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US athletes dare IAAF to adopt lifetime ban for ThG users
Greensboro (North Carolina), Dec 07: American athletes unanimously backed lifetime bans for steroid offenders here then challenged the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to adopt the policy.
Greensboro (North Carolina), Dec 07: American athletes unanimously backed lifetime bans for steroid offenders here then challenged the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to adopt the policy.
"We just decided to raise the standard and tell the world stop pointing the finger at us - don't even think about it," US sprinter Jon Drummond said Friday.
USA Track and Field's Athlete Advisory Committee backed the "zero tolerance" measure and the career-ending steroid punishment will be voted upon here today by the full membership at the governing body's 25th annual convention.
Discovery of the designer steroid Tetrahydrogestrinone (ThG) last October and positive ThG tests by US athletes Regina Jacobs, Kevin Toth, John McEwan and an unidentified fourth spurred adoption of a career-ending steroid penalty.
"The US is going to be the first to do it. We challenge the rest of the world to do it," 1996 Olympic and four-time world 110m hurdles champion Allen Johnson said.
"We especially challenge the IAAF. They point fingers, say we don't do enough on drugs. Now we're the toughest in the world. Now who wants to follow? Everybody talks about it. We're doing it."
Top US athletes said they expect the IAAF to adopt lifetime steroid bans.
"I think they will. They have to follow it," Johnson said. "Everybody is going to have to put their money where their mouth is. If everyone is going to get together on the drug situation in sport, we have to get serious."
Bureau Report
"We just decided to raise the standard and tell the world stop pointing the finger at us - don't even think about it," US sprinter Jon Drummond said Friday.
USA Track and Field's Athlete Advisory Committee backed the "zero tolerance" measure and the career-ending steroid punishment will be voted upon here today by the full membership at the governing body's 25th annual convention.
Discovery of the designer steroid Tetrahydrogestrinone (ThG) last October and positive ThG tests by US athletes Regina Jacobs, Kevin Toth, John McEwan and an unidentified fourth spurred adoption of a career-ending steroid penalty.
"The US is going to be the first to do it. We challenge the rest of the world to do it," 1996 Olympic and four-time world 110m hurdles champion Allen Johnson said.
"We especially challenge the IAAF. They point fingers, say we don't do enough on drugs. Now we're the toughest in the world. Now who wants to follow? Everybody talks about it. We're doing it."
Top US athletes said they expect the IAAF to adopt lifetime steroid bans.
"I think they will. They have to follow it," Johnson said. "Everybody is going to have to put their money where their mouth is. If everyone is going to get together on the drug situation in sport, we have to get serious."
Bureau Report