Why did Magness wait 3+ years to go public with the Rupp "testosterone medication" photo?

I think he was afraid of it hurting his career since Nike and Salazar have so much clout in the sport.

The most immediate explanation would be that he didn't feel secure enough in his employment situation to risk the backlash from NOP/Nike. Not sure but I think he got on with U Houston the last year or so?

Also, it may have taken some persuasion from Epstein that the info would have a net positive effect on the overall drug situation. Certainly having Epstein and Tygart as reinforcements is a better situation than just "lone-wolfing" the revelations.

He didn't. https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rulesFrom the Propublica article:

Two months later, rather than reveling at the thrilling conclusion to the London 10K, he decided then and there to call the U.S Anti-Doping Agency, and share what he'd seen. "I never wanted to be in this position," says Magness, who, despite his growing reputation as a coach and sports science writer, still fears the professional repercussions of speaking publicly about Salazar. "It would be much easier to just shut up."

... He went to USADA in late 2012.

I.e., nearly 3 years ago he went "public" -- to the body charged with investigating doping -- with his experience.

Badder Than Ghengis wrote:

The most immediate explanation would be that he didn't feel secure enough in his employment situation to risk the backlash from NOP/Nike. Not sure but I think he got on with U Houston the last year or so?

Also, it may have taken some persuasion from Epstein that the info would have a net positive effect on the overall drug situation. Certainly having Epstein and Tygart as reinforcements is a better situation than just "lone-wolfing" the revelations.

His LinkedIn says he's been at Houston since August 2012. [relevant entry is pasted below] I'm curious about his decision not to reach out to a journalist back in 2012 because it seems to me that several notable athletes who've joined NOP in the interim might have made a different decision if they had seen that photo.

Head Cross Country Coach

University of Houston

August 2012 – Present (2 years 11 months)

Coached athletes to:

• 7 Conference champions

• Had 4 athletes under 1:50 in 2014 for 800m

• 1st UH distance athlete in history to qualify for world juniors (men's 5k)

• 9 School Record Breaking Performances in mid-long distances

• 22 performances in the Top 5 of UH School History

• 36 All-Conference performances in Track

• 7 All conference performances in XC

• 4 All region performances in XC

• 5 NCAA west preliminaries qualifiers

• NCAA National Qualifier in XC

Academics:

- 2 NCAA Top 10% Public Recognition Awards

- Highest team GPA in the athletic department

- Men and Women's Team Academic All American

- 1 Individual Academic All American

-Cumulative men's and women's Team GPA over 3.3

erik wrote:

He didn't.

https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rules

From the Propublica article:

Two months later, rather than reveling at the thrilling conclusion to the London 10K, he decided then and there to call the U.S Anti-Doping Agency, and share what he'd seen. "I never wanted to be in this position," says Magness, who, despite his growing reputation as a coach and sports science writer, still fears the professional repercussions of speaking publicly about Salazar. "It would be much easier to just shut up."

... He went to USADA in late 2012.

I.e., nearly 3 years ago he went "public" -- to the body charged with investigating doping -- with his experience.

Good point, but taking the photo to USADA didn't make the information available to other athletes.

It does another question: what further steps did USADA take with regard to Rupp and Salazar after receiving the photograph?

I'm also curious when Ricky Simms saw that photo for the first time.

dkny64 wrote:

erik wrote:

He didn't.

https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rules

From the Propublica article:

... He went to USADA in late 2012.

I.e., nearly 3 years ago he went "public" -- to the body charged with investigating doping -- with his experience.

Good point, but taking the photo to USADA didn't make the information available to other athletes.

It does another question: what further steps did USADA take with regard to Rupp and Salazar after receiving the photograph?

I'm also curious when Ricky Simms saw that photo for the first time.

No freaking way should he have done more than take it to USADA at that time - it could have jeopardized any investigations that they had.

My opinion is that Steve was wise to be quiet and circumspect with what he shared to the public as to not mess up the USADA investigation and "tip off" Salazars camp.

