Track And Field May Scrap Its Records Because Of Doping Scandals.

[Michael Scally MD]

Track And Field May Scrap Its Records Because Of Doping Scandals. Is That A Good Idea?
Track And Field May Scrap Its Records Because Of Doping Scandals. Is That A Good Idea?

The Russian doping affair that became public with a report by a World Anti-Doping Agency-supported independent commission in 2016 is only the latest doping scandal to rock the world of track and field. From the wide-scale doping programs in the 1980s Soviet Union and East Germany, to Ben Johnson and the Balco scandal that snared Marion Jones, doping has a long history in the sport.

Now, a proposal developed by European Athletics and submitted to track and field’s international governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, aims to wipe the slate clean.

The proposed rules would essentially annul records set before 2005, when new anti-doping standards took effect. “It’s a radical solution for sure, but those of us who love athletics are tired of the cloud of doubt and innuendo that has hung over our records for too long,” EA President President Svein Arne Hansen said in a statement. IAAF President Sebastian Coe has also expressed support for the proposal, and the IAAF plans to consider it by the end of the year.

We gathered a few runners and sports journalists to discuss the proposal, the ethical issues it raises and what track and field might do to improve the sport’s credibility. The transcript has been lightly edited.

 

[ickyrica]

Erasing the minutes from the records of a meeting doesn't mean the conversation didn't happen. The same applies for sports as well as cultural opinions and beliefs.

History shouldn't be augmented due to peoples inability to deal with the truth. It is what it is. Time to put big boy pants on and move forward with life imo.

 

[Ironlord]

This is silly.
Are they going to rewrite the NFL, NBA, and MLB and FIFA history as well?

There are always going to be high level athletes on drugs. It's inevitable to compete at that level, and if one person does it, others have to in order to stay competitive.

It needs to be accepted as a basic truth of all athletic competition and left at that....

 

[Leancuisine]

Erasing the minutes from the records of a meeting doesn't mean the conversation didn't happen. The same applies for sports as well as cultural opinions and beliefs.

History shouldn't be augmented due to peoples inability to deal with the truth. It is what it is. Time to put big boy pants on and move forward with life imo.

Exactly.
This is ridiculous. Florence Joyner will still be the fastest woman in the world. Held that record since 1988. Some butt hurt prick wants to take that record from her because some people took some drugs?
I can guarantee you those people would have still won no matter what.
There's too much misconception surrounding AAS for these fuckers to make an informed decision.
"I'm a fat old person who can't run to save my life, but I'm going to strip the worlds greatest athletes of their accolades. Since I failed in athletics, everyone has to fail!"

This is exactly why I think if you want to be part of a governing body, you must have been a participant in the events upper echelons.
i.e. You want to be an Olympic track judge? Then you better have been an Olympic track participant.

 

[ickyrica]

Exactly.
This is ridiculous. Florence Joyner will still be the fastest woman in the world. Held that record since 1988. Some butt hurt prick wants to take that record from her because some people took some drugs?
I can guarantee you those people would have still won no matter what.
There's too much misconception surrounding AAS for these fuckers to make an informed decision.
"I'm a fat old person who can't run to save my life, but I'm going to strip the worlds greatest athletes of their accolades. Since I failed in athletics, everyone has to fail!"

This is exactly why I think if you want to be part of a governing body, you must have been a participant in the events upper echelons.
i.e. You want to be an Olympic track judge? Then you better have been an Olympic track participant.

It's weak. It shows a complete inability to deal with a situation appropriately. I will never cement a decision while I'm emotionally charged. For someone to go to those lengths proves that are emotionally driven (for whatever reason) and are trying to making emotionally motivated changes.

I for one do not want my world governed by emotional discharge. I want it governed by factual information, not editorialised pontificating.

Fuck, people piss me off.

 

[Docd187123]

It's weak. It shows a complete inability to deal with a situation appropriately. I will never cement a decision while I'm emotionally charged. For someone to go to those lengths proves that are emotionally driven (for whatever reason) and are trying to making emotionally motivated changes.

I for one do not want my world governed by emotional discharge. I want it governed by factual information, not editorialised pontificating.

Fuck, people piss me off.

I read this post in a Boston accent. It's hard as hell to say "editorialized pontificating" with a Boston accent.

 

[Savagesteve]

I read this post in a Boston accent. It's hard as hell to say "editorialized pontificating" with a Boston accent.

I can't say that in English let alone any accent!

 

[ickyrica]

I read this post in a Boston accent. It's hard as hell to say "editorialized pontificating" with a Boston accent.

Yeah dude, it's wicked fucked

 

[MindlessWork]

Just strip the records from only those that have been proven to have doped. Why take the records away from those who played by the rules because of some bad apples?

Yes this is a real bad idea and more thinking needs to be done.

 

[Savagesteve]

Just strip the records from only those that have been proven to have doped. Why take the records away from those who played by the rules because of some bad apples?

Yes this is a real bad idea and more thinking needs to be done.

To my knowledge they've havlready stripped those busted for doping. This falls into the new way of thinking by fucking everyone for a few people's way of thinking. Doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[ickyrica]

Leave the records alone. Document the findings and move on.

