Why Was A Man With A 10-Year Doping Ban Enjoying The 2012 US Olympic Track & Field Trials From The Nike Sky Box?

Excellent work BroJos!

Are you guys pushing this story to other news outlets? Not a fan of Phil Hersh, but I would certainly like to see him do a column on this, and perhaps your friend Time Layden...put a bit more pressure on NIKE to respond.

Mister BAMF wrote:

Meanwhile the majority of Nike customers are hobby joggers and know nothing about this sport.... "who's ashton eaton?"

Actually, it's more like, "why run?" Something like 70% of people who buy Nike running shoes don't run.

Canada641 wrote:

Unless Nike provides a reasonable explanation for this situation, I won't be buying Nike products in the future.

Careful here. I'm not exactly a fan of Nike, but the Brojos have provided NO evidence that:

(1) Mark Block isn't allowed under the 10 year ban to be where he was photographed;

(2) Nike had anything to do with him being there.

InWyo wrote:

Excellent work BroJos!

Are you guys pushing this story to other news outlets? Not a fan of Phil Hersh, but I would certainly like to see him do a column on this, and perhaps your friend Time Layden...put a bit more pressure on NIKE to respond.

Screw Hersh, give it to Layden.

coach d wrote:

(2) Nike had anything to do with him being there.

He was credentialed in a Nike area, you don't get those seats if you buy off Stubhub or get invited by Adidas.

Looks like Ciaran is coming out in defense of Block/Nike. Which makes me believe that Block is his de facto agent (Ciaran is with Total Sports).

Do people really care about this? Really?

I was embarrassed for this website when I saw the homepage.

"Why haven't other coaches, agents, athletes, and sponsors who've seen Block hanging around said something before now?"

Because this isn't a big deal at all..!!?

Timeforittostop wrote:

Do you think with enough pressure USADA/WADA could be conviced to test Jeter, Gall, Kipyego, and Symmonds more frequently until the olympics? They all have an affiliation with Nike, Total Sports, and Chris Layne who is and always has been just a brainless follower of Block.

To let this occur is outrageous. Each athlete still competing that has any affiliation with block or once did should have their emails watched, phones tapped, and be frequently tested until the games. If they want to do something about drugs in track and field, they need to put some effort in.

lol why not just water board them

Wow, RT by Ato.

Jeter = dude looks like a lady

You can tweet the man himself at @TheMarkBlock . Maybe ask him directly. He was certainly in Penn according to his twitter feed.

https://twitter.com/TheMarkBlock/status/196402330097287168

Well follow the evidence. Do you think these athletes can afford some of these protocols? Who do you think pays for it? I am going to give you a clue. The name begins with an "N"

Well follow the evidence. Do you think these athletes can afford some of these protocols? Who do you think pays for it? I am going to give you a clue. The name begins with an "N"

This is why I keep coming back to this site. Thanks for the hard hitting journalism.

However, I do agree with a previous poster that Eaton should've gotten a black page.

Smartguy - You can't possibly be serious. This must be a simple-minded attempt to provoke. If it isn't, you are incredibly foolish. Your position is that we should avoid doing the right thing because it may be hard. Hopefully you aren't a parent or a teacher. Perhaps you could find some inspiration from the following words, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

By the way, if you are incapable of doing the right thing for fear that the cost will be too high, you should take some comfort in remembering that track was doing fine long before Nike came along. Track will do just fine without Nike.

InWyo wrote:

Excellent work BroJos!

Are you guys pushing this story to other news outlets? Not a fan of Phil Hersh, but I would certainly like to see him do a column on this, and perhaps your friend Time Layden...put a bit more pressure on NIKE to respond.

A few points.

1) After we asked the question at the press conference, a few other mainstream journalists came to us and asked what we were going to do with it. We said we were going to publish the story Monday or Tuesday. We waited for a response from USADA.

2) When I contacted USADA yesterday, we said the one condition we would hold off on the story would be if they wanted to do some sort of enforecement/sting opertaion. They did not, so we went with the story.

3) That is the Nike VIP box. Nike should account for who invited Mark Block in there. It is no different than Trevor Graham being in the box.

4) It is clear to me that Mark Block is still involved in the sport. USADA enforcement needs to get involved.

5) Other agents were hanging out in the box with Block. One agent when asked to comment said, "As far as I know. Mark Block isn't banned by IAAF or any other organization except USADA."

That is not the case. WADA signatories recognize USADA bans. Block is not supposed to be involved with the sport in any capacity. If a meet that recognizes WADA negotiates with him, that is like letting a doped athlete into their race. Other agents should not associate with him. The agents turn a blind eye just like Nike in this case. The agents association has a statement saying they won't work with an athlete who has had a 2 year ban:

yet the agents pal around with Mark Block at a meet. That enables doping in the sport.

I'm not defending Nike or Mark Block. However, a few things should be noted.

You don't have a photo of Mark sitting in Cap's Corner or sitting in the Nike VIP Tent.

You can enter the Nike VIP tent as a guest of someone who is specifically credentialed.

Mark Block could have bought a ticket from a scalper and walked into the meet just as easily as you or I.

Cap's Corner is a fact, not a myth.

Can anyone specify what the terms of a "10 year Ban" exactly are and whom is responsible for enforcement? Trevor Graham is banned, yet has been coaching High School Track and Field for the last few years.

Several TSM athletes were competing at the Trials and TSM agents were present during those days, yet none of them, or the athletes, were seen with Mark Block.

T and F (elite eschalon) is about as dirty as the US government. And both are governed by the wealthiest board members of the wealthiest Fortune 500s.

Still believe we went to Iraq for something other than crude (oil)?

Still believe Lance is right but Tyler and Floyd are liars?

Still believe Alberto never bought stuff from Conte?

Still believe 3:26 is a clean number?

Still believe the new and improved Rupp isn't at least partially chemically dependent?

Still believe big business is a good idea?

Still believe...?

* wrote:

You hi-jack the homepage for this but didn't give Ashton Eaton a black page for the deca WR?

exactly!