http://running.competitor.com/2014/11/news/rita-jeptoos-agent-federico-rosa_117410

* edited to make link clickable 

http://running.competitor.com/2014/11/news/rita-jeptoos-agent-federico-rosa_117410

 

Looks like her agent is pissed off, frustrated, and disappointed.  So to paraphrase, he thinks she is guilty, he doesn't want to see the B sample, and will probably drop her as a client once the result is confirmed.

I'm shocked, shocked, that her agent and coach had no knowledge of this and are saying everything they can to make sure everyone knows they were in no way involved.

You'd think the agent would go to bat for their client.  I think of agents like Scott Boras and Drew Rosenhaus who would always back their guy (at least publicly) and say nothing negative about them to the media.  Blame the test, blame the process,  blame medication or a tainted supplement, but never blame the athlete.

I wonder if they will ever allow certain "enhancers" to at least level the playing field.

Would I cheat if it was worth a few million dollars to do so and the likelihood of being caught was fairly remote?  Yep.  Sure would.  Especially if not cheating meant I'd barely be eking out a living.

admirable ethics.

Would I cheat if it was worth a few million dollars to do so and the likelihood of being caught was fairly remote?  Yep.  Sure would.  Especially if not cheating meant I'd barely be eking out a living.

I respect LtH's statement.

Yes, obviously it is wrong and unethical but too many people eagerly stand on the soap box and proclaim "I would never.....!",  having never been in the position of those people who do cross the line. It's really easy to make that statement but read accounts of some of the Tour de France cyclists during the late 90's and 2000's. They were doing something they loved, got paid well for doing, and knew others were doping. If they didn't they wouldn't be able to keep up. The pressure to do it was substantial. It was their livelihood.

If I'm a Kenyan on the edge of the elites, scrapping together a few bucks to keep my goat farm going every year, I may be just a bit tempted to try something to help me drop a few minutes over 26.2 miles for those six figure payouts and sponsorship $'s that could possibly set my family up for a couple generations.

I'm not claiming that people are lying when they say they wouldn't use. Most obviously don't. I just don't think one knows for sure until you have been put in the position.

Question (and potential tangent to this thread): How do you define "performance enhancing" and where do you draw the ethical line?

Asthma inhaler?

Galen Rupp on thyroid medication?     http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/do-many-us-distance-runners-have-thyroid-problems

Cadaver ligaments used in ACL surgery?

Tommy John surgery for pitchers?

Altitude tents?

Alter-G treadmills for injury recovery?

Advil, Tylenol, etc.?

I could make an argument that we all use performance enhancers. The only difference is what we have decided is legal and "ethical" versus what we haven't.