Great summary. I hope that the IAAF keeps the pressure on. Even the White
House has asked that names be given to the IAAF.
>> What we can hold against Lundquist and Merode is that 200 of the 211
>member
>> federations of the IAAF don't even have an out-of-competition testing
>> program and we never hear a word about that. What if the USA eliminated
>its
>> domestic out-of-competition testing program tomorrow. Then Arne wouldn't
>> have any USA domestic positives to complain about the confidentiality of.
>> And his latest blast comes after Craig Masback called for Wada to take
>over
>> the program. Sounds to me like someone who is looking for a scapegoat not
>a
>> solution.
>
>Firstly, many if not most of the 211 member countries are (1) too poor to
>afford extensive out of competition test programs and (2) do not have enough
>athletes at the elite level to make such testing worthwhile anyway. Remember
>that it's often the national T&F bonds that have to pay the bills, and if
>you think USATF's piggy bank is short on cash, wait till you see the state
>of , say, Senegal's. This is not an excuse, I think that the IAAF should
>foot the bills more often.
>
>Secondly, some of the loudest calls for out of competition drug testing have
>come from the US itself. This is bound to boomerang sometimes. When you talk
>the talk etc.
>
>Thirdly, if (say) the Chinese were to be found have covered up drug cheats
>the general reaction would still be the same.
>Correction: the general reaction would be ear-splitting.
>
>Fourthly, and I name no names (mainly because I've cleaned up my mail
>archives :-), I seem to recall some talk here about Charlie Francis, a level
>playing field, and cheating being cheating, no matter what. I'm sure
>Lundquist and Merode want everybody to be able to look their mom in the
>eyes.
>
>As I said earlier, I do think the IAAF and IOC have very flawed drugs
>policies. But everybody has to live with them. The IAAF and IOC are
>reluctant testers; it is the weight, or percieved weight of the public
>demand from a few rich nations that our sport be "clean" that is spurring
>their witch hunts. In the light of this I find all this sudden moral
>indignation strange.
>
>
>
Peter Stuart
Head Coach South-East Athletics
Head Coach NB Canada Games
NB Coaching Chair
Master Course Conductor
