Comments on: Dear Mr. Pineau, http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/ wisdom and tripe from a lifetime runner Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Sarah Summer http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-133967 Sarah Summer Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:37:17 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-133967 I applaud your effort here. And it confirms my suspicion that probably 90-100% of professional athletes are taking some form of illegal performance enhancement drugs. I am actually starting to wrestle with the notion that, as new forms of drugs are developed and new methods of enhancement are invented, such as gene doping -- some of which will be extremely safe (especially when compared to anabolic steroids) -- that it might be time to finally just lift the ban on everything, because it will not only be pretty untraceable, but the people that do manage to use them will be so far ahead of everyone else that it will just make a mockery of whatever sport. The next 10-20 years will be very interesting. I applaud your effort here. And it confirms my suspicion that probably 90-100% of professional athletes are taking some form of illegal performance enhancement drugs.

I am actually starting to wrestle with the notion that, as new forms of drugs are developed and new methods of enhancement are invented, such as gene doping — some of which will be extremely safe (especially when compared to anabolic steroids) — that it might be time to finally just lift the ban on everything, because it will not only be pretty untraceable, but the people that do manage to use them will be so far ahead of everyone else that it will just make a mockery of whatever sport.

The next 10-20 years will be very interesting.

]]> By: Sarah Summer http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-60658 Sarah Summer Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:10:53 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-60658 This topic is really drawing a lot of attention from the news media. I recently watched a news broadcast siting the prolification of performance enhancing drug use. This topic is really drawing a lot of attention from the news media. I recently watched a news broadcast siting the prolification of performance enhancing drug use.

]]> By: Mr. Pineau's reply http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1858 Mr. Pineau's reply Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:45:04 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1858 <blockquote> Thank you very much. Today, in federal court, we are filing your statement below as an exhibit. Again, thank you very much, Respectfully, John Pineau</blockquote>

Thank you very much. Today, in federal court, we are filing your statement below as an exhibit.

Again, thank you very much,

Respectfully,

John Pineau

]]> By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1840 Joan Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:46:44 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1840 George, Your comment is wothy of a post. thanks George,
Your comment is wothy of a post.
thanks

]]> By: George Muenz http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1839 George Muenz Mon, 24 Apr 2006 16:32:05 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1839 Joan, I bet some flunky from the IOC or USOC will give you grief for posting the Olympic rings on your blog. I think you should re-post that graphic with one ring missing to show that it is not complete as a result of the drug use that is covered up; Joan, I bet some flunky from the IOC or USOC will give you grief for posting the Olympic rings on your blog. I think you should re-post that graphic with one ring missing to show that it is not complete as a result of the drug use that is covered up;

]]> By: George Muenz http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1838 George Muenz Mon, 24 Apr 2006 16:19:11 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1838 Good on you Joan. Pressure does get results sometimes. Witness Becky Scott of Canada in XC skiing, she won the bronze and then eventually moved up to Gold when Gold and Silver tested positive. I think that "athletes" who cheat should be CRIMINALLY charged, they are in effect stealing from the other athletes. We all know that Regina Jacobs won all kinds of money that as far as I see it she STOLE from those behind her. Same for Ben Johnson, the sums he STOLE run into the hundreds of thousands. At least, here in Canada, something was done. Good on you Joan. Pressure does get results sometimes. Witness Becky Scott of Canada in XC skiing, she won the bronze and then eventually moved up to Gold when Gold and Silver tested positive. I think that “athletes” who cheat should be CRIMINALLY charged, they are in effect stealing from the other athletes. We all know that Regina Jacobs won all kinds of money that as far as I see it she STOLE from those behind her. Same for Ben Johnson, the sums he STOLE run into the hundreds of thousands. At least, here in Canada, something was done.

