----- Original Message -----
From: CORA KOCH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Elliott Oti <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>;
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> 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.
