An absolute disgrace if they are allowed back without fulfilling the stipulations. Whilst there may be 'clean' Russians competing, how can you be sure? If they are allowed back to compete as a nation, surely it gives the green light to carry on as before?! Makes watching them compete (like in the World Champs or Berlin this year at the Europeans) very uncomfortable, even if not under the Russian flag. Toothless WADA as ever if this goes ahead.
must be hard work being in the world anti doping agency. come up with something no one bar Russia agrees with then go out and do a bit of snorkelling in the Seychelles.
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
It doesn't exactly show Qatar in a good light either as a sporting country, considering where the World Cup will be held in 3 years...
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
Have to say the 100m was a shambles.
Gatlin shouldn't be there, he got silver. And the winner Coleman also missed 3 tests inside a 1 year period which usually means a ban.........yet he was somehow cleared to race.
Michael Johnson was pretty critical of him and Coleman's response was baffling - "Michael Johnson doesn’t pay my bills and he doesn’t write my cheques. I wouldn’t know who Michael Johnson was if he didn’t run fast times.” Ermmm, isn't that what you're also famous for?
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
Have to say the 100m was a shambles.
Gatlin shouldn't be there, he got silver. And the winner Coleman also missed 3 tests inside a 1 year period which usually means a ban.........yet he was somehow cleared to race.
Michael Johnson was pretty critical of him and Coleman's response was baffling - "Michael Johnson doesn’t pay my bills and he doesn’t write my cheques. I wouldn’t know who Michael Johnson was if he didn’t run fast times.” Ermmm, isn't that what you're also famous for?
Totally agree that putting the World Champs there is an utterly baffling decision except for monetary reasons! Empty stadium, very late nights for athletes and no huge crowds to urge them on. Besides the heat and humidity. More disgraceful, after a lifetime of watching athletics, is the presence of drug cheats like Gatlin and possibly another drug cheat, Coleman. If you are clean, why miss 3 tests? This quibbling about the date of one being outside a year, does not detract from the fact that he missed 3 in a row! I refused to watch the medal ceremony last night and thought it was for the best that the stadium was nearly empty for it. The IAAF and WADA are very frustrating at the moment.
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
It doesn't exactly show Qatar in a good light either as a sporting country, considering where the World Cup will be held in 3 years...
Crowd numbers have been really disappointing. If it wasn't for the Kenyan/Ethiopian/European/Jamaican expats there would be no atmosphere at all, big shame as the stadium and organisation has been good. Lots of comments/feedback here about ticket prices and scheduling as main reasons for non-attendance.
Gabby Logan has just interviewed IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon primarily about the lack of crowds and why the army has been brought in to buffer up the attendance rent-a-mob style.
Jeez did he have some excuses? The change in Geopolitics, the blockade, the need to celebrate athletics in Qatar. He then moved up a gear in exec speak, the amazing (air conditioned) stadium, innovation, amazing athletics, celebration, new audience, working hard with the local organising committee. Schools outreach program to educate children. Small country only 700,000 residents in Doha. Oh btw - It’ll be hot in Japan too.
Jon also stated that we could either play safe in traditional homes or outreach to new territories and deal with the challenges that ensue.
So it seems the IAAF have spent five years bringing an event to an unstable political region, that’s so hot it needs to pump air conditioning into the stadium 24/7 ignoring modern environmental issues, to a sparsely populated country whose public ain’t particularly interested anyway.
Gabby Logan has just interviewed IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon primarily about the lack of crowds and why the army has been brought in to buffer up the attendance rent-a-mob style.
Jeez did he have some excuses? The change in Geopolitics, the blockade, the need to celebrate athletics in Qatar. He then moved up a gear in exec speak, the amazing (air conditioned) stadium, innovation, amazing athletics, celebration, new audience, working hard with the local organising committee. Schools outreach program to educate children. Small country only 700,000 residents in Doha. Oh btw - It’ll be hot in Japan too.
Jon also stated that we could either play safe in traditional homes or outreach to new territories and deal with the challenges that ensue.
So it seems the IAAF have spent five years bringing an event to an unstable political region, that’s so hot it needs to pump air conditioning into the stadium 24/7 ignoring modern environmental issues, to a sparsely populated country whose public ain’t particularly interested anyway.
Really damaging to the credibility of athletics these championships imo
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
Have to say the 100m was a shambles.
Gatlin shouldn't be there, he got silver. And the winner Coleman also missed 3 tests inside a 1 year period which usually means a ban.........yet he was somehow cleared to race.
Michael Johnson was pretty critical of him and Coleman's response was baffling - "Michael Johnson doesn’t pay my bills and he doesn’t write my cheques. I wouldn’t know who Michael Johnson was if he didn’t run fast times.” Ermmm, isn't that what you're also famous for?
