I believe this is the first time WADA has appealed a decision made by USADA and lost the appeal. The appeal likely cost WADA, IAAF, USADA and CAS somewhere between $100,000 and $200,000.
See
for Lindsey's explanation of what occurred.
The website is currently down, but I understand it will be back up in a few hours.
People really need to read this. I believe 1000% in TOUGH anti-drug actions, but this mistreatment of Lindsey Scherf is frightening for the sheer stupidity and lack of common sense on the part of those who wanted to punish her.
I knew nothing at all about Lindsey Scherf before seeing this story on LetsRun. Now I will try to follow her career and root for her with great enthusism. Anyone who had to go through the prolonged agony of this "process" and didn't become either suicidal or homicidal has to be extraordinarily tough. By comparison, 2 1/2 hours on the road in a marathon should be a piece of cake for her.
Wow! Lindsey Scherf is going to run cross country at Oregon with Nicole Blood, Alex Kosinski, and Zoe Buckman. NCAA Championship?
awesome. she'll do well running at Oregon.
Oh, has she become coachable?
Please tell me she got her degree from Harvard and is going to pretend grad school at Oregon allowing her to run.
Please tell me there isn't anyone stupid enough to throw away a Harvard degree for a season at Oregon even if it is to win NCAA's.
I wonder if we would all be posting the same comments if it was a Russian woman that refused a drug test and used a similar story in defence?
She can not run with team like Rupp.
dellenanna wrote:
Oh, has she become coachable?
Yes Jason, I hear she is getting along very well with her new teammates and coaches at Oregon, just as she did when Frank Haggerty coached her.
weopri23, you forgot to mention Melissa Grelli (#10 in XC Nats last year) also transferred to Oregon. Looks like Oregon has 4 of the NCAA's top-10 XC runners on its team this year -- with Zoe Buchman, their 5th runner, not far behind. Oregon might have a shot at breaking the lowest NCAA XC Nats point total (36 by Virginai in '81) if everyone remains healthy.
1500 wrote:
Please tell me she got her degree from Harvard and is going to pretend grad school at Oregon allowing her to run.
Please tell me there isn't anyone stupid enough to throw away a Harvard degree for a season at Oregon even if it is to win NCAA's.
page 6 of her document says she will be attending grad school at UO.
The scary thing is that it appears that an elite runner couldn't get an answer to a simple question, i.e., is a U.S. exemption for the use of a drug good enough for the Gulf Coast Marathon in Brisbane? USADA didn't know. The IAAF didn't know (since after the race it granted the exemption only to withdraw that because it didn't have jurisdiction over the race).
This wasn't a last minute question.
Unbeatable? wrote:
Oregon might have a shot at breaking the lowest NCAA XC Nats point total (36 by Virginai in '81) if everyone remains healthy.
Don't count on that with that type of program.
Lindsey is not throwing away her Harvard degree. If things go well, she will likely turn pro in a year or two and compete professionally for as long as it makes sense. She also has six seasons of eligibility left. Anyone who later hires her will be smart enough to understand her decision to attend Oregon. She will earn 4X the amount from a pro contract coming out of Oregon with recent top performances vs. going pro now with not having competed in the last two years.
She's entered Oregon's MBA program in Sports Management which apparently is a good fit for her long term goals. Also, there is nothing preventing her from going back and getting an IVY graduate degree once her pro running career has ended. For a talented runner like Lindsey with an interest is sports management, attending Oregon is not throwing away ones Harvard degree. Oregon's Sports Mgmt. MBA program is a strong one and I believe it provides very good job networking opportunities.
So answer my ? She does or does not currently have her Harvard degree. I'm not asking about future goals or pro aspirations. The here and now is what I asked.
In reference to "4X the amount," we aren't talking Walter Dix contract #s here.
1500 wrote:
So answer my ? She does or does not currently have her Harvard degree. I'm not asking about future goals or pro aspirations. The here and now is what I asked.
Can you do anything on your own?
1500 wrote:
So answer my ? She does or does not currently have her Harvard degree. I'm not asking about future goals or pro aspirations. The here and now is what I asked.
Yes, she graduated with a BA degree from Harvard in June '08 (I believe in psychology, but I'm not certain). She attended Harvard for 4 years but only competed in T&F/XC her freshman and sophomore years.
jimxs wrote:
she graduated with a BA degree from Harvard in June '08 (I believe in psychology
Ironic
weopri23 wrote:
Wow! Lindsey Scherf is going to run cross country at Oregon with Nicole Blood, Alex Kosinski, and Zoe Buckman. NCAA Championship?
Add another significant transfer to the list as well...
Melissa Grelli
Transfer from Georgetown is a four-time All-American and the 2007 Big East cross country champion.
Before Oregon: Earned All-American honors with a 10th-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Big East Conference and NCAA Mid Atlantic Region champion, earning her All-Mid Atlantic Region honors. Placed fifth at the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet. In 2006-07, finished eighth at the 2006 Big East cross country meet. Earned All-Mid Atlantic Region honors with a third-place finish and took 39th at the NCAA Championships. Outdoors, garnered All-America honors with a runner-up finish in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships in a school and personal record 33:01.56. Placed 12th at the USA Track & Field Championships in the 10,000 meters. ECAC champion in the 3000 meters with a personal best of 9:31.87. Redshirted the 2005-06 season. As a freshman, placed 36th overall at the Big East cross country meet.
Prep: Foot Locker Nationals All-American with a 15th place finish. Took fifth at the Foot Locker West regional in 2003. California Division III State Champion in cross country in 2002.
I'm no fan of the Ducks, but they are going to be incredible
SouthernSun wrote:
Anyone who had to go through the prolonged agony of this "process" and didn't become either suicidal or homicidal has to be extraordinarily tough.
A wee bit dramatic don't you think? "suicidal or homicidal"? Maybe she has a life with some perspective. (I know nothing about her other than what is posted in this thread)