Originally Posted by
Hermes
In other news, a racing friend in my age group was notified by UCI that his team sprint team had been awarded the gold medal in Masters Track Worlds from last year. They came in second. One of the racers on the team that won, was disqualified - Robert Gerard Louis of France 68 years old. This is his second doping violation and he received an 8 year suspension. He tested positive to anabolic steroids.
Louis is also the 500 meter WR holder. I do not believe that they have stripped him of the record...yet.
Drugs continue to ruin sports and athletes. They diminish the value of success and one wonders if one even wants to compete against doped athletes or compete at all because if one wins, there is always a cloud that maybe just maybe, you were doped or cheated in some way. If I would have beat his record, many would have said, yeah right.
I would have
When you have guys over 50 going faster than they did when they were 20 you just shake your head. I have zero doubt that there are people doing it right but after this many years (and having raced against a long list of "positives") in the sport my doper radar is pretty fine tuned. Drug use is still out there a bunch for sure.
I've had the accusations thrown my way a few times, and I've never been tested since I started racing USCF (now USAC) in 2004. Happy to fill your water bottle anytime, or have you come check out my medicine cabinet. Test away. But I know guys who passed some tests who were later caught out of competition, so take that testing for what it's worth.
I can understand why some folks might head over to the anti aging clinic. Getting old sucks. And I think holding 68 year old guys to an Olympic competition standard is silly. But if you sign up to compete, them is the rules.