Gay and Powell Test Positive...

What are your thoughts on the news that USA's Tyson Gay tested positive for a banned substance?  I find it disappointing, especially since he had been marketing himself as an anti-doping runner.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tyson-gay-tests-positive-banned-143738384--spt.html

That is pretty shocking news, it's too bad. There is so much money in sponsorships and endorsements that this will continue to happen.

It just makes me so mad I could spit.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:It just makes me so mad I could spit.

 Go 'head spit! Pretty disgusting, but NOT surprising!

I suppose it's not surprising, but I question whether anyone races drug/doping free.  What about the course records...are those bogus too.  I know that if everyone dopes then it's a fair playing field...just curious if those that come in 6th and 7th place in a heat are on their own and racing clean.  Too bad.

He should switch to cycling in time for next yours Tour de France!

My first thought when I saw that a US sprinter and two Jamaican sprinters had tested positive was - "Please not Usain!"

Sad.  I'd like to say surprising, but I can't.

As someone who has never really followed track until the last several years - these people are not making it easy....  Who is next?  Galen?  Ryan?  Meb?  Dathan?  I guess nothing would surprise me...

Right now we're short on details.  Let's wait until we find out exactly what was in his system and what his explanation is.

Nutrition supplements seem to be the cause of many of these positive tests.  You never know what's in them so you are playing Russian Roulette when you take them.  The rules say it's your own fault no matter how something got into your system.

The Science of Sport guys suggested that maybe runners should stop taking supplements all together.  There is little evidence that they help much so maybe it's not worth the risk.

It may be the catalyst for education - stay away from supplements, dear athletes.  There is little evidence that they work anyway, so the upside is small, and as you can see from Asafa and co, the downside is potentially enormous.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2013/07/a-house-of-cards-sprinting-crisis-as.html

 
Stan

Thanks for providing that link Stan.  It's a good, fair summary of both sides of the coin.  It will definitely be interesting to see how the Jamaicans and Gay frame their defense.

Very sad indeed. At his level you have to know what is going in to your body and not "be letdown by somebody" as Gay is claiming now. That's a BS argument as far as I am concerned.

The rumor is that a supplement has been making its way around the sprinting community. I'm guessing these are the only ones who got caught but many more are probably taking it as well.

Things just got a lot easier for Bolt this year as now the next three guys (Blake is injured, Gay and Powell are now banned) won't be in Moscow next month.

Adidas suspended Gay's sponsorship today too.

Not good for Rudy. Not good at all.

If you are taking a new supplement that is supposed to give you an edge over your competitors, that should be taken as an indicator that you shouldn't be taking it.  These guys aren't new to the sport.  They've seen tons of their brethren test positive due to supplements.  It's pretty clear the potential reward justifies the potential risk to these guys.

Ben Z wrote:
Things just got a lot easier for Bolt this year as now the next three guys (Blake is injured, Gay and Powell are now banned) won't be in Moscow next month.

That may be the saddest part, at least for fans.  Bolt with nobody to challenge him is just boring.

Bring on the distance runners!

Stan

Ben Z wrote:Very sad indeed. At his level you have to know what is going in to your body and not "be letdown by somebody" as Gay is claiming now. That's a BS argument as far as I am concerned.

I agree.  It doesn't matter who gives you it.  At that level you should know what you are taking.  To me this seems like a way to place the blame on someone else.

Nick Morris wrote:

Ben Z wrote:Very sad indeed. At his level you have to know what is going in to your body and not "be letdown by somebody" as Gay is claiming now. That's a BS argument as far as I am concerned.

I agree.  It doesn't matter who gives you it.  At that level you should know what you are taking.  To me this seems like a way to place the blame on someone else.

He's not making excuses, but it was somebody else's fault.

healdgator wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

Ben Z wrote:Very sad indeed. At his level you have to know what is going in to your body and not "be letdown by somebody" as Gay is claiming now. That's a BS argument as far as I am concerned.

I agree.  It doesn't matter who gives you it.  At that level you should know what you are taking.  To me this seems like a way to place the blame on someone else.

He's not making excuses, but it was somebody else's fault.

Exactly...

Beautiful. Sums up what people value more.

Michael Enright wrote:He should switch to cycling in time for next yours Tour de France!

 Or take Ryan Braun's place on the Brewers.