Did Geb take performance enhancing drugs?

I want to know -- does there exist a drug that could have enhanced Geb's performance? Some folks assume EPO could -- or claim they "know" it could. I am one of the 99.999% of distance running fans who have zero inside knowledge. I am curious to know what informed observers conclude, based on the available evidence.

Did my aunt jemima use PED's to help give her that extra boost to help make all that maple syrup?I really couldn't tell you. May someone here knows

Sire Gale's Bees wrote:

I am among Gebrselassie's many admirers, but I want to know if he took performance enhancing drugs. Some folks assume he took EPO--or claim they "know" he did. I am one of the 99.999% of distance running fans who have zero inside knowledge. I am curious to know what other informed observers conclude, based on the available evidence.

Wejo? Care to go on record on this one?

Sire Gale's Bees wrote:

I am among Gebrselassie's many admirers, but I want to know if he took performance enhancing drugs. Some folks assume he took EPO--or claim they "know" he did. I am one of the 99.999% of distance running fans who have zero inside knowledge. I am curious to know what other informed observers conclude, based on the available evidence.

Wejo? Care to go on record on this one?

I don't know about Ethiopia but in Kenya athletes are given up to a weeks notice of when the drug testers will be around to test them. This gives them plenty of time to beat the drug testing system. So almost anyone there can cheat and get away with it.... I got the above information from Reid Coolsaets blog at

No wonder Kenyans and ethiopians are ranked so high up there... no wonder north american runners head to kenya and ethiopia to train.. it's not just because of the altitude thick air... that's a bunch of bull.... Hey didnt Mo Farah just leave for Ethiopia on Sunday after losing to Heath in a cross country race? He said he's going there gor a few weeks and then is going to try and break the indoor 3k world record set by King Komen of Kenya.

rekrunner wrote:

I want to know -- does there exist a drug that could have enhanced Geb's performance? Some folks assume EPO could -- or claim they "know" it could. I am one of the 99.999% of distance running fans who have zero inside knowledge. I am curious to know what informed observers conclude, based on the available evidence.

Sure there exists a drug that could enhance performance. Steroids, bronchodilators, clenbuterol, amphetamines, corticoids, EPO, Darbypoeitin, CERA, blood packing, synthroid, the list goes on ...

People take these drugs, you can pretend that they don't, or that they don't work for people, or some people, but most of us are not that dumb.

I guess anything is possible, but his first race of record was a 2:17 marathon and a 3:42 1500 at age 17. The following year at age 18, he won the 5k and 10K double at World Juniors and the following year at age 19, he won the World Championship 10K. Add to that he had a career that lasted almost 2 decades and he ran XC, indoors and outdoors. - This is not hallmarks of a doper.

Like many, I'd love to think Geb was clean, especially since it seems like he's been such a great guy and endured at or near the top for so long. But it seems most like he did something and then less of that or more carefully in the later years. Hope not, though!

TrackCoach wrote:

I guess anything is possible, but his first race of record was a 2:17 marathon and a 3:42 1500 at age 17. The following year at age 18, he won the 5k and 10K double at World Juniors and the following year at age 19, he won the World Championship 10K. Add to that he had a career that lasted almost 2 decades and he ran XC, indoors and outdoors. - This is not hallmarks of a doper.

Geb is a huge talent, but I think his first marathon was in the high 2:40s.

1) No, Geb wasn't in the last Olympics (London 2012).

2) What does that have to do with anything? The question was "Did Geb dope" not "is Geb doping". Do I think Geb was shooting up with EPO the last couple years when he was going after Masters records? No. That doesn't mean he wasn't doping in the 90s.

You don't think there have been any improvements in training in the last 20-years? Really? You must be the idiot.

No, there haven't been any revolutionary breakthroughs like Arthur Lydiard's stuff or something like that, but our knowledge base is constantly growing and there have been plenty of noteworthy gains in our approach towards strength training, recovery and fueling for example. That is all part of "training".

If you look at the OP's request, (and mine) the request is for "knowledge" from "informed observers" "based on the available evidence", specifically linked to Geb's performance.

newname wrote:

rekrunner wrote:

I want to know -- does there exist a drug that could have enhanced Geb's performance? Some folks assume EPO could -- or claim they "know" it could. I am one of the 99.999% of distance running fans who have zero inside knowledge. I am curious to know what informed observers conclude, based on the available evidence.

Sure there exists a drug that could enhance performance. Steroids, bronchodilators, clenbuterol, amphetamines, corticoids, EPO, Darbypoeitin, CERA, blood packing, synthroid, the list goes on ...

People take these drugs, you can pretend that they don't, or that they don't work for people, or some people, but most of us are not that dumb.