fundraised off those protestations of innocence. The fundraising was probably dumb, because if she just said, "Yeah, we all pushed the limits with our supplements, and I got sloppy with the timing, lesson learned," she would have earned back some goodwill. If she tries that now, she gets sued, or worse.
I have more of an issue with the way she played in the grey margins during her suspension, what with coincidentally being "in the neighborhood" right around the same time as certain BTC workouts. Remember the athlete(s) who quit over that and made their concerns public.
Synthetic nandrolone isn't typically referred to as a supplement, but rather an anabolic steroid.
and Of course Nike is going to sign her she works out on their campus like every day since she was banned.
Nikki was playing nice and being civil but surely they understand there’s a difference between being non binary and being a cheater
Thoughts about the article:
1. I'm not sure there is another drug cheat that has gotten as much media attention as Shelby Houlihan. How many sympathetic podcasts has she done? Countless articles in news outlets too.
is playing with us if they are trying to say they aren't going to resign her. She'll be back at Bowerman soon.
3. Nikki was probably asked a pretty leading question about Shelby. Like of course Nikki isn't going to say they want anyone harassed. But the article made it sound like it was a ringing endorsement of her return when it wasn't.
4. sorry if this makes me a j*rk but I'm not super interested in Shelby's sob stories about her anxiety levels. This article is weird because it sort of flips the accountability around to fans and competitors. It's YOUR fault if you make her feel bad. Like, please remember why we are all here in the first place.
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