]]> By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1800 Joan Fri, 21 Apr 2006 19:45:11 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1800 Actually, I was 4th at the Olympic Trials in the <strong>3,000m</strong> in 1992 (not the 10,000 with Jennings & co.) and I don't have any "belief" that any of my competitors were dirty. My letter was more of a what if, you know? If there were, indeed, over 100 positive drug tests that were covered up between 1984 to 2000, the chances are that more than a few were in distance events ... and even if I wasn't DIRECTLY affected in the 3k, it doesn't matter; other men and women who finished fourth - in the sprints and hurdles and jumps and throws, JUST LIKE ME, were robbed. Any one of the 100+ positive test results from a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place finishers kept #4 off the team. I was speaking for <strong>every</strong> 4th place finisher who might (or might not) have been cheated. Please don't try to get me to point a finger. Until those positive drug tests are released, I can only point at the ones who have been busted: Mary Slaney and Regina Jacobs. I can only hope all the other names will be released to join them on the <strong><em>DISHONOR</em></strong> roll. Do you, Point Blank, by any chance have a personal interest? What do you know about drugs? Actually, I was 4th at the Olympic Trials in the 3,000m in 1992 (not the 10,000 with Jennings & co.) and I don’t have any “belief” that any of my competitors were dirty. My letter was more of a what if, you know? If there were, indeed, over 100 positive drug tests that were covered up between 1984 to 2000, the chances are that more than a few were in distance events … and even if I wasn’t DIRECTLY affected in the 3k, it doesn’t matter; other men and women who finished fourth - in the sprints and hurdles and jumps and throws, JUST LIKE ME, were robbed. Any one of the 100+ positive test results from a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place finishers kept #4 off the team. I was speaking for every 4th place finisher who might (or might not) have been cheated. Please don’t try to get me to point a finger. Until those positive drug tests are released, I can only point at the ones who have been busted: Mary Slaney and Regina Jacobs. I can only hope all the other names will be released to join them on the DISHONOR roll.

Do you, Point Blank, by any chance have a personal interest? What do you know about drugs?

]]> By: Point Blank http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1798 Point Blank Fri, 21 Apr 2006 13:50:18 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1798 Your letter (and other posts on this topic) seem to imply that you believe that one (or more) of the three people who placed in front of you at the 1992 10K Trials was dirty. Is this your belief? If so, those three athletes were: Lynn Jennings, Judy St. Hillare and Gwyn Coogan. Which of these three do you believe to have been dirty? Your letter (and other posts on this topic) seem to imply that you believe that one (or more) of the three people who placed in front of you at the 1992 10K Trials was dirty. Is this your belief? If so, those three athletes were: Lynn Jennings, Judy St. Hillare and Gwyn Coogan. Which of these three do you believe to have been dirty?

]]> By: Jimmy B. http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1787 Jimmy B. Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:45:28 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1787 Hi Joan, Thanks for taking the step to write that letter. I know that can't be an easy decision. Directed at the correct person/agency or not, it is something that needs to be said and I feel is something that most Americans would be surprised to learn. Not being an avid T&F follower for the first 36 years of my life, I had no idea that testing results would have been hidden or ignored. I think that most in the halls of congress would be surprised to learn this as well. Maybe I'm naive. Governing body looking the other way for a quick buck (like baseball) I can understand. But having a testing policy and then ignoring the results is different. Having been an avid T&F follower for a couple years now, during Victor Conte and BALCO influence, I often feel a sense of doubt when I see an amazing accomplishment on the track or field. I don't want to always follow up, "Wow, that was incredible" with "Wonder if they were using?" I'm sure it's the same feeling as swimmers got in the 70s and 80s when watching East German women gliding through the water. And you know, why can't the Ethiopian track coach just say to his student, "forget the syringe, if you work hard, you can be the best runner in the world." Was Abebe Bikila juiced up in 1960? Barefoot, setting a world record, first African to medal in any games. I doubt it. Why would you need a syringe when you had a hero like that to look up to. Shame on any coach that would taint that dream. My son and daughter get to see Barry Bonds and the like shatter records every few days. Doesn't mean anything more to them than watching some stranger win a prize at the state fair. Interesting for a moment and then forgotten two minutes later. They know he's a cheater (because we talk about that stuff). I want them to see Alan Webb come back and set a new record or Shalane Flanagan from our home track win a gold medal. Maybe they're cheaters too, staying one step ahead of their competition and the last best drug test. I don't want to believe that and I would definitely appreciate a system that lets me know for sure so I don't have to say, "Was she using?" Hi Joan,
Thanks for taking the step to write that letter. I know that can’t be an easy decision. Directed at the correct person/agency or not, it is something that needs to be said and I feel is something that most Americans would be surprised to learn. Not being an avid T&F follower for the first 36 years of my life, I had no idea that testing results would have been hidden or ignored. I think that most in the halls of congress would be surprised to learn this as well. Maybe I’m naive. Governing body looking the other way for a quick buck (like baseball) I can understand. But having a testing policy and then ignoring the results is different. Having been an avid T&F follower for a couple years now, during Victor Conte and BALCO influence, I often feel a sense of doubt when I see an amazing accomplishment on the track or field. I don’t want to always follow up, “Wow, that was incredible” with “Wonder if they were using?” I’m sure it’s the same feeling as swimmers got in the 70s and 80s when watching East German women gliding through the water. And you know, why can’t the Ethiopian track coach just say to his student, “forget the syringe, if you work hard, you can be the best runner in the world.” Was Abebe Bikila juiced up in 1960? Barefoot, setting a world record, first African to medal in any games. I doubt it. Why would you need a syringe when you had a hero like that to look up to. Shame on any coach that would taint that dream. My son and daughter get to see Barry Bonds and the like shatter records every few days. Doesn’t mean anything more to them than watching some stranger win a prize at the state fair. Interesting for a moment and then forgotten two minutes later. They know he’s a cheater (because we talk about that stuff). I want them to see Alan Webb come back and set a new record or Shalane Flanagan from our home track win a gold medal. Maybe they’re cheaters too, staying one step ahead of their competition and the last best drug test. I don’t want to believe that and I would definitely appreciate a system that lets me know for sure so I don’t have to say, “Was she using?”

