TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

New USATF CEO Takes a Stand Against Marion Jones’ Commutation Request

Posted July 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Stephanie Lowe

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

Doug Logan, the new chief executive officer of USA Track & Field, wrote an open letter to President Bush Tuesday in regard to Marion Jones’ plea for commutation of her prison sentence. Jones currently serves a six-month sentence that began in March for lying to federal agents about her performance enhancing drug use (tetrahydrogestrinone, also known as THG or “the clear”) and a check-fraud scheme.

In his letter, Logan asks Bush to deny Jones’ appeal for a pardon.

“As the new CEO of USA Track & Field, I have a moral and practical duty to make the case against her request. With her cheating and lying, Marion Jones did everything she could to violate the principles of track and field and Olympic competition,” Logan wrote. Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

In Letter to President Bush, USATF Opposes Jones’ Request for Pardon, Commutation

Posted July 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

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

Douglas Logan, the newly appointed CEO of USA Track & Field (USATF), has written President Bush to express his concern at Marion Jones’ application for pardon or commutation of her conviction for making false statements to federal investigators. Below is the full text of Logan’s letter to President Bush on behalf of USATF.

Editor’s Note: Although often challenging, I believe that a person who has wronged should be forgiven if they serve their time, demonstrate remorse, and dedicate themselves to mitigating the damage caused by their actions. However, and despite the compassion I feel for Marion Jones and her family, I join Mr. Larson in his opposition to her request for a presidential pardon or commutation. To completely ignore the egregious frauds committed by Jones through criminal exoneration would be a tremendous injustice, send a terrible message to young athletes, and be yet another slap in the face to those who she cheated - especially her former teammates, competitors, and supporters in the running community.

Whether or not you agree with me, I encourage you to make your own voice heard. For more information about writing President Bush, please click here.

Dear President Bush,

They say you can’t always believe what you read in the papers. So, when I read that Marion Jones has applied to you for a pardon or commutation of her federal conviction for making false statements to investigators, I couldn’t believe it. She lied to federal agents. She took steroids. She made false statements in a bank fraud investigation - not necessarily in that order. She admitted it. And now she apparently wants to be let off.

As the new CEO of USA Track & Field, I have a moral and practical duty to make the case against her request.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 6/05/2008

Posted June 5th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Columns, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

Bislett Games To Wean Golden League Million Dollar List
That list of contenders for the Golden League million dollar jackpot always looks impressive after the first meet of the year. It only starts becoming meaningful, though, after the second meet, because only undefeated athletes can contend for the million dollar prize. The list below should be quite a bit shorter after this weekend’s Bislett Games, the 2nd installment of the six-meet series:

Men
100m - Nesta Carter (JAM)
400m - LaShawn Merritt (USA)
1500m - Augustine Choge (KEN)
400m Hurdles - Bershawn Jackson (USA)
Long Jump - Hussein Al-Sabee (KSA)
Javelin Throw - Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)

Women
200m - Sherone Simpson (JAM)
800m - Pamela Jelimo (KEN)
100m Hurdles - Josephine Onyia (ESP)
High Jump - Blanka Vlasic (CRO)
IAAF

Gatlin Decision To Be Published On Friday
Track fans around the world will know the fate of disgraced sprinter Justin Gatlin by Friday afternoon when the CAS publishes its decision. Gatlin is hoping o get a two-year reduction of his four-year suspension, which would make him eligible to try qualifying for the US Olympic Trials which will be held later this month in Eugene, Oregon.
AFP

Adam Goucher: Kara In Best Shape Of Her Life
As Kara Goucher prepares to face world-record holder Meseret Defar in the Prefonaine Classic 5000m, her husband Adam has stated that she is “strong. Hands down, the best shape of her life. So strong, and ready to go. It’s going to be a great year.”
USA Today
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

The Week in the Rear View: Racing News May 26 – June 1

Posted June 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 AM by Jay Hicks

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Columns, Week in Rear View

The Week In the Rear View is a weekly column wrapping up the week’s events in running and track & field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.

Everyone in the track world is talking about Usain “Lightening” Bolt. He shut ‘em down—literally! Bolt quieted his critics with a 9.72 seconds World Record performance with World Champion Tyson Gay in the race. Tyson Gay looked in good shape for this time of season running 9.85, which was good enough for second. Doesn’t that sound crazy? Bolt is now the favorite in Beijing, but two months is certainly a long time from now.

You could call it the law of averages. The Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt race in Berlin resulted in the end of Wariner’s winning streak that dates back to 2005. Merritt was superb. He executed a perfect race strategy to deliver the win. Before the media writes the early demise of Wariner, it should be noted that he isn’t in top shape, not yet—that will be in Beijing.

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 5/07/2008

Posted May 7th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

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

Vlasic Aims For Gold, Record At Beijing Olympics
World champion high jumper Blanca Vlasic from Croatia , whose aim is to win the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics high jump, also has her sights on another goal, saying, “I would say it is possible that I could win the gold in Beijing with a world record.”
Read more at: [Reuters]

Michael Johnson “Shocked” By Bolt’s 100m Time
After Jamaica’s fabulous early-season time of 9.76 seconds in the 100m dash at the Jamaica International Invitational, legendary sprinter Michael Johnson said, “Usain said he was shocked. I’m shocked too.” Even so, he advised Bolt “not to get too carried away with the performance.”
Read more at: [Caribbean Net News, Cayman Islands]

