Finally! First time in the history of the event, supposed to be unannounced but I just had to spill the beans. Wonder where the uberhumans will take their games now? Watch em drop like flies!
Finally! First time in the history of the event, supposed to be unannounced but I just had to spill the beans. Wonder where the uberhumans will take their games now? Watch em drop like flies!
That 50 year old russian is gonna drop methinks.
Can you say, "nyet"
and when she doesn't you can put ur foot in ur mouth...the same way u like it in the ass
idiots. EPO can only be detected if tested within 3 days of taking it. It takes 10 days to get most benefit from a shot of epo. Testing as races makes no difference. No one will get caught for epo
So you're saying that in competition testing is a waste of time?
To wontdrop and gth: First of all, what's with all the anger and uncalled-for language? You can make your point without the hostility.
Secondly, I never said anything about EPO. Yes, it is the drug of choice these days but other drugs are still used illegally and tested for so they may be found in-competition.
Thirdly, and more importantly, the playing field must be leveled for ALL athletes that vie for prize money in the US.
Not quite sure of all the legalities, but any athlete that participates (and especially lives) in the USA should be tested out of competition. Certainly, the Kenya or Russian (and others) federations aren't doing it here so we need to "police" our events. Just as we do with US runners, why shouldn't we be able to knock on anyone's door for a sample?
In support of this argument, I would be willing to pay an extra .50 or 1.00 to races for the funds to provide testing. As an example, take the top 3 marathons in the US- Chicago, NY and Boston. Someone can tell me exactly the total number of participants but say 100,000 x .50 = $50,000. And that's only 3 events. I think you see the picture if we include all major events and USATF races. Some of the major race directors need to step up to the plate and coordinate a policy. Not sure if USATF is up to the challenge. Also, we aren't talking about testing thousands. I believe the number is quite manageable.
Imagine if all runners who won money in the US could be tested at any time? Do you think the playing field would be leveled to a degree of equality?
Now you're talking! Finally, some good suggestions along the drug lines. One problem. How about the race directors that are like George Steinbrenner and don't care about the drugs, as long as the team (read race) is successful?
I had a suggestion awhile back. Charge the foreign athletes a few bucks as well. They should have to pay for the priveledge to come here and make money. Other NGB's do it in their sports, why not road racing? Careful now, there are some agents out there that'll jump all over this.
I nominate Willie Kahlo for Drug Enforcement chair of USATF.
ray,
Not sure how you would address but if the "biggies" get on the wagon, most others will follow. Also, the George Steinbrenners of the world are now facing reality. Let's see-who was "invited" to attend the congressional hearings next week?
Yes, I like your idea about charging a few extra bucks for the foreign athletes.
I do believe it will take some vision from one of the major race directors. Someone MUST be willing to carry the torch.
The road racers in the world who run the circuit hard but never race in the track in Europe and avoid getting ranked too high in the marathon are the most suspect to me.
There are a ton of road races with huge chunks of prize money with no drug testing. Some foreign road racer in the US has a very slim chance of being drug tested especially out of competition. That's why i think the names of athletes tested out of competition should be announced.
ray and wejo- a few additional thoughts:
Lets just say the major race directors join forces so that every athlete is aware (signs a binding agreement) of out of competition testing that can take place within a certain time frame BEFORE money is doled out. However, a few races don't adhere to the new policy. Peer presure is a wonderful thing. For example, Podunk 10k has $10k in prize money with the Bank of USA as its major sponsor. Can you imagine a letsrun poster telling us about this situation with a link to the Director of Communications for the Bank of USA. The pressure to do the right thing would be unbearable. How dare you deny the right of a clean runner to win the prize money you contributed???
As far as the agents, they would need to "educate" their runners or no one would make any money.
I do believe this can happen. Easily, I can see the "big three" coming together to embrace the idea. They would be heroes and others would follow. A huge sea change but it is a reasonable idea.
If foreign runnners want to earn a living in the land of opportunity then they must be subject to out of comp. testing.
Any changes to the start list?
wejo wrote:
There are a ton of road races with huge chunks of prize money with no drug testing. Some foreign road racer in the US has a very slim chance of being drug tested especially out of competition.
Race organizers cannot control who is tested in out-of- competition testing. That's why, at the very least, race organizers must step up to the plate and pay for testing at their events and not wait for USADA to call THEM (if they do, the testing is paid for by USADA and not the organizers). Many organizers still view drug testing as an "extra" and just another bill to pay. This mentality has to change in order for there to be an effective deterrent.
Just think about it: If a road racer will be tested EVERY week or two for a two month stint of road racing, that's nearly as effective as out-of-competition testing. In tandem WITH out-of-competition testing, that's an excellent deterrent.
Because I know someone is going to ask, the New York Road Runners has drug testing at all of it's Professional Racing Series Events: U.S. 8-K Championship (26-Mar), Circle of Friends New York Mini 10-K (11-Jun) and ING NYC Marathon (06-Nov). It IS a hassle and an expense, but it just simply has to be done.
Kudos to Nick Curl and his team at LA for instituting drug testing this year.
(In Los Angeles)
David Monti
Professional Athletes Coordinator
New York Road Runners
Congratulations to the NYRRC for being proactive on this issue.
david, any idea how many other events in the US pay for their own testing? Perhaps there is some small way the athletes who watn to clean up this sport can repay them.
When USATF stupidly announced which events were going to be tested last year, there were only 1 or 2 road races on their schedule. (Both OT if I remember correctly) Does that mean all others paid for testing out of their pockets?
Out of curriosity What "Banned substance" was the Russian Tatayna? using thanks.
still wanna know.......
CuriousGeorge wrote:
still wanna know.......
When she was 40 years old, Tatyana Pozdnyakova of Ukraine was DQ'd from the Houston Marathon in 1996 for pseudo ephidrine (nose spray). That elevated Adriana Fernandez of Mexico to the top step of the podium, her first marathon victory.
Interestingly, pesudo ephidrine is no longer a banned substance. See
http://www.wada.orgDavid Monti
Professional Athletes Coordinator
New York Road Runners
ray wrote:
david, any idea how many other events in the US pay for their own testing? Perhaps there is some small way the athletes who watn to clean up this sport can repay them.
I really don't know. Of all the road racing events I attended last year in the U.S. the following had drug testing:
BAA Boston Marathon
LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon
ING NYC Marathon
Circle of Friends New York Women's Mini 10-K
Both U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons
David Monti
Professional Athletes Coordinator
New York Road Runners
I guess David answered that. Why did you need to know?
IMHO I 'd think that there are a number of foreign athletes living and training in the USA who would take anything and everything they can get their hands on. Look at the results each weekend. It is obvious who they are.