Alena Reta again....

mzungu wrote:

Despite some deliberate attempts to misinform people to the contrary, one needn't have an athlete visa to claim prize money.

One of the income exceptions made in visa regs is for sports prize money. Athletes can accept prize money, but not appearance fees or sponsor support, on a tourist visa.

let me revise my statement then, one should have to have an elite athlete visa to accept prize money. At the very least tell me he's paying taxes on his winnings.

I'm not CONFUSED in any way. You are connected with this Drug Cheat in some manner. Scumbag cheaters/liars have no place in our sport. And yes, there is assumed guilt by ones past actions and shady moral character.

I wonder how much "asthma medication" will be purchased by Emere/Reta with last weekends winnings.

The only connection I have towards Alena is that I tried to keep him from competing in a race that I was helping run. What I was told was that we do not have to offer him an elite status but we cannot keep him from competing.Like I said he has to live with his drug past and should have to be tested more often since he does have that past, but to worry about how old he is is just useless. If he is 24 34 or 44 if he is not taking master money then who cares?Once he starts to try to take master money then someone should question it.

jfk wrote:

I'm not CONFUSED in any way. You are connected with this Drug Cheat in some manner. Scumbag cheaters/liars have no place in our sport. And yes, there is assumed guilt by ones past actions and shady moral character.

Its not so much the legality of it - on paper, the guy isn't doing anything wrong (that I'm aware of).

Its the principle of the thing, if USATF (or whatever governing body) still allowed Regina to compete after testing positive many times - even if she was now clean, would you like it if she showed up and won a race? Of course not.

The guy is a bum, plain and simple. Just like every other cheater out there. And like another poster said, he owes a number of honest, hard working runners a fat check.

Didn't they get Al Capone on tax evasion?

Tom

there are 2 types of visa's foreigeners come to america on:

B#1/2 -which allows any runner to accept prize money which most times has 30% tax deducted before he gets it.

P#1- this allows an athlete to accept appearance money as well.

officials like GLENN LATIMER have been falsely stating that runners can not accept money unless they have the P#1..which is completely bullshit!

JUST THE FACTS

[quote]confused! wrote:

The only connection I have towards Alena is that I tried to keep him from competing in a race that I was helping run. What I was told was that we do not have to offer him an elite status but we cannot keep him from competing."

I believe some races such as NY City Marathon have banned all prior drug cheats even if their current ban is up and the cheat is paying his/her own way. In the article from SouthCoastToday his agent says:

"Jett said Reta cannot run in the New York City Marathon and shuns races with strong fields, yet he still has the desire to be one of the best in the world."

So i think the "Big 5" marathons have taken this stance. From a legal standpoint would they be able to turn away someone willing to pay for an entry who is legal to compete? Would they have to specify earlier on the entry form "NO PAST DRUG CHEATS"? Would that be enough?

Obviously you are entitled to your opinion, but if Regina came back today and started to run marathons or something I would not feel like she owes others money if she wins it. Regina and Alena served their suspension and have every right to compete with others. I think they should have to be drug tested more often once caught but until caught again they are winning "fair" and square.But no, if Regina showed up clean like you said, then I would not have a problem with that.

wooooot wrote:

Its not so much the legality of it - on paper, the guy isn't doing anything wrong (that I'm aware of).

Its the principle of the thing, if USATF (or whatever governing body) still allowed Regina to compete after testing positive many times - even if she was now clean, would you like it if she showed up and won a race? Of course not.

The guy is a bum, plain and simple. Just like every other cheater out there. And like another poster said, he owes a number of honest, hard working runners a fat check.

then that is where you and i differ my friend. again its the principle of it, for me anyway. In my opinion, someone that has compromised the integrity of the sport like that in the past has no business stepping on the line again, especially with guys that are doing it the old fashioned way. Again, just my opinion.

I think that all road race directors should take the stance that NYRR has taken, which is a completely legit stance to take: "If you have EVER been convicted of or tested positive for taking a performance enhancing banned substance, you will not be allowed to collect prize money at this road race." This is a completely fair thing for a road race to do, and only excludes a small amount of people who have been shown to be dirty cheaters.