Great News From Ann Gaffigan’s Training Camp
Ann Gaffigan, the former American-record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, has published a new blog post that ha some great news for the runner who has had her share of bad news over the past year or two. Despite having a bad race lately (she trained through it) she writes that “my workouts have been better than ever before, yes I felt like my old self at the Mt. SAC Relays, yes my iron levels are high, my heart rate is low, my speed is good and my strength even better.”
Read more at: [Steeplechics]
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 4/17/08

Posted April 17th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, TFS News Briefs, Masters

Greene May Have Landed Himself In Hot Water
The IAAF is seeking a written explanation from Maurice Greene after some comments he made in reaction to recent accusations by Mexican discus thrower Angel Guillermo Heredia who claims he supplied steroids to Greene. What were the suspicious words? “Our group was very close and things always came up. I would pay for stuff and not care what it was. I’ve paid for things for other people.”
Read more at: [NY Times]

Historic Finnish Track Meet Back In Action
The Helsinki Games, dormant last year for the third time in 2 decades, is now retooled and ready to go again in 2008 as part of a four-meet circuit in Finland dubbed “4Athletics GP.” Thanks to a string of legendary athletes like Paavo Nurmi, Ville Ritola, Volmari Iso-Hollo and Lasse Viren as well as champion javelin throwers like Tina Lillak, Finns are some of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable track fans in the world.
Read more at: [IAAF]

Bekele, Dibaba To Run In Nairobi, Kenya Meet
Along with 45 other international athletes, World Cross-Country champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba are expected to compete at the Tusker Athletics International in Nairobi, Kenya on May 11th, 2008. The meet will also be loaded with Kenyan athletes, including Janeth Jepkosgei, Lukas Kibet and Wilfred Bunge.
Read more at: [Afrik.com]
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Track & Field: Weekly Preview

Posted January 26th, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

With three major international invitationals set for this weekend –Saturday’s Reebok Boston Indoor Games, Saturday’s Norwich Union International in Glasgow, and the Russian Winter meet in Moscow on Sunday– TPR begins its peak-season weekly previews. Some of the expected key highlights:

In the Sprints…

Thus far in 2008 the major news in the sprints has been off the track, beginning with the New Year’s Day announcement by the US Anti-Doping Agency that Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin would have to sit out a four-year ban. (How’s that for setting the tone for the year?) Gatlin is appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. [For a recent interview Gatlin gave Reuters, please click here]

The most solid field of the weekend will be in Boston, where reigning world indoor champion Leonard Scott makes his ‘08 debut. Reigning US indoor champion DaBryan Blanton, and Leroy Dixon [Pictured], a 400m relay gold medallist last summer in Osaka, are also in the field.
Read the rest of this entry »

4 comments, add yours | Permalink

‘Personal Trainer’ and ‘Athletic Trainer’ are
NOT the Same Thing

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by Jeremy Sussman

Section: News & Results, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise, Drugs In Sports

NOTE: The following statement was released to major sports, health and fitness publications by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). This press release is NOT in reference to any article, editorial, or other content published by TheFinalSprint.com or the TFS Media Network. Conversely, it is intended as a universal statement, clarification and request to the media at large on behalf of the NATA membership.

NATA has followed news of Roger Clemens’ admittance this week to receiving B12 and lidocaine from personal trainer Brian McNamee. NATA has read this information with interest and caution since some media have incorrectly reported that Brian McNamee is an athletic trainer.

McNamee is not, nor has he ever been an athletic trainer, as confirmed by NATA and Board of Certification (BOC) records and the New York Yankees. He is in fact a PERSONAL TRAINER and should be referred to as such and not as a “TRAINER” which can add to reader confusion. You should be aware that the term “athletic trainer” is a title-protected term by statute in 43 states.

In your coverage of this very timely sports and health issue, we appreciate any references to McNamee to be accurate. The original Mitchell Report correctly identifies McNamee as a personal trainer, and we hope media will continue to refer to him by his correct profession - PERSONAL training. An accurate description of McNamee is vitally important to the reputation and credibility of the 35,000 athletic trainers working with sports medicine patients and clients.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Athletes on Performance- Enhancing Drugs Risk Harming Their Children

Posted November 30th, 2007 at 4:10 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Drugs In Sports

Some people think that we should let athletes take performance- enhancing drugs because they think that these athletes can only harm themselves and do not harm others. We already know that anabolic steroids can cause liver damage, heart attacks and strokes, and that growth hormone causes heart attacks by causing the heart muscle to outgrow its blood supply. Now a two-year study of former East German athletes shows that athletes who take these drugs can harm their children.

In the 1970s and 80s, almost all government sponsored East German athletes were forced to take anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. A study of 69 children of 52 of these athletes showed that seven had birth defects and four
were mentally retarded, an unusually high incidence for a group of this size. More than 25 percent had allergies and 23 percent had
asthma. The women suffered 32 times the normal incidence of miscarriage and stillbirth, 25 percent suffered cancer and 61 percent had therapy for mental disorders. The study was conducted by Dr. Giselher Spitzer at Humbolt University in Germany.
Read the rest of this entry »

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Managers Will Not Represent Athletes Who Have Been Banned

Posted November 15th, 2007 at 2:51 PM by David Monti

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

The Association of Athletics Managers (AAM) agreed at their autumn meeting in Miami last week that its members will not represent any athlete who has tested positive and was convicted of a doping violation for which he or she has served a two-year ban or longer.

The AAM represents 29 athletics managers and management firms, including big players like Jos Hermens’ Global Sports Communications and Federico Rosa’s Rosa & Associatti.

The move was applauded by the Euromeetings group, which represents 48 indoor and outdoor meetings in Europe.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink