The great work of German journalist Hajo Seppelt and ARD has paid off once again. A source had been telling us all fall that something big was going to break soon and here it is.
Truly amazing stuff that might only get bigger when we find out how far up the chain the bribes went. It's alleged that the Valentin Balakhnichev - the IAAF Treasurer who is the head of the Russian federation as well - was aware of $600,000 bribes paid by Liliya Shobukhova to not test positive.
Seppelt has now busted the Kenyans and the Russians. If the IAAF are serious about controlling doping then both countries should have a 2 year ban from any international competition.
Seppelt now needs to go to Ethiopia and uncover what is going over there as well.
I don't see any option other than taking doping controls away from the countries. Between corruption like described here and incompetence like in Kenya, it has become clear that national anti drugging doesn't work well enough.
The diamond league and world marathon majors should work together to have their own testing system - if you don't get tested regularly by their own testers, you can't compete.
Not sure how to handle the WC and OG.
move on wrote:
Seppelt has now busted the Kenyans and the Russians. If the IAAF are serious about controlling doping then both countries should have a 2 year ban from any international competition.
Seppelt now needs to go to Ethiopia and uncover what is going over there as well.
NOPe. They need to go to Portland and root out the evil dopers there. Shut them the fvck down!!!!!
Does Alysia Montano stand to inherit two or maybe even three bronze medals. She was 4th in 2011 and 2013 with Savinova in the medals, and was 5th in the Olympics, with Savinova and Poistogova in the medals.
We need strict liability for coaches, agents, sponsors and national federations. We need to shift the burden of doping controls onto the people making all the money. If their athletes test positive, the coaches, agents, sponsors and national federations must have automatic consequences without any requirement to show that they knew, should have known, or participated in the doping. The only way to escape sanctions is if they turn in an athlete who is discovered to be doping through internal testing. If the positive test comes through IAAF/WADA testing, sanctions against them are automatic.
move on wrote:
Seppelt has now busted the Kenyans and the Russians. If the IAAF are serious about controlling doping then both countries should have a 2 year ban from any international competition.
Seppelt now needs to go to Ethiopia and uncover what is going over there as well.
Turkey too.
If you speak German, full documentary available here
If it is geoblocked, use hola.org to get a german IP
move on wrote:
Seppelt has now busted the Kenyans and the Russians. If the IAAF are serious about controlling doping then both countries should have a 2 year ban from any international competition.
Seppelt now needs to go to Ethiopia and uncover what is going over there as well.
they need to arrest bekele and hermens and interrogate them
water boarding no holds-barred until they confess
Has there been a Russian champion in the last ten years who WASN'T subsequently busted? At least the North Africans and Spaniards seemed to throw in the towel, but the Russians are shameless on this.
If the IAAF is directly involved, it will confirm every suspicion about selective testing/busting.
For years it was mainly no-names getting busted, now it comes out that positive tests of top athletes were just swapped out with the no-names (at least in Russia). Probably some money changing hands there as well.
Devil Dog wrote:
Does Alysia Montano stand to inherit two or maybe even three bronze medals. She was 4th in 2011 and 2013 with Savinova in the medals, and was 5th in the Olympics, with Savinova and Poistogova in the medals.
It makes no difference to who the medals go, they are probably all doping.
LetsRun.com wrote:
The great work of German journalist Hajo Seppelt and ARD has paid off once again. A source had been telling us all fall that something big was going to break soon and here it is.
http://www.letsrun.com/news/2014/12/olympic-world-800-champion-mariya-savinova-implicated-massive-russian-doping-scandal/Truly amazing stuff that might only get bigger when we find out how far up the chain the bribes went. It's alleged that the Valentin Balakhnichev - the IAAF Treasurer who is the head of the Russian federation as well - was aware of $600,000 bribes paid by Liliya Shobukhova to not test positive.
Russians and doping is not new news. New implications are just an ongoing consequence of a corrupt Russian federation. Its been a long accepted Russian practice due to the money involved that gets spread around the appropriate involved staff and officials. There should be no surprises here.
The German investigation could have meaning if somehow you could get the athletes to really open up to follow the the trail of the drug suppliers. Busting a few athletes and corrupt officials may make headlines but does nothing to get down to core root of the problem. A opportunity exists to get names of the source and potentially all involved at all levels.
SPRINTGEEZER ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Where are you? Are you going to come back and claim victory regarding corruption at the top levels of the IAAF?
Dude, I hope I live to see the day where you will do a "Down goes Diack!" thread.
Anyhoo, SG was right. Doesn't he have some French in him? Does he work for l'equipte?
Yup. And well he's at it he should swing by the good old US of A to check up on our resident Kenyan dopper Mr "A Sample Positive" Lagat. A
They need to start banning Federations first up. If you ban them then the income stream dries up. Money drives this whole thing so the only way to force chance is to hit them financially.
Every athlete competing in any IAAF sanctioned competition should be registered and answerable to their national association. They should have to sign an agreement that all and any prize money must be paid back in the event of a drugs ban in the 4 years following the competition. The associations registering the athlete should be liable for this debt in the event that the athlete refuses to pay. The associations are in charge of the out of competition testing and should be held to account for doing it properly.
F*cking smash them financially.
It would be great if companies like Nike would put disclaimers in the contracts with athletes that if they test positive during the duration of the contract then all the money has to be paid back.
Attack the financial advantages of doping and you might make a difference. Catching athletes is incredibly difficult and expensive. Taking away the money should be easier.
you really think it's all about money? I'm not sure - remember that the sport was amateur until a generation ago. AAU officials, for example, were perfectly willing to act abhorrently for practically no money at all.
there is prestige and glory and fun in sports - people don't do it just for the money. Same for the athletes - plenty of amateurs dope just to win their local race.
money has a role, but your'e overstating its importance.
hmm yes a russian doping scandal
they all dope in case letsrun didn't hear the news,,
next up hopefully an expose of the 90s east african track stars and the ethiopians
followed by the covert british dopers who escaped justice
and finally the pockets of high-tech doping which have remained firmly below the radar
True, cheating/doping has always happened and will always exist.At the moment, it is just too easy and profitable though. If the financial gains were not there, you could remove Balco from history. Probably remove Armstrong from history. Doping will not have the major financial incentive and the testers could compete on a more level playing field. I truly believe holding associations responsible is key to the whole thing.
agip wrote:
you really think it's all about money? I'm not sure - remember that the sport was amateur until a generation ago. AAU officials, for example, were perfectly willing to act abhorrently for practically no money at all.
there is prestige and glory and fun in sports - people don't do it just for the money. Same for the athletes - plenty of amateurs dope just to win their local race.
money has a role, but your'e overstating its importance.
P White wrote:
It would be great if companies like Nike would put disclaimers in the contracts with athletes that if they test positive during the duration of the contract then all the money has to be paid back.
you dont know much about nike do you