Silent Twitter Follower
rojo wrote:
Frustrated Observer wrote:100's of runners who have been intentionally doping for years were notified months before the drug would trigger a positive test now get off the hook? What about the athletes that have lost prize money, team births, and contracts to these cheaters? This is exactly what's wrong with our sport. People intentionally dope with a drug off the radar and their given no penalty. They should have been banned before the drug was even put on the list because they were only taking it for a performance advantage.
What is wrong with WADA. They should have been able to ban these athletes before 2016 with the fact that the athletes, coaches, and doctors were all breaking the ethics of sport by taking it in.
Why are you frustrated? Every since it became clear to me that there were scores of positives, it was clear to me that the drug was staying in their system for a long time.
I was 100% certain they'd have to re-instated. This is 100% the right call.
Your post baffles me. People for years were taking a 100% legal drug. Just as NOP people take thyroid, these people were taking meldonium. You want them to be punished for taking something that was legal? Where do you draw the line? Gatorade, advil, altitude tents. You can bar someone for taking something that was legal.
Now, all of that being said, I might ban Sharapova. Someone remind me, but didn't she admit she took the drug in January, not knowing it was banned? Although that's going to be tough from a PR standpoint. I guess I'd probably let her off as well if I'm letting everyone else off.
You don't have to have a prescription to consume Gatorade, Advil, to sleep in an altitude tent, or etc. It was not legal for these athletes to take Meldonium and the only intent for it's usage was to cheat. The drug should have never been in their systems in the first place and they should have been banned once it was discovered how it was being used. If you are taking thyroid medication to lose weight you should be banned if the intent is there. Any doctor, agent, or coach that has prescribed/given Meldonium to their athletes should be given a lifetime ban. They are taking a heart disease drug and given it to athletes to improve performance which breaks the fundamental principals of a clean sport. Athletes and their teams shouldn't be given the benefit of the doubt to get it out of their systems. These cheaters weren't giving athletes unwilling to illegally obtain a prescription drug the benefit of the doubt for a fair fight on the track.
That is where my frustration comes from. Cheating at this level is blatant and should be viewed with zero tolerance.