White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

[gh]

PRESS RELEASE

International Association of Athletics Federations



Association Internationale des Fédérations d’Athlétisme





IAAF COMMUNICATION ON THE KELLI WHITE CASE



3 September 2003





Monte Carlo - Having obtained the necessary expert opinion on the subject, the IAAF has decided to classify the substance, modafinil, for which Kelli White tested positive following the Women’s 100m in Paris last week, in the category of weaker stimulants.



Under IAAF Rules, the eventual sanction for a doping offence for this substance, if proven, would therefore be a public warning and disqualification from the competition. This means that Ms White could be stripped of her gold medals in Paris in both the 100m and 200m events.



Ms White will be afforded the opportunity of a hearing in the United States before any decision is taken on whether a doping offence has been committed under IAAF Rules.



The athlete is not suspended pending her hearing and is free to compete at the Golden League Meeting in Brussels this Friday and at the World Athletics Final to be held in Monaco the following weekend.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

Lucky girl, this Ms. White. She gets to cheat twice and get away with it...maybe!

[RussJD]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

What is the exact language of the rule that she violated, if there was a violation? Does anyone know where to find the text of this rule? Because, as I understand the admittedly confusing IAAF rules, not every use of a "stimulant" constitutes a violation.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

>What is the exact language of the rule that she
violated, if there was a violation? Does anyone
know where to find the text of this rule?
Because, as I understand the admittedly confusing
IAAF rules, not every use of a "stimulant"
constitutes a violation.<

If you're not looking at the rules, then how can you describe them as "admittedly confusing"? Whose admission? Not the IAAF's.

At any rate, all that stuff (rules, procedural guidelines, banned list) is on the IAAF website. Go find it and read it. It's not that confusing.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

For those who say that she gets to cheat twice, consider this:

The IAAF's "guilty until proven innocent" theory needs to be thrown off of a cliff. Butch Reynolds told us that 11 years ago. What was so bad about the Reynolds situation was that there may have been proof that the administrators at that meet in 1990 (where Butch "tested positive") botched the drug test big time. But the IAAF didn't want to admit it, choosing instead to preserve its own credibility at the expense of someone else's! Peace.

[RussJD]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

The rules must be confusing, since the mainstream media seems categorically incapable of reporting accurately in drug cases. But what I meant was, confusing to ME. But thanks, I'll check that site--I think I actually had it yesterday at one point but my abode acrobat wan't working then.

[polevaultpower]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

Here's an editorial from the Buffalo newspaper. The author said pretty much the same things that everyone on the board has been saying.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20 ... 003030.asp

[RussJD]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

Except that the IAAF has just made findings totally at odds with what the article said. As I understand it, the substance White took (modafinil) has been found to be a lesser stimulant in the same category as caffeine and the ephedrines. I am not sure if the subtance has to be present in any particular concentration, as the above two substances have to be, or it if its a violation if it is present at all, because I am not sure what they have found modafinil to be "related to" so as to make it prohibited. I doubt that if it performing-enhancing in any significant way. Here's the link to the list of banned substances, which as we know does not include modafinil.

http://www.wada-ama.org/docs/web/resear ... 202003.pdf

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

"I doubt that if it performing-enhancing in any significant way."

What is significant? 0.08 seconds? That is White's winning margin. Bottom line is she had the opportunity to declare something she took THAT day - and it's a stimulant - and she didn't declare it. Whether thru negligence or on purpose doesn't matter. This sport cannot clean up it's act until we quit making excuses for the athletes and start holding them accountable.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

>I
>doubt that if it performing-enhancing in any
>significant way.

But all this ignores one very obvious point: she did not declare the drug ahead of time. She declared a long list of substances but missed this one. Either she's quite foolish, or did not want it known that she used the drug. She can't say she was inexperienced since she ran at the 2001 WC meet. The most likely scenario is that SHE thought it was ergogenic, and she's probably looked into it quite a bit more than any of us have.

I will agree, though, that this is small potatoes.

[RussJD]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

By "in any significant way" I really meant no practical effect whatsoever, less than a hundredth of a second. I was trying to stay away from the self-righteous posturing like that in the Buffalo News and stick to the facts of the particular case.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

this flies against what is known about the medication thus far, but what do you expect from the iaaf. it is ridiculous to assume she gained any advantage especially in the 200 when the medication was out of her body.
it is not an irony that the iaaf extends the period to allow cheats to qualify for the meet, but treat white differently.
the only thing white is guilty of is ignorance of the rules, she should have put everything she took down on the medical form. as a physician i think her doctor bears the responsibility for that.
but this case proves the total hypocrisy of the sports governing body, iaaf.

[Vince]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

<she did not declare the drug ahead of time>

Would she have to declare that she had a Starbucks "grande latte" also, which also falls into the mild stimulant category. Let's be fair, without knowing the level in her blood, or exact guidelines for acceptable levels from the IAAF, let's not string her up yet.

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

>the only thing white is guilty of is ignorance
>of the rules, she should have put everything she
>took down on the medical form.

This isn't a question of "it slipped my mind!" at a world class event, especially if you were able to win the WC gold thanks exclusively to not being asleep due to a narcoleptic episode. You don't think that would be paramount in her mind?

>as a physician i
>think her doctor bears the responsibility for
>that.

I think you'll find that the charter of most national sport federations place the responsibility on the athlete, not the physician.

Why must the blame always be redirected away from the athlete? I pitty the fools...

[Guest]

Re: White Gets Lesser of 2 Penalties (if any)

doctors perscribe treatments and advise their patients about them, some pts are not smart or educated so we have to repeat things or write things done.
athletes compete in sporting events that is their job. in this case her doctor should have told her the following: "even though this medication is not on the banned list and is not a stimulant you should put it on the medical form or avoid taking it altogether". we dont know whether the physician told white about it but from what i read he was supposed to be experienced in dealing with olympic athletes. it is possible that he did and white did not follow his advice. we dont know until the facts come through and the case is decided.
white did her job by running well for eight rounds and SOUNDLY beating her opposition. with or without modafinil she would have won anyway and anybody who wants to think otherwise, well, do just that (or move to france or germany so you can have more company).