Banned track star Gatlin works out for NFL team
Posted December 3rd, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Jenna Sumara
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports
Apparently an eight-year track and field ban for a failed drug test isn’t slowing down one of the fastest men in the world. Last Tuesday, the NFL’s Houston Texans worked out Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100-meter gold medal winner. The workout was one of the Texans weekly workouts where they take a look at potential players for upcoming seasons. Although they wouldn’t be willing to sign him for this season, they are looking at him for next season or beyond and could sign him as early as late December of this year.
Last April Gatlin tested positive for testosterone, a performance-enhancing drug, in what was his second violation of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s doping regulations. Instead of facing a lifetime ban from track and field, he accepted an eight year ban and is currently trying to mitigate that punishment.
Gatlin is the co-holder (although his share will likely be taken away) of the world record in the 100 meter run at 9.77 seconds. Despite his speed, Gatlin is no pushover on the gridiron. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Texans coach Gary Kubiak said Gatlin was “very impressive.” The Texans are the first football team to look at Gatlin. Other teams have been slow to respond; largely because of his lack of football experience (he hasn’t played football since the 10th grade).
Coach Kubiak, reflecting on Gatlin’s workout, said:
It was positive. He did a good job. Some of our people who were over there watching him were amazed at how fast he ran. I don’t even know if he was full speed at that time. But he did catch the ball pretty good.
Source: [ESPN]
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Tags: 100m, 100m world record, football, houston texans, justin gatlin, NFL, olympic gold, performance enhancing drugs, testosterone
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The Final Sprint
[…] About two weeks ago we reported that Justin Gatlin, the banned and hypocritical track star, had tried out for the Houston Texans, an NFL football team. […]
December 16th, 2006 at 3:36 am