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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Podcast 98 Roy “Robot” Martin on his Arrest, Coaching and Drug Use in Track & Field

Posted October 26th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Drugs In Sports

Episode 98 of The Final Sprint Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with two-time U.S. Olympian and National High School 200m Record Holder
ROY “ROBOT” MARTIN.

The former Olympian talks about his recent arrest, coaching, his take on the infiltration of performance enhancing drugs and how it contributed to his own retirement.

Since retiring from professional racing, Martin has focused on coaching and giving back to his community. He is also employed as a hall monitor at Florence Middle School in Pleasant Grove, TX. However, Martin was placed on administrative leave after being arrested on drug charges earlier this week. Police officials have charged Martin with drug possession, report that Martin conducted an “unauthorized drug sting” and are moving forward with their investigation. Conversely, the highly respected Martin says that he was only trying to help fight the significant drug problem in the middle school and in his community.

In the interview, Martin provides his side of the story and also discusses coaching, wanting to become the next Bob Kersee, highlights of his own career, and provides his own, startling estimate of the percentage of elite runners using performance enhancing drugs in the mid 1980’s to early 1990’s.

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Roy Martin
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 20.2 MB | Length: 29:27 MIN

Episode sponsored by:
Camelbak - the originator and leader in hands-free hydration.

To learn more Camelbak Elixir, their effective, easy-to-use and portable electrolyte beverage, as well as Camelbak’s running specific hydration systems, please visit www.camelbak.com.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions and beliefs expressed by interviewees on The Final Sprint Podcast do not necessarily represent or reflect the opinions and beliefs of TheFinalSprint.com, TFS Media Network, The Final Sprint, LLC, and/or our sponsors.

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PRRO Circuit Takes Tough New Anti-Doping Stance

Posted October 26th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

The independent organizers of the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit have adopted a toughened anti-doping stance.

Under the new policy the five PRRO Circuit events –which include the World’s Best 10-K in San Juan, Puerto Rico; the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, D.C.; the Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Wash.; the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga.; and the Utica Boilermaker 15-K in Utica, N.Y.– will no longer invite any athletes who have returned to competition after serving a doping suspension of at least two years.

This new new measure comes after two years of mandatory drug testing at all PRRO events which has been paid carried out by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and paid for by the individual events.
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TFS News Briefs: 10/10/07

Posted October 10th, 2007 at 7:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

USOC seeks medals from Jones’ relay-mates
Now that Marion Jones has returned her Olympic medals in the wake of her doping admission, the United States Olympic Committee has also asked Marion Jones’ relay teammates to return their medals and promised a “completely clean” U.S. squad in 2008. The USOC request, Jones’ admission and the IOC’s pending decision on how to redistribute the medals has caused a fury of editorials, objections and controversy.
Here is a sampling of related articles and opinion pieces:
Jones’ relay teammate wants to keep bronze medal — Canadian Press
Time to target coaches, doctors and agents — Guardian (Steve Cram)
Ottey to pick up extra medal — Yahoo! Sports
Jones could’ve broken open sports scam — Seattle Times

Culpepper aims to repeat at U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
Alan Culpepper, a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team, is looking to replicate his success at the Nov. 3 Trials in NYC. In regards to the new loop-course, Culpepper said, “I was fairly shocked when I saw the course; it (the hilly Central Park course) is going to be hard. I am doing more race-pace effort on hilly terrain this time.”
Read more at: [Daily Camera]
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Marion Jones’ Fall From Grace Now Officially Complete

Posted October 4th, 2007 at 8:50 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones, winner of 3 gold and 2 bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has finally acknowledged that she took steroids. In a letter to family and friends she admits to taking, beginning in 1999, a designer drug known as “The Clear” or THG (Tetrahydrogestrinone), a powerful anabolic steroid.

She also, according to a report in the Washington Post, “plans to plead guilty tomorrow in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use and an unrelated financial matter.” Jones is still, however, insisting upon using the ignorance defense, claiming that she thought she was taking flaxseed oil, a nutritional supplement, even though she “said she noticed changes in how her body felt and how she was able to recover from workouts.”
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Sepeng cleared to return to competition

Posted May 16th, 2007 at 9:34 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

Hezekiel Sepeng, the South African record holder over 800 metres and silver medalist at the Atlanta Olympics and the 1999 World Championships, has been reinstated by Athletics South Africa (ASA). Sepeng had tested positive for the prohibited substance Norandrosterone in February, 2005.

In a statement released yesterday, ASA said Sepeng has been cleared and can compete with immediate effect.

Sepeng was tested out of competition on February 21, 2005, and was found guilty by an ASA tribunal. He was suspended for two years on May 11, 2005.
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“Shades of Gray” accepted by WADA for doping athletes

Posted January 20th, 2007 at 4:00 PM by Kevin McGinn

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

Shades of gray have been added to the previously black and white rulebook surrounding doping athletes. Accidental use of certain substances will not be met with the same strict standards that have been the norm for the past three years. In addition to the changes made about accidental and medical use of these substances, the sanctions regarding intentional use have become even harder.

The rules are being re-written in order to allow leniency to those that clearly did not take drugs in order to improve performance. Despite the change, it will still be difficult for an athlete to prove their intentions, especially in cases regarding anabolic steroids, hormones, and illegal methods of enhancing performance; it most certainly will be necessary to do so in order to reduce or remove punishment in the more controversial cases. The process by which athletes prove their innocence will now stem beyond positive and negative drug tests in order to improve the accuracy of opinion concerning the accused.
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Banned track star Dwain Chambers aims for NFL

Posted January 11th, 2007 at 1:43 PM by Jennifer Lipman

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

After being banned from track competition in 2003, Dwain Chambers has recently come out with his decision to pursue a career in the NFL, following in the steps of his role model, Renaldo Nehemiah.

Chambers tested positive for THG, a banned anabolic steroid, and was banned from track in October of 2003. The UK 4X100m relay team he ran for also lost their silver medals from the World Championships that same year.
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2006 Grandma’s Marathon champion disqualified and banned for doping

Posted December 17th, 2006 at 4:06 PM by Jenna Sumara

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Marathons, Drugs In Sports

Six months after the completetion of the Grandma’s Marathon, women’s champion, Halina Karnatsevich, has been disqualified for failing her post-race drug test.

The race was originally held on July 17th in Duluth, Minnesota.

Officials have now declared Ukrainian Svetlana Nekhorosh the winner. Nekhorosh will now also receive the $8,000 prize purse.
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Other stories of interest: December 17, 2006

Posted December 17th, 2006 at 2:33 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

From time to time TFS will try and highlight other stories, usually news related, that you might find of interest:

Berlin Marathon 2007 Registration Begins — B.M. Press Release

Lagat Set for 2007 Indoor Start in UK — IAAF

Lauryn Williams: Visa’s Humanitarian Athlete of Year — Runner’s Web

Scientists racing to catch gene-doping athletes – ESPN

Is Marathoning Too Much of a Good Thing for Your Heart? — NY Times

US Left out of Bidding for 2011, 2013 Worlds — LA Times

Proposal to Shift Some Schools into Different Track Regions — T&F News

Low testosterone, high cholesterol — Dr. Gabe Mirkin

Houston Marathon Has Few Lottery Spots Open — Houston Chronicle

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