2011 Nike Pre Classic: Gatlin will run Pre, but no change on Euromeetings stance, by Gene Cherry/Reuters, note by Larry Eder

Justin Gatlin, 2010 Rovereto, Photo by PhotoRun.net

The facts are these: Justin Gatlin won the Olympic 100 meter gold medal in 2004 in Athens. In 2006, Justin Gatlin tested positive for a banned substance and received a four year ban. Now, running again, having served his time, Justin Gatlin will be racing at the 2011 Nike Pre Classic.
He will find, however, per two stories published by the Reuters news agency today, written by Gene Cherry, that he will not be welcome to most of the major European meetings this summer.
The stories, published today by Reuters, and written by Gene Cherry,
confirm that Justin Gatlin is running the Nike Pre, but also that the Euromeetings group is adamant about his competition in Europe.
This is a very complicated issue, as drugs have sullied our sport for decades. RBR understands that the Euromeetings managers have put a proverbial line in the sand-drug cheats are not welcomed in their events. The European managers have decided, as a group, that banned athletes (two years and longer) are not welcome into their meetings.
But, in the U.S., there is the over riding feeling that if a person takes their lumps, and serves their time, which Gatlin did, they should be given another chance. Does this apply to athletes who have hurt their sport with positive drug tests? Does Justin Gatlin, having served his time, deserve another chance?
There is no easy answer. Gene Cherry provides two very well-written articles on this conundrum. I am curious to see what you are readers think of Justin Gatlin and his comeback.
Please email me at runblogrun@gmail.com with your thoughts or use our comment column.

The two stories are linked below:

Justin Gatlin to run Nike Pre Classic, by Gene Cherry /Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-athletics-gatlin-idUSTRE75106D20110602

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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