Moving on should include better education and understanding of AAS use inside of the world if sports, and at some point and to some degree accepting it

 

[Hugh J Sachs]

What steroids are mid and distance runners on?

I always wondered, as all the steroids Ive been aquainted with do nothing for cardio, and gearheads are, as a bunch, pretty slow. Except maybe sprints.

 

[grey]

Oh no! How will we know who was 1 billionth of a second faster over the length of 45 football fields on the 3rd Tuesday of April 1987?

What a tremendous loss!

 

[Leancuisine]

What steroids are mid and distance runners on?

I always wondered, as all the steroids Ive been aquainted with do nothing for cardio, and gearheads are, as a bunch, pretty slow. Except maybe sprints.

Steroids don't enhance athletic performance. What it comes down to is being able to train harder and recovering faster.

There are also a lot of drugs outside your general AAS that enhance EPO.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Synthetic male hormones were discovered in the 1930s
How naive to believe they werent being used

Open up the books. Allow it and lets just be honest with ourselves. Instead of living the lie

 

[Hugh J Sachs]

Steroids don't enhance athletic performance. What it comes down to is being able to train harder and recovering faster.

There are also a lot of drugs outside your general AAS that enhance EPO.

Disagree. Being jacked as a gorilla enhances athletic performace if your sport as lifting 800 lbs.
But running specifically? I suppose being able to train twice as often helps, if sore legs is whats keeping you off the track.
What specifically do runners use tho?

 

[master.on]

Track And Field May Scrap Its Records Because Of Doping Scandals. Is That A Good Idea?
Track And Field May Scrap Its Records Because Of Doping Scandals. Is That A Good Idea?

The Russian doping affair that became public with a report by a World Anti-Doping Agency-supported independent commission in 2016 is only the latest doping scandal to rock the world of track and field. From the wide-scale doping programs in the 1980s Soviet Union and East Germany, to Ben Johnson and the Balco scandal that snared Marion Jones, doping has a long history in the sport.

Now, a proposal developed by European Athletics and submitted to track and field’s international governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, aims to wipe the slate clean.

The proposed rules would essentially annul records set before 2005, when new anti-doping standards took effect. “It’s a radical solution for sure, but those of us who love athletics are tired of the cloud of doubt and innuendo that has hung over our records for too long,” EA President President Svein Arne Hansen said in a statement. IAAF President Sebastian Coe has also expressed support for the proposal, and the IAAF plans to consider it by the end of the year.

We gathered a few runners and sports journalists to discuss the proposal, the ethical issues it raises and what track and field might do to improve the sport’s credibility. The transcript has been lightly edited.

Whenever USA or Russia outperforms the Europeans, they come up with doping claims like clockwork. Plain fact.

 

[Leancuisine]

Disagree. Being jacked as a gorilla enhances athletic performace if your sport as lifting 800 lbs.
But running specifically? I suppose being able to train twice as often helps, if sore legs is whats keeping you off the track.
What specifically do runners use tho?

So you're telling me that someone who sits on their ass all day can have their athletic performance enhanced by shooting some drugs?
No.
Steroids do not enhance athletic performance. Lifting 800lbs isn't athleticism? I know 3 people that can't even walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded, but they each can squat 750lbs.
Sprinting 200 meters in 19.19 is athleticism.
Fighting 5 - 5 minute rounds is athleticism.
Playing 2 40 minute halves with no breaks is athleticism.
Sprinters, fighters, rugby players... I've played all those sports and I can see how being on even a small dose of test could have greatly benefited me in recovery, thus allowing me to train more often with higher intensity, recovering faster, and therefore helping my performance.
But no. Steroids do not enhance athleticism.

 

[Leancuisine]

Disagree. Being jacked as a gorilla enhances athletic performace if your sport as lifting 800 lbs.
But running specifically? I suppose being able to train twice as often helps, if sore legs is whats keeping you off the track.
What specifically do runners use tho?

you've never sprinted competitively have you?
There's a whole lot more to training than just running.
That's like saying all you do to train to lift 800lbs is that one lift. You don't just train deadlifts to increase your Deadlift.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

Netflix has debuted the trailer for Icarus, their Russian Olympic doping documentary set to debut on August 4.

In the audacious documentary Icarus, director Bryan Fogel’s bold gambit was this: to investigate doping in sports, Fogel (an amateur bike racer) would dope himself, observe the changes in his performance, and see if he could evade detection. In doing so, he was connected to a renegade Russian scientist, Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, a pillar of his country’s “anti-doping” program. Over dozens of Skype calls, urine samples, and badly administered hormone injections, Fogel and Rodchenkov grow closer despite shocking allegations that place Rodchenkov at the center of Russia’s state-sponsored Olympic doping program.

When the truth is more complex than imagined, and accusations of illegalities run to Russia’s highest chains of command, the two realize they hold the power to reveal the biggest international sports scandal in living memory. Exemplifying the special bond between filmmaker and subject, this is a vital portrait of the sacrifice some people will make to stand up for truth. Icarus places you at the heart of an international game of cat and mouse, where a miscalculation can cost you your life.