Totally agree that putting the World Champs there is an utterly baffling decision except for monetary reasons! Empty stadium, very late nights for athletes and no huge crowds to urge them on. Besides the heat and humidity. More disgraceful, after a lifetime of watching athletics, is the presence of drug cheats like Gatlin and possibly another drug cheat, Coleman. If you are clean, why miss 3 tests? This quibbling about the date of one being outside a year, does not detract from the fact that he missed 3 in a row! I refused to watch the medal ceremony last night and thought it was for the best that the stadium was nearly empty for it. The IAAF and WADA are very frustrating at the moment.
Totally agree about the location, notably the heat, timings and lack of crowds. A total disgrace. The stadium is hardly Eco and the women' marathon had so many have to drop out it showed how physically detrimental the conditions are for the athletes. Agree about the men's 100m - hope they get caught or caught again in Gatlin's case
I see that Alberto Salazar from the Oregon Project has received a 4 year ban for doping violations. Him and his Nike sponsored endocrinologist, Dr Browne are found to have colluded. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/49882757 If true, doping seems so institutionalised that it is getting more and more difficult to keep fighting the cheats.
Could not believe Jon Ridgeon's excuses last night! I felt like screaming the old adage: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' We have fantastic venues with full crowds all over the world, so why contrive to create them in Doha with all the enviromental costs as well? I would be so disappointed as an athlete competing in a key final in the empty stadium.
Gabby Logan has just interviewed IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon primarily about the lack of crowds and why the army has been brought in to buffer up the attendance rent-a-mob style.
Jeez did he have some excuses? The change in Geopolitics, the blockade, the need to celebrate athletics in Qatar. He then moved up a gear in exec speak, the amazing (air conditioned) stadium, innovation, amazing athletics, celebration, new audience, working hard with the local organising committee. Schools outreach program to educate children. Small country only 700,000 residents in Doha. Oh btw - It’ll be hot in Japan too.
Jon also stated that we could either play safe in traditional homes or outreach to new territories and deal with the challenges that ensue.
So it seems the IAAF have spent five years bringing an event to an unstable political region, that’s so hot it needs to pump air conditioning into the stadium 24/7 ignoring modern environmental issues, to a sparsely populated country whose public ain’t particularly interested anyway.
Good work Jon!
Ah yes, the hotbed of athletics..............Qatar.
February 2011 Mo Farah begins training with Salazar. Soon after, he misses a drugs test after testers rang his doorbell for an hour. In September, he wins two golds at the World Championships.
Winter 2011 Salazar trials an infusion of L-carnitine that is above World Anti-Doping Agency limits. He emails Lance Armstrong saying: “Lance, call me asap! We have tested it and it’s amazing!” He arranges for some NOP athletes to receive L-carnitine treatment. The amounts are not recorded by Dr Jeffrey Brown or Salazar, who maintain they were less than legal limit of 50ml.
April 2014 Farah receives a transfusion of L-carnitine before the London Marathon. Dr Rob Chakraverty, who administered it but did not properly record it, said it was under the legal limit.
June 2015 After media allegations against Salazar, which he denies, Farah says his name is being “dragged through the mud”.
February 2017 The Sunday Times reveals that a 2016 Usada report shows Salazar gave Farah prescription drugs with potentially harmful side-effects. Farah retorts: “I am a clean athlete.”
July 2017 Hackers’ leaked documents show Farah as “likely doping” on IAAF biological passport list in November 2015. He is “flagged as normal” in April 2016. A spokesman for Farah says: “Any suggestion of misconduct is entirely false.”
October 2017 Farah cuts ties with Salazar.
September 30, 2019 After hearings into the doping case in summer 2018, Salazar and Dr Brown are banned from the sport with immediate effect.
An "unfortunate" series of events for Farrah. However, had he cut his ties with Salazar after seven months instead of seven years then he would not have been under such scrutiny.
Trouble is, I don’t want to outright say ‘he cheated’. I think virtually every single top level athlete are operating at the margins of what is acceptable. Whether that’s enhanced altitude creation, infusions or unecessary medication to boost their aerobic capacity, recovery, durability, it’s all in some form a scientific supplement to natural ability and training hard.
I don’t doubt this is limited to athletes. Look at the money in football, American football etc and the size of their medical teams clubs maintain.
Things evolve. The days of athletes pumping themselves full of steroids are pretty much in the past, but new ways are being medically and scientifically found all the time to enhance. The Oregon Project are at the forefront of that, and the performance of Brazier and Hassan this week makes you think they may still be leading in that.
Said it on the Farah thread a couple of years back. Think he's culpable. Such a massive improvement since he joined Salazar.
Sports people should not get national honours for sporting achievements until their careers are well over. Their sporting medals should be enough. Especially if they are known to be close to those with questionable links to drug cheating.
Comments
Toothless WADA as ever if this goes ahead.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/45565273
was gutted for Holly Bradshaw getting so close.