]]> By: Joan http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1786 Joan Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:11:56 +0000 http://www.runningland.com/2006/04/19/the-letter/#comment-1786 I just did a quick search on <a href="http://letsrun.com">letsrun.com</a> for "drugs" and there were thousands of posts about the corruption of our sport (at the elite level). I think, as a nation, we choose to stay naive [la la la! I can't hear you! my hands are over my ears. LA! LA! LA!] about the reality of drugs b/c we so desperately need to believe in the sappy "up close and personal" <em>wide world of sports</em> stories we all watched on TV as kids. If you lived in abject poverty in a 3rd world country and some track coach explained to you that a scientifically proven protocol of drugs along with hard training would bring you and your entire family out of poverty - for life - wouldn't you sign up? Its a no brainer. Here's one (among 1,000's) post I read: <blockquote>"I think that Ethiopia is the new East Germany. Since their country is so poor and politically/economically messed up, they use the distance runners as a means of having some national pride. I believe that they have a nationally-endorsed, nationally-sponsored system of procuring and administering the most advanced performance enhancing substances known to mankind. I believe that the Ethiopian athletes are being highly protected from badly-timed random drug tests, or that some of the things that they are taking are not detectable. I believe that China, in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics will do the same thing. The Chinese scientists are probably developing their own steroids and blood building products as we speak. At the World Top 20/OlympicMedal Level of our sport, pharmaceuticals are just part-and-parcel of "THE GAME."</blockquote> <img src="http://www.srcf.ucam.org/bluesci/images/stories/issue2/syringe.jpg" alt="syringe" /> I just did a quick search on letsrun.com for “drugs” and there were thousands of posts about the corruption of our sport (at the elite level). I think, as a nation, we choose to stay naive [la la la! I can't hear you! my hands are over my ears. LA! LA! LA!] about the reality of drugs b/c we so desperately need to believe in the sappy “up close and personal” wide world of sports stories we all watched on TV as kids. If you lived in abject poverty in a 3rd world country and some track coach explained to you that a scientifically proven protocol of drugs along with hard training would bring you and your entire family out of poverty - for life - wouldn’t you sign up? Its a no brainer. Here’s one (among 1,000’s) post I read:

“I think that Ethiopia is the new East Germany. Since their country is so poor and politically/economically messed up, they use the distance runners as a means of having some national pride.

I believe that they have a nationally-endorsed, nationally-sponsored system of procuring and administering the most advanced performance enhancing substances known to mankind.

I believe that the Ethiopian athletes are being highly protected from badly-timed random drug tests, or that some of the things that they are taking are not detectable.

I believe that China, in the lead-up to the 2008 Olympics will do the same thing. The Chinese scientists are probably developing their own steroids and blood building products as we speak.

At the World Top 20/OlympicMedal Level of our sport, pharmaceuticals are just part-and-parcel of “THE GAME.”

syringe

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