Tuesday 16 July 2013

GIVE MY ATHLETES A BREAK

This particular blog is not to condone anything based on the adverse analytical findings of Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, Sherone Simpson, Nestar Carter, or any of the athletes testing positive recently. However, to highlight my confusion of how the various Governing Bodies select what is to be on the banned list or what is to be taken off.

So, I may be taking something that is working for me this year and I have a stellar season, come next year, it may be on the banned list; my career tanks. With Tyson, Asafa and the gang testing positive this leaves me now even more confused than the VCB incident. I don’t purport to be the authority on doping, or what is to be on a banned list, however, I have some questions that my readers may be able to have me answer for myself, if not I make take some of these questions to WADA.

1. If I am using a supplement, cream, or anything that can possibly release something into my bloodstream and the ‘banned component’ is not listed on the packaging, am I to call up the manufacturer to find out if there is something banned in the product before I use it?

2. Am I to just list all I consume and email it on a daily basis to the Governing Bodies just in case? Even a breadfruit from Portland?

3. How are the substances selected to be on the banned list?

4. Why are substances taken off once put on the list?


I don’t know what was found in the athletes’ bodies, but I can understand their devastation. Tyson seems to even know exactly what happened and who caused it. Asafa has suffered a lot of humiliation despite his achievements, and this is the worst of them all, simply because of how it is perceived when you test positive for a banned substance.

Frankly I feel no different today from how I felt about my athletes yesterday; they have provided a lot of proud moments for my country and as I said about VCB that can’t be erased overnight. Even if their B sample comes back positive my question will be ‘so what?’ The athletes MUST take something to energize and sustain them due to the type of training they undergo, and have to try and recover from injury quickly….MUST; this is their livelihood and the thing that provides many of the earning opportunities for them. You may be taking a substance that is working for you and the banned substance is just not listed on the label.

Same knife stick sheep stick goat. My opinion is in direct relation to how Ben Johnson was vilified as against Carl Lewis……I am sure everyone can read between the lines there. Also, Justin Gatlin has come back from a ban and is now like a poster boy………people please, GIVE MY ATHLETES A BREAK. Most of the drugs really help you recover from injury quickly and allow you to train for longer hours; in essence you still have to put in work.

The only point I am really trying to make here is to ensure the substances are understandable by the average man/athlete. I failed every chemistry exam I took at KC (no disrespect teachers) my head was just tough. Some athletes never even took chemistry, so make it more understandable for everyone.

I may have a race to run tomorrow, my head starts hurting and I need to rest, it’s 10pm and my race is 7am the next day and I need relief. I need a pain killer. I scoured all pain killers beforehand just in case this scenario occurs. There is a banned substance in the pill that is not on the label. I can see the headlines if I test positive.

GIVE MY ATHLETES A BREAK, it can be something way beyond their control, I just hate the impression of them doing systematic doping. If needs be give them lie detector tests or something of that nature. That way we can be a little clearer on things.

© 2013 Antonio Bell. All rights reserved

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Disclaimer
All the commentary posted in this publication are my personal view(s) and do not reflect the view(s) of any Association, Federation or Governing Body.

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