I still think the testosterone test on Salazar's son is odd but he was upfront about it.
Otherwise, I generally agree.
Magness and Goucher had (1) a picture of an old test with an unclear annotation and (2) a story about use of thyroid mess for weight loss. Then they engaged in conjecture or exaggeration about Rupp. The most important character in the documentary was the unnamed runner who said testosterone use was suggested. ( Of course, that allegation was made well after the fact and came out after the accused colleague of Salazar has died so we are left with anonymous, one-sided story).
Goucher and Magness were then hurt by the rebuttal and did not come back with anything. It's odd for Goucher to now say she could not talk about it anymore because the matter is with USADA. You would think that would have been the case before they went to the BBC in the first place because she initiated the investigation long ago. And it did not match with her rhetoric before,and at, USAs. I am glad she expressed concern to USADA. She should. however, I am at a loss as to why she went on TV and said she felt Rupp's record run was dubious. As another poster said, Bekele dropped out of the WC 10000 but ran the best 10000 in years in Brussels. I think the Kenyan who finished second never had a race like that before or since. Are they dopers?
As I look back on all of that issue after the Paula Radcliffe matter, I think the whole thing got way overblown and should have just been left with USADA. While I have always liked Paula and very much want her to be clean, I must say that Salazar gave a much more thorough answer than Paula did. But, as Paula points out, maybe it is unfair to force
such disclosures from athletes to the media. So I am guessing there will be no more running clocks on athlete disclosures on LRC.
Maybe USADA will issue a report one day. As always, anyone could be cheating but I try not to assume the worst when someone runs well.
bobgob wrote:
ThisIsFutile wrote:
bobgob, i think you're exactly right.
magness's (and kara's) response to salazar's rebuttal was probably the most discouraging thing to read. they really didn't have nearly enough to go to the media. honestly, i applaud them for going to usada, and i think we should foster an environment where we encourage athletes to do so, but they did NOT convince me of NOP doping. i know people don't trust usada, but its not like the media has a better track record. yes there have been outstanding examples of investigative journalism exposing real drug cheats, but for every great report, you can find 50 articles of mudslinging that just recycles whatever rumor they pick hear a whisper of. im pissed at lance armstrong more than ever these days because it makes it impossible to have a discussion on doping because the discussion goes like this: "they have no evidence!" "yeah, but they didn't have evidence on lance either!" "they didn't test positive!" "lance didn't either!" using this logic, you can argue that everyone is a doper.
If you're going to go to the media and drag peoples' names through the mud, you BETTER be right and you BETTER have evidence. honestly, regarding specific allegations, i think they are wrong about rupp getting testosterone and the note on testosterone medication isn't convincing to me, especially because they have extensive documented history of legal testosterone-boosting supplements. i know the documentation doesn't go back that far, but i think its resonable to suggest that they were using it back then too. they may be right about the thyroid stuff, which if true is stupid and illegal on salazar's part. but why was kara so silent on clarifying that after encouraging so much openness? i know this next statement isn't popular, but its also not a banned substance and magness himself says its not helpful if you don't need it. so i would say even so, its not doping, its just a stupid way to run your shop, and i'd be fine with consequences for that, but keep rupp's and farah's name out of the discussion.
the weak rebuttals by magness and goucher really didn't help their case. it was actually somewhat of a relief as a fan of a number of athletes in the program.
Exactly. They were at the program for years, they had the inside access. Are you telling me they couldn't find documents, more photos and even record conversations in secret? The accusations leveled at Salazar along with the evidence provided (limited) stinks of bitterness.
The hilarious thing is, Magness is being referred to as a whistle-blower. No, a whistle-blower exposes his company or program while they're still there. Not a year or two after they've left (kicked out?).
Nobody seems interested in the fact that Salazar's rebuttal seem to contradict Magness' and Goucher's statements (which has no evidence as far as we know).
Example 1 - Magness claimed that Salazar placed a suspicious package in a book in order to get it to Rupp. He claimed he didn't know what it was and that it was dodgy. Salazar how refutes that by provided an email exchange that showed Magness knew what was in the package and that it wasn't suspicious at all. Salazar even provided evidence of Rupp's doctor writing up the medication for Rupp and Salazar even provided an email exchange in which he notified British officials that if Rupp's medication didn't get to him on time, then he'd have to have one from a UK based doctor.
Example 2 - Goucher claimed that Salazar wasn't happy with her weight and that she should try and abuse the rules to get round it. Salazar refutes this by showing us an en email exchange between himself and Goucher's doctor in which he praises her weight. Goucher then moves the goal post and claims she was referring to another period in 2011. Fine, but why didn't you give us the exact detail of when Salazar wasn't happy with your weight? Why make a vague accusation?
Those two examples are just two of many that could be used. It's no wonder Salazar is confident of being cleared. Hes' the only one who seems to provide clear, detailed evidence.
Even Gocuher's weak assertion that Rupp must have been doping because he said he was tired a few weeks before he broke the America record is laughable. For example, Bekele was so tired and out of form/shape at the same WC 10k race as Rupp that he couldn't even complete the race and dropped out after 16 laps or something. A few weeks later, in the same race as Rupp in Brussels, Bekele runs 26:43, the fastest 10k time this decade and the fastest since 2008. Was Bekele doping too? See how laughable Goucher's insinuation is?
