Los Angeles, Nov 15: John Smith, outspoken coach of famously outspoken Olympic sprint champion Maurice Greene, says he wasn't the mystery coach responsible for authorities' discovery of a new designer steroid. "If I had done it, I would have had my name attached to it," Smith said. "If you're going to stand up for it, then do it correctly."
Tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG, was discovered after an anonymous coach sent a syringe containing the substance to an Olympic-accredited laboratory in Los Angeles.
Undetectable until the lab went on to develop a test for it, THG sent shockwaves through a range of sports.
Smith said he could understand the motivation of whoever mailed in the sample.
"It got to a point where, obviously, this person couldn't take it anymore," he said.
"They knew an athlete who had access to it, which I did not. And they, by the best of their conscience, did the best thing for the sport. And I commend them for it. It's not fair to other athletes who are out there competing. Especially young athletes. You're sending the message that you have to take drugs to do good. That's not true," Smith added.
Smith said he hadn't been aware of THG in particular.
"I didn't know about THG," he said. "You just know about people's performances. All of a sudden they start running well, beating you, and you kind of look and ask yourself questions." Bureau Report