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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

Javornik Cleared of Doping Charge by Slovenian Federation

Posted June 20th, 2008 at 8:28 AM by Bob Ramsak

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

The Slovenian Athletics Federation (AZS) cleared distance runner Helena Javornik of doping charges despite two recent positive tests showing the presence of EPO.

“Helena Javornik did not commit a doping offense,” Tadej Malovrh, the head of the federation’s anti-doping commission said in a statement released early this morning after a four-and-a-half hour hearing concluded.

“This is what I was expecting,” Javornik, 42, the national record holder in all events from the mile to the marathon, told Slovenian national television. “Because I’ve never taken anything illegal.”
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TFS News Briefs: 2/29/08

Posted February 29th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

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

Beamon: 30 Foot Jump Coming “Sooner Than You Think”
The 61-year-old Bob Beamon, the namesake for the word “Beamonesque” after breaking the long jump world record in Mexico City in 1968 by a staggering 21 3/4″, told reporters this week that a 30 foot jump is possible. “I feel 30 feet is there,” Beamon said. “It’s probably coming sooner than you think.”
Read more at: [Philadelphia Daily News]

Justin Gatlin Launches Appeal
It’s official: Athens 100m gold medalist Justin Gatlin is appealing his doping suspension so that he can try to get reinstated in time for the Olympic Trials. The IAAF is siding with WADA, so the cards are stacked against him.
Read more at: [Google News]

Big 12 Indoor Championships Begin Today
The Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships begin today at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, NE. On the men’s side, 7 of the top 25 teams in the nation will be competing for the title, including #6 Oklahoma, #7 Texas and #10 Texas A&M. On the women’s side, 4 of the top 25 teams in the nation will be competing, including #6 Texas A&M and #10 Kansas.
Read more at: [Big 12]
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TFS News Briefs: 2/27/08

Posted February 27th, 2008 at 12:45 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

Heavy News Day At IAAF Website
The folks at the IAAF website have been busy today. There are 9 news items for you to read, including an article about the 51 USA athletes going to the world championships, plus profiles of the Chinese, Italian, Moroccan and German contingents.
Read more at: [USA][China][Italy][Morocco][Germany][IAAF]

World Indoor Championships: Greek Team Profile
The European Athletics site is quite busy, too, with a profile of the Greek team going to the World Indoor Championships, plus an article about how the World Cross-Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland has set a participation record.
Read more at: [Greece][Edinburgh][European Athletics]

Mainstream Press Acknowledges US Distance-Running Resurgence
When the mainstream press finally gets wind of happenings in US distance running, you know there must be no doubt about it whatsoever. The Boston Globe has published a profile detailing the resurgence of US distance running, something the US running community has known for a long, long time.
Read more at: [Boston Globe]
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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.
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President Diack’s Speech to World Conference on Doping in Sport

Posted November 17th, 2007 at 3:12 PM by Martin Kennedy

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

On the second day of the third World Conference on Doping in Sport organised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which is taking place in Madrid, Spain, IAAF President Lamine Diack made the following speech addressing the IAAF’s position with regard to the revision of the World Anti-Doping Code :

The occasion of this third World Anti-Doping Conference, and a first revision of the World Anti-Doping Code, marks a new chapter in the modern day fight against doping and is an appropriate time to reflect not only upon what has been achieved since the introduction of the Code four years ago but also to examine some of the key areas which still need to be addressed.
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WADA “Doping in Sport” Conference Set to Open Thursday in Madrid

Posted November 14th, 2007 at 7:30 PM by Martin Kennedy

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

Final preparations are underway for the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport organised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which will open in Madrid tomorrow, Thursday 15 November, and run until the 17 November. The official IAAF delegation will be led by IAAF President Lamine Diack and IAAF Council Member Abby Hoffman.

The chief topic of discussion will be the revision of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) - the core document adopted in 2003 by the Sport Movement and Governments of the world as the framework for the global harmonised fight against doping in sport, and the document upon which the IAAF bases it’s own Anti-Doping Rules.

The process of revising the Code is intended to fine-tune its provisions based on the experience gained to date and to strengthen global efforts against doping in sport. The draft revised Code will be presented to WADA’s Foundation Board for approval on 17 November 2007
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IOC President Asserts Zero Tolerance Against Doping as Top Priority of His Mandate

Posted November 12th, 2007 at 11:04 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

Speaking ahead of the World Conference on Doping in Sport that will open in Madrid next week, IOC President Jacques Rogge said that the fight against doping remained at the top of the agenda of the Olympic Movement.

“I would like to reiterate the IOC’s total commitment to the fight against doping,” he said to reporters during a teleconference.

“The IOC has been a pioneer in establishing, back in 1967, the IOC Medical Commission and in rallying International Federations (IFs), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and governments to the cause. We created WADA in 1999, after the Festina case during the Tour de France clearly indicated that more needed to be done. Since then, the IOC has been wholeheartedly supporting WADA and will continue to do so in the future”.

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: SummerOlympian.com

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IAAF reaffirms call for four-year doping ban

Posted March 26th, 2007 at 5:23 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Drugs In Sports

The IAAF will push for a four-year ban for doping when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) again takes up the measure next fall, the world governing body announced today.

By a unanimous vote, the IAAF Council, meeting for the second day here said it will make the proposal when the WADA code is revised in Madrid in November.

“We know that we will be almost alone on this matter,” said IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss. “But we are convinced about this. And we trust our convictions.”

The ultimate decision to extend the ban lies in the hands of the global agency which oversees doping sanctions for many of the world’s sports.
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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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