If ALL road races just put this disclaimer under their publishing of prize money, than you could expect a cheater to just stay away.

One problem with drug testing athletes at these races is that the cost of a single test is pretty expensive. Most races probably don't test because of this reason. At the same time it's also not fair to the runners who are clean and have been clean there WHOLE careers to race against guys who have been proven to have cheated in the past. I ran the race in New Bedford and wasn't even close to Reta's time, and I wouldn't have placed in the money if he hadn't run. Do I feel cheated? Yeah. I think most of the top guys in the race feel cheated when we bust our asses running through the city running as hard as possible, but the fans only see us getting our asses kicked by some guy who they don't realize is a drug cheat.

Mr. Reta may not be on drugs now. He may be clean. He served his suspension. The fact that he still won't admit to cheating and the fact that he shows up at races and takes money where he knows he'll never be tested doesn't look good. The argument that everyone deserves a second chance should not apply in sports. When you cheat you diminish the integrity of the sport. If anyone here doesn't think he diminshes the integrity of the sport and every race he enters, then let's here it.

I am not doubting that they are doing this, but is this documented anywhere? I guess a road race would be considered a private event to exclude runners? I am just wondering how a race can keep someone from competing and collecting money if they pay their entry fees.I asked a few race directors awhile ago about this because like I pointed out earlier this Alena Reta tried to be an elite entry at a race I was helping at. I recognized the name and was furious, but after talking to a few other road race directors they all said you have to be very careful because you can't keep people from competing if they are not currently suspended. After talking with them we made him pay his fee but couldn't keep him from coming.Is it listed on any race sites that they exclude these people? I would just be interested to see how legally they can do it.

massman wrote:

I think that all road race directors should take the stance that NYRR has taken, which is a completely legit stance to take: "If you have EVER been convicted of or tested positive for taking a performance enhancing banned substance, you will not be allowed to collect prize money at this road race." This is a completely fair thing for a road race to do, and only excludes a small amount of people who have been shown to be dirty cheaters.

If ALL road races just put this disclaimer under their publishing of prize money, than you could expect a cheater to just stay away.

I think one way the problem could be settled is to take him out at the start of the race.A slight nudge may give him the hint that he is not welcome.

I also think that he needs to be made to feel real uncomfortable before, during, and after, the event. I would go as far as making up signs or booing him,

It is time this guy goes.

The IRS has a website where you can turn in tax cheats.

I think Tom D has it correct with his Capone analogy. Seems someone should drop a dime with the Immigration and Naturalization Services on Mr Reta.

Mr Tilton also has it correct. People cheer Mr Reta not knowing his past, which will remain suspect while he only runs in races he is not tested. Tilton, Moulton, Mort and others in their stratosphere pay a price for Mr Reta's obfuscations.

It seems that the practice of allowing former drug cheats back into competition works ass-backwards. Why do race directors claim that they *have* to let these athletes back into their fields after a suspension is up, when really their directive under USATF, USADA, and IAAF rules is only to exclude the cheat *during* his/her suspension? The later does not imply the former. I haven't yet heard a compelling argument from race directors (or their lawyers) on this issue.

I wish many races would take the higher road, as the Marathon Majors have, and seek a higher standard for the sport.

Maybe cheats returning from suspension should be welcomed back with open arms, and an extra bib that they must wear in competition that reads "DRUGS" or "I CHEATED". Kind of a scarlet letter shunning effect. That way, spectators and the press know what's up. I think this would be particularly appropriate for drug cheats who show no remorse for their actions.

"Kind of a scarlet letter shunning effect."

I like that. It makes me wonder if there is a lasting, real training effect, from having been on some drugs? Are they better runners when they are clean because they could train and race at a higher level while they were on drugs? So in that sense might they still be cheating?

Tom

elite racing did this quite well with asmae legzouie (sp?) at philly half last year. mike long physically removed her from the start line. PRECEDENT SET!!! more people should have balls like that!