No love for Soto?

[parkerrclay]

I've always viewed Javier Sotomayor as one of the all-time greats in track and field; however, it is very difficult to find info on him. There are no books and very little info online. It seems he just doesn't get the respect of a 3-time world record holder or 2-time Olympic medalist. Is it because he had some drug problems or because of his Cuban background? Or am I overrating him? Why no love for the great Soto??

[Dietmar239]

However, if you look at it in much broader terms look where track & field is in the public eye. If we work on track & field's popularity as a whole, then the high jump, then Soto.....

[Powell]

How many T&F athletes from non-English speaking countries have books about them available in English?

[parkerrclay]

Soto

good point. Zatopek and Nurmi come to mind. No books but some info on Brumel out there in Soviet Sports books. Foreign books on Bubka and Drechsler. No books but good websites on Hicham. Can't think of anything on Koch or Szewinska. very good question

[observer2]

Well, if you think cocaine and nandrolone is okey maybe Sotomayor is a great sportsman and athlete. He is not in my book.

[Kevin Richardson]

Cone on, observor2. Being the first man to clear 8 feet is noteworthy. So he tested positive for cocaine. No parker is not suggesting that we emulate everything the man did, just that it would be nice to find some information on someone in our sport who acheived a remarkable feat. :roll:

[observer2]

cocain 1999 - nandrolone 2001

Before that? We don´t know....

[Flumpy]

cocain 1999 - nandrolone 2001

Before that? We don´t know....

I've never heard of a nandrolone positive???

I have to say I'm not particularly bothered by either of these. As I've said before I don't count nandrolone +ives and I couldn't care less if someone is busted for cocaine which I can't imagine is a performance enhancer at all.

[marknhj]

cocain 1999 - nandrolone 2001

Before that? We don´t know....

I've never heard of a nandrolone positive???

I have to say I'm not particularly bothered by either of these. As I've said before I don't count nandrolone +ives and I couldn't care less if someone is busted for cocaine which I can't imagine is a performance enhancer at all.

I agree. I don't count the nandro +'s either and doubt if someone in Soto's position would do cocaine to enhance their athletic performance (unless they had a world-class hangover and a few lines happened to be available around the HJ area, which I find unlikely).

That said, 2.45 is one the otherworldly WRs and he did test positive for cocaine. From what I know about drug users/addicts, most are not typically exclusive in their drug use or the context of their use. This is not meant to suggest or imply that Soto falls, necessarily, into that general category.

[tafnut]

This is not meant to suggest or imply that Soto falls, necessarily, into that general category.

Sigh . . . given where the sport is now, the best and the worst that we can say about someone like him is:

he passed all the steroid tests at the time

[bad hammy]

A coke bust is as worthless PED-wise as a weed bust - means zip other than the guy likes to get high . . .

[tafnut]

the guy likes to get high . . .

well OBVIOUSLY . . . 8)

[jney]

speaking of Hicham, for such a prolific career he deserves a book or movie or something. does anyone know of anything in the planning?

[Flumpy]

From what I know about drug users/addicts, most are not typically exclusive in their drug use or the context of their use. This is not meant to suggest or imply that Soto falls, necessarily, into that general category.

There's a huge diference between a +ive fpr a recreational drug like cocaine and a +ive for a performance enhancer. I couldn't care less how much cocaine he took. It may be illegal but certainly wouldn't give him any advantage over his competition.

[marknhj]

From what I know about drug users/addicts, most are not typically exclusive in their drug use or the context of their use. This is not meant to suggest or imply that Soto falls, necessarily, into that general category.

There's a huge diference between a +ive fpr a recreational drug like cocaine and a +ive for a performance enhancer. I couldn't care less how much cocaine he took. It may be illegal but certainly wouldn't give him any advantage over his competition.

I agree. But you missed my point.