Although he did provide some hints on this web site and others. Just not as detailed as the photo.

I suspect one way USADA used the information is by testing Rupp more than average. He was the most tested athlete by far in recent years if I'm not mistaken

That photo means nothing to me.

What does 2002 have to do with 2015?

Had to wait for Kara to situate herself FAR AWAY from Portland before they could break all this out.

dkny64 wrote:

erik wrote:

He didn't.

https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rules

From the Propublica article:

... He went to USADA in late 2012.

I.e., nearly 3 years ago he went "public" -- to the body charged with investigating doping -- with his experience.

Good point, but taking the photo to USADA didn't make the information available to other athletes.

It does another question: what further steps did USADA take with regard to Rupp and Salazar after receiving the photograph?

I'm also curious when Ricky Simms saw that photo for the first time.

Mmm. Yes, Let's work hard to discredit the story bit-by-little-bit.

Overall, a good angle and subtle ploy to generate uncertainty and doubt about the overwhelming fact Al Sal and Nike are running a doping program. Good thing USATF and the IAAF are being proactive....

erik wrote:

I suspect one way USADA used the information is by testing Rupp more than average. He was the most tested athlete by far in recent years if I'm not mistaken

Other than maybe test Rupp more frequently, did USADA do anything else with the information?

Because no-one interviewed him about NOP..

erik wrote:

My opinion is that Steve was wise to be quiet and circumspect with what he shared to the public as to not mess up the USADA investigation and "tip off" Salazars camp.

Although he did provide some hints on this web site and others. Just not as detailed as the photo.

I suspect one way USADA used the information is by testing Rupp more than average. He was the most tested athlete by far in recent years if I'm not mistaken

It seems to me that once USADA had a document like that photo in hand, they needed to do more than simply increase the frequency with which they tested Rupp.

I do take your point that Magness thought he was doing the right thing going to USADA rather than going pubilc. It's just frustrating that this piece of evidence has existed for over three years, and the only reason it ever saw the light of day was because the BBC happened to decide to investigate Mo's coach.

Clearly nobody here knows how journalism works. You think Epstein and ProPublica just churned this story out over the weekend? Come on, they've been sleuthing for clues on Salazar for a year at LEAST. You don't just pluck this stuff out of nowhere. I bet Magness had been in communication with Epstein for a long time before this story came out.

dkny64 wrote: It's just frustrating that this piece of evidence has existed for over three years, and the only reason it ever saw the light of day was because the BBC happened to decide to investigate Mo's coach.

Why is it frustrating? When the FBI goes after a drug dealer are they supposed to make the leads that they have public?

Leirbag wrote:

That photo means nothing to me.

What does 2002 have to do with 2015?

I believe Magness said the use of "Prednisone and Testosterone medication" had started in 2002 and was ongoing at the time he was with NOP.

If you have troubling information but you're not sure what's going on, it's not a mystery why you'd take it to the relevant authority but not make it public. Let the authorities handle it, and don't make public charges that you may not be able to back up. It sounds like Steve Magness did the right thing.

So my question is, what new information did he get more recently to make him willing to talk on-camera? Why is he more confident now that the doping charges will stick?

erik wrote:

He didn't.

https://www.propublica.org/article/former-team-members-accuse-coach-alberto-salazar-of-breaking-drug-rules

From the Propublica article:

Two months later, rather than reveling at the thrilling conclusion to the London 10K, he decided then and there to call the U.S Anti-Doping Agency, and share what he'd seen. "I never wanted to be in this position," says Magness, who, despite his growing reputation as a coach and sports science writer, still fears the professional repercussions of speaking publicly about Salazar. "It would be much easier to just shut up."

... He went to USADA in late 2012.

I.e., nearly 3 years ago he went "public" -- to the body charged with investigating doping -- with his experience.

So did Magness "call" USADA and tell them he'd seen [xyz] in Rupp's medical chart, or did he e-mail them the photo he'd taken of a relevant page of the chart? Seems to me like that makes an important difference.

I think the relevant question is what USADA did witht the information.