LaShawn Merrit kicks home for gold like a boss

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That's the excuse he used. But some erection pills are also performance enhancers.

Wow did I say that?

Yes of course he knowingly took performance enhancers.

Which brings a theme that people need to remember. All these drugs that athletes use - PEDs - are developed for something else. They aren't developed to make you run faster. They just happen to also improve athletic performance.

So when a 23 yr old claims he needs more lead in his pencil, you should be wary. Since when does a 23 year old healthy male need some of that? When I was that agfe it used to stay up for days.

I am nearly 58 years old and I have still plenty of wood. Any time I need it. (Which unfortunately doesn't correspond with when its available.)[/quote]

No way. If he knew the male enhancement pills had a banned substance that would result in a failed test, he wouldn't have taken them during competition testing or he would have masked it like others have tried.

Anyway, he is passing all subsequent tests and is doing the best he can now, which is quite good.

going backwards wrote:

relay_decisions wrote:

I guess I don't understand the politics... I mean what are the athletes going to do? Refuse to compete in their individual events if they aren't included in the relay?

It's not about the athletes. It's about their coaches (and shoe companies).

Ah yes, I should have known money was some how at the root of this. I just hope it doesn't cost us a gold medal the next time someone like Merritt isn't around to save the day.

*Meant Fraser-Pryce, not VCB

Side-note: Lot's of hyphonated names these days. Richards-Ross, Fraser-Pryce, Cambell Brown, Barringer Simpson

go_merritt wrote:

ukathleticscoach wrote:

This site is unbelievable

Any runners setting a fast time but who have never failed a test are dopers

But actual dopers are heroes.

Don't be bitter. Merritt made an embarrassing mistake and paid for it. He's clean now and it took courage to come back and perform like a hero in relay.

You must have been born yesterday

Bunch of muppets

I wasn't born yesterday. I think if Merritt wanted to dope he would take something more effective and less embarrassing than extenze. I doubt it even really helped him.

From what I saw in the relay, he is a gutsy competitor to be admired.

The rule is you dope you are suspended then you can come back when you're clean. Merritt paid his dues for his embarrassing mistake. He could have accepted the 2 year ban but he appealed to make it 21 so he could compete now. USATF could have left him off the team because he was still banned at USAs but he petitioned to go to Daegu. Then he just went out and got an individual silver and a relay gold.

Whether or not he doped he fought for this and I give him credit for that.

categorically wrote:

The rule is you dope you are suspended then you can come back when you're clean. Merritt paid his dues for his embarrassing mistake. He could have accepted the 2 year ban but he appealed to make it 21 so he could compete now. USATF could have left him off the team because he was still banned at USAs but he petitioned to go to Daegu. Then he just went out and got an individual silver and a relay gold.

Whether or not he doped he fought for this and I give him credit for that.

Exactly, it was an entertaining race, and thanks to Merritt's exceptional effort, the good guys won.

Still can't believe Merritt ran a faster time in the 400m heats than the winning time of the final...

400mUS wrote:

categorically wrote:

The rule is you dope you are suspended then you can come back when you're clean. Merritt paid his dues for his embarrassing mistake. He could have accepted the 2 year ban but he appealed to make it 21 so he could compete now. USATF could have left him off the team because he was still banned at USAs but he petitioned to go to Daegu. Then he just went out and got an individual silver and a relay gold.

Whether or not he doped he fought for this and I give him credit for that.

Exactly, it was an entertaining race, and thanks to Merritt's exceptional effort, the good guys won.

Still can't believe Merritt ran a faster time in the 400m heats than the winning time of the final...

Well, I think he was lane 8, and that was his second race back i think? I am pretty sure going out like that in the first round had some effect on the 400m final.

I was never really a fan of Merritt. When he was dominating, I was hoping Wariner would return to form. Then after he was caught "extending" his performance, I felt good, and thought it was about time. But seeing what he did in this year's final made me a fan. It is not easy to be out for 2 years and come back still as one of the top 400m runners(although it is a weak year). Thank god he saved the relay.

Haven't read the whole thread, but recent comments seem to indicate that it has evolved into a Merritt doping discussion.

I've always thought this about Merritt's case: Why would a guy already embarrassed with a positive test further embarrass himself with the admittance of taking a penis enlarger?

Good point made about the further embarrassment. He cared enough about track to admit everything and go through an embarrassing appeal rather than just say nothing and take the extra 3 months of suspension and never have to hear all these jokes made at his expense.

As far as I can tell, he is a good guy and great 400 runner. I guess the rust played a factor with his round running in the open 400. I used to be a Wariner fan too, still am, but Merritt has impressed me. When Wariner ran a 43.45, I thought for sure he would make a run at MJ's record, but now I don't think he ever will.

I give the man his justly earned props.

That's not the only thing he needs proping up!

dickuslimpus wrote:

That's not the only thing he needs proping up!

See, he suffers such indignity for his sport. He shows up with everyone making fun of him and he still delivers like a boss. Now that is mental toughness!

He had to develop mental toughness because of his small dick.

categorically wrote:

The rule is you dope you are suspended then you can come back when you're clean. Merritt paid his dues for his embarrassing mistake. He could have accepted the 2 year ban but he appealed to make it 21 so he could compete now. USATF could have left him off the team because he was still banned at USAs but he petitioned to go to Daegu. Then he just went out and got an individual silver and a relay gold.

Whether or not he doped he fought for this and I give him credit for that.

Do you think I don't know the sequence of events?

Have you ever considered that the rules may not be right and that the USATF made the wrong decision. It also looks obvious with the timing that they wanted him in the worlds to make the medal table look better

You have also not addressed my comment that posters on where critise athletes as being dopers who have not failed tests, then support known dopes. As you are unable to use a consitent user name I suspect you are one of those

As the rule stands an athlete has been allowed stands can win consecutive world championships having being caught for doping inbetween

You also need to decide in life which side you are on. I'm on the side of clean athletes. You are backing a doping cheat.

The OP created this thread to congratulate Merritt. So give Mr. Merritt his props or move on. You can't paint everyone with the same broad brush, it isn't fair.

The least I can do is defend Mr. Merritt, because he defended the greatest tradition in track and field. Gold in the USA mens 4 x 4.

crazy person wrote:

Haven't read the whole thread, but recent comments seem to indicate that it has evolved into a Merritt doping discussion.

I've always thought this about Merritt's case: Why would a guy already embarrassed with a positive test further embarrass himself with the admittance of taking a penis enlarger?

To run in the WC's. It worked

There is no way you could possibly know this. You are just making an assumption because you have a grudge against Mr. Merritt.

Everyone should just give Mr. Merritt his props and move on.