We (UK) are going throw a real lean period in terms of top level athletes (Dina apart). Trouble is I have very little confidence now in how clean / assisted anyone is, particularly those connected to the Oregan Project
Massive shame she did it in front of an empty stadium though, it really takes away from the occasion
Gatlin shouldn't be there, he got silver. And the winner Coleman also missed 3 tests inside a 1 year period which usually means a ban.........yet he was somehow cleared to race.
Michael Johnson was pretty critical of him and Coleman's response was baffling - "Michael Johnson doesn’t pay my bills and he doesn’t write my cheques. I wouldn’t know who Michael Johnson was if he didn’t run fast times.”
Ermmm, isn't that what you're also famous for?
More disgraceful, after a lifetime of watching athletics, is the presence of drug cheats like Gatlin and possibly another drug cheat, Coleman. If you are clean, why miss 3 tests? This quibbling about the date of one being outside a year, does not detract from the fact that he missed 3 in a row!
I refused to watch the medal ceremony last night and thought it was for the best that the stadium was nearly empty for it. The IAAF and WADA are very frustrating at the moment.
Gabby Logan has just interviewed IAAF CEO Jon Ridgeon primarily about the lack of crowds and why the army has been brought in to buffer up the attendance rent-a-mob style.
Jeez did he have some excuses? The change in Geopolitics, the blockade, the need to celebrate athletics in Qatar. He then moved up a gear in exec speak, the amazing (air conditioned) stadium, innovation, amazing athletics, celebration, new audience, working hard with the local organising committee. Schools outreach program to educate children. Small country only 700,000 residents in Doha. Oh btw - It’ll be hot in Japan too.
Jon also stated that we could either play safe in traditional homes or outreach to new territories and deal with the challenges that ensue.
So it seems the IAAF have spent five years bringing an event to an unstable political region, that’s so hot it needs to pump air conditioning into the stadium 24/7 ignoring modern environmental issues, to a sparsely populated country whose public ain’t particularly interested anyway.
Good work Jon!
An extremely illuminating interview in which Jon made so many excuses, it became embarrassing to watch.
We were at the 1987 Worlds in Rome where Jon & Colin Jackson both competed in the 110m hurdles in front of a packed, noisy stadium .
I wonder how he'd have felt if those 13+ seconds had been run in a near empty, almost silent stadium....
"Is this a library ? " would be a pertinent chant.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/49882757
If true, doping seems so institutionalised that it is getting more and more difficult to keep fighting the cheats.
Could not believe Jon Ridgeon's excuses last night! I felt like screaming the old adage: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' We have fantastic venues with full crowds all over the world, so why contrive to create them in Doha with all the enviromental costs as well? I would be so disappointed as an athlete competing in a key final in the empty stadium.
Stupendous article on Bowyer...really in depth
"Bowyer's career in 4 parts" published 27/09/19...Dominic Fifield
February 2011 Mo Farah begins training with Salazar. Soon after, he misses a drugs test after testers rang his doorbell for an hour. In September, he wins two golds at the World Championships.
Winter 2011 Salazar trials an infusion of L-carnitine that is above World Anti-Doping Agency limits. He emails Lance Armstrong saying: “Lance, call me asap! We have tested it and it’s amazing!” He arranges for some NOP athletes to receive L-carnitine treatment. The amounts are not recorded by Dr Jeffrey Brown or Salazar, who maintain they were less than legal limit of 50ml.
April 2014 Farah receives a transfusion of L-carnitine before the London Marathon. Dr Rob Chakraverty, who administered it but did not properly record it, said it was under the legal limit.
June 2015 After media allegations against Salazar, which he denies, Farah says his name is being “dragged through the mud”.
February 2017 The Sunday Times reveals that a 2016 Usada report shows Salazar gave Farah prescription drugs with potentially harmful side-effects. Farah retorts: “I am a clean athlete.”
July 2017 Hackers’ leaked documents show Farah as “likely doping” on IAAF biological passport list in November 2015. He is “flagged as normal” in April 2016. A spokesman for Farah says: “Any suggestion of misconduct is entirely false.”
October 2017 Farah cuts ties with Salazar.
September 30, 2019 After hearings into the doping case in summer 2018, Salazar and
Dr Brown are banned from the sport with immediate effect.
An "unfortunate" series of events for Farrah. However, had he cut his ties with Salazar after seven months instead of seven years then he would not have been under such scrutiny.
I don’t doubt this is limited to athletes. Look at the money in football, American football etc and the size of their medical teams clubs maintain.
Things evolve. The days of athletes pumping themselves full of steroids are pretty much in the past, but new ways are being medically and scientifically found all the time to enhance. The Oregon Project are at the forefront of that, and the performance of Brazier and Hassan this week makes you think they may still be leading in that.
Their sporting medals should be enough.
Especially if they are known to be close to those with questionable links to drug cheating.