by Alfonz Juck
Justin Gatlin, photo by PhotoRun.netJustin Gatlin fires Dennis Mitchell as his coach after Telegraph Investigation, USADA and IAAF Athletics Integrity Unit to investigate
LONDON (GBR): The 100 m World champion Justin Gatlin and his coaching team are being investigated by doping authorities after a newspaper investigation revealed members of his team offered to provide prescriptions for performance-enhancing drugs. It is based on a report of The Telegraph. In a statement released to The Telegraph, Gatlin’s legal representatives said that Dennis Mitchell has been sacked as his coach and that they had five years’ worth of tests to prove that “he has never tested positive for any banned substance”.
The Athletics Integrity Unit and the US Anti-Doping Agency are set to investigate the allegations. Seb Coe, the IAAF president, told the paper: “These allegations are extremely serious and I know the Independent Athletics Integrity Unit will investigate in accordance with its mandate.” Worldwide media are reporting.
Check the next section for the response from RunBlogRun.
RunBlogRun opines: The stench continues. In this amazing article by the Telegraph UK , the former coach (Dennis Mitchell was fired by Justin Gatlin nearly immediately after the story hit the news cycle. The coach and agent involved were duped into believing that the Telegraph writers were from Hollywood and wanted an actor to be trained and have supervised use of HGH and steroids. The recorded conversations have enough for anyone who suspects that doping is still a huge issue in the sport.
How should the IAAF deal with this? The Athletic Integrity Unit, USADA are both reacting. Seb Coe made the appropriate statement. So, did Justin Gatlin and his actual agent, Renaldo Nehemiah. But the problem continues. What does this say about Justin Gatlin? Not sure. It is suspicious and it just smells up the sport once again.
Truth is this, so much money in sport, that doping is a business decision. The results from being caught as a doper still are not draconian enough. There should be a lawsuit against coach, agent and athletes for loss of reputation by sport from Federation. Until this cost huge amount of money and results in huge amount of shame, the suspicions will continue.
