Ricky Simms Gives More Details on the TUEs of the Nike Oregon Project

by: LetsRun.com
February 3, 2014

Earlier today, LetsRun.com published an article on the desire by former World Cross Country Champion Craig Virgin for there to be more transparency about the supplements athletes take and the Thereupeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) they are granted. Virgin’s comments came after the American record two mile run and workout of Galen Rupp.

Ricky Simms, agent to Galen Rupp and Mo Farah, was quoted in the LRC article. After speaking to Galen Rupp’s coach, Alberto Salazar, about our story, Simms wrote LRC today to relay more information on the TUEs used by the Salazar coached Nike Oregon Project Athletes.

Ricky wrote in two emails:

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“The one athlete in the Nike Oregon Project who has a current TUE is an athlete who is anaemic. The TUE is for iron injections to bring their iron level back to normal. The reason for getting a TUE was so that the athlete could get a slightly higher dose than normal purely for practical reasons, i.e. to reduce cost and save time. “
“TUE’s are normally issued for up to 5 days and to treat acute medical conditions.”
“The ratio of TUE’s by Alberto coached athletes is less than one per year in the entire group. The last time a NOP athlete had a TUE was 18 months earlier when an athlete got a TUE for 5 days to treat an acute allergic reaction. “
” Out of 11 NOP athletes coached by Alberto only 3 TUE’s have been issued while they were members of the NOP. “
” TUE’s are normally issued to treat acute medical conditions for short periods, typically 5 or 6 days.”

Ricky added, “Note that three years ago asthma inhalers were taken off the list and do not require a TUE….I am just giving you this information to highlight that TUE’s are not common and certainly not being abused in the NOP.”

As Simms noted many supplements and medications athletes take do not require a TUE.