Open Letter to Clients of International Athletics Consultancy, letter by Zane Branson, note by Larry Eder

The following letter is a unique one, in our eyes. The International Athletics Consultancy, in light of several recent positing doping cases in Kenya, wrote the following letter to their clients and ask media, among them, RunBlogRun.com to consider publishing it.

The letter is well written, cogent and to the point. In this day and age, when an athlete test positive in a training group, or from an manager, the scuttlebutt is such that all of the athletes in that group or from that manager can be tarnished. Such is the nature of drugs in our sport.

We applaud IAC on this letter and others who follow.

Drugs are killing sports. Some note that once money got into sports, it was downhill. I disagree. In a global culture that celebrates personality whether notorious or laudable, some people search out fame at any costs. Money is huge, as if ANYTHING provides an advantage when athletes line up, it can make a difference.

I believe the fight is on many levels. I celebrate the focus of many federations now, including IOC and IAAF, and WADA and USADA. I believe however, that drug testing is not enough. There is such a thing as ethical behavior. There is honor is doing ones’ best and finishing second, third, etc.

Drugs have cast an odor on all athletic performances. It is unfortunate but true. Only with out of competition testing, draconian punishments and education on fair play, ethics and yes, what is right and wrong, can we hope to change sports culture as it is today.

Dear All,

Hope you are doing well.

Please find information included below and if you find it appropriate, please take under consideration to potentially share this open letter on your websites, so we can all work together on raising awareness re: doping in Kenya and so we all can help reach as many athletes as possible.

As always, many thanks for all the great work you are doing.

Kind regards,

Davor

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Open letter to clients of International Athletics Consultancy
http://iac-athletics.com/eng/news.php?ID=247

Open letter to clients of International Athletics Consultancy

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
Dear athletes and friends,

This important message is for the athletes we work for in particular, but also for all our other athlete-friends in Kenya.

Apparently and unfortunately, there is still a problem with some non-informed or ill-informed practitioners (doctors, pharmacy staff and perhaps others) who are still offering very bad advice that can destroy athletes’ careers in athletics and their ability to compete, earn money and provide a living to their families.

If anyone is offering to “help” you feel better, stronger or to make you train harder or run faster, then, please and as always, use your knowledge and common sense and walk away.

Such people are not trying to help you and they obviously do not care about what could happen to you. They are using you and trying to profit from your hard work and when you get caught you are the one who loses everything and they walk away untouched.

We do talk about these matters often with you, especially with younger and less-experienced clients, but in light of recent developments in Kenya it is our responsibility towards you to remind you about the importance of gaining knowledge and being in full control.

As a professional athlete, you are responsible for any substance you take and please do not take anyone’s advice on supplements and medications without checking with me first or without communicating with IAAF anti-doping personnel (pureathletics@iaaf.org) in order to ask them for guidance.

For more information on matters related to doping, please visit IAAF’s website.
http://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/anti-doping#athletes-guides-and-advisory-notes

Please always remember that we need to work together for your protection.

Best wishes to you, your families and training partners and looking forward to seeing you in Kenya soon,

Zane Branson, IAAF Authorized Athletes’ Representative

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—
Davor Savija
Manager, Special Projects

for International Athletics Consultancy

Web: www.iac-athletics.com | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/International-Athletics-Consultancy |
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZB.IAC | Twitter: www.twitter.com/RedDirtReport|

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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