Zach Lund banned from competing

Now for a REAL scandal: Today American skeleton athlete Zach Lund was handed a 1-year suspension -- effectively banning him from competing in the Olympics, where he was expected to contend for gold.

Lund failed a doping test in the fall for the masking agent finasteride - not a performance enhancer itself. He had been taking the substance for years in a prescription hair loss remedy and always disclosed that he took the drug - which was not on the banned list until recently.

The Einsteins at the skeleton federation were criminally negligent in the way they (mis)handled Lund's case, but the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency cleared the way for Lund to compete.

The insufferable Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, would rather make an example of an innocent man however and forced today's hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which handed down the suspension of Lund.

What a travesty. So now we have 8 - make that 12 - cross-country skiers, some of whom probably ARE doping and will be allowed back into competition next week (see below)... and 1 innocent guy who's being made to pay the price of his governing body's ineptitude. Shame, shame!

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This entry has 5 comments: (Add your own)

#5 Comment from ildvm526
2/11/06 4:18 PM | Permalink

I AM OUTRAGED that this could happen. What is wrong with these people? He did NOTHING wrong - and they even admitted this. How could they make him pay for an oversight on THEIR part? How could you do this to someone who has worked their entire life for this? It is so maddening and then to see them give an "exception" to a skater who had not earned their spot. So obviously there are exceptions given - and Zach Lund should have gotten one. My heart and prayers go out to this man.
#4 Comment from kentgen1
2/11/06 10:21 AM | Permalink

FROM GARY (continued from previous comment)

The scientific establishment disputes the reliability of listing so many substances like finasteride (for baldness) as masking agents for performance enhancing drugs. Zach Lund had reported his use of this drug for years before this round of testing. There are many alternatives to listing potential interferences in the same serious category as active illicit drugs. The Olympic agencies also have a responsibility to help improve the technology, a responsibility that they ignore. They should recognize their shortcmings by doing something positive about the hollow "regrets" that they express in squashing the sincere efforts of honest athletes. It is not enough to to mouth what amounts to an empty apology while blundering on toward enforcement of seriously flawed rules. If they do not employ what they cravenly acknowledged as their better judgemnt, then they are worse than robots.

"We are sorry, you are innocent, we know, but our cracked interpretation of these arbitrary rules means we could professionally execute you and terminate your life as an athlete." So, like a juvenile electronics engineer or like any other kind of crass opportunist, "We shall do so." If governments acted similarly, they would not stand. Often enough, they do not.
#3 Comment from kentgen1
2/11/06 10:15 AM | Permalink

It's too bad that we have no way to retaliate for the ineptitude and stupidity of the Dick Pounds and the agencies that help govern Olympic sports like the World Anti-Doping Agency. I predict the imminent demise of the Olympics because of incidents like the persecution of Zach Lund.

Zach should sue. Italy would be a good venue for such a suit.

In their statement, the so called "Court" of Arbitration acknowledged that the suspension they handed down was regretable, but they showed no regret whatsoever. They let other athletes who probably are really doping wiggle out of the rules while they crush the dreams and aspirations of an honest competitor.

The decline of the Olympics will follow a trajectory like the decline of the World's Fair organization but be a little slower because the Olympics appear to be somewhat more economically viable, though they still operate in the red, overall. The moneys wasted by governments cannot begin to be offset by the funds that the Olympic organization garners for itself. It is only a matter of a short time before political leaders realize that the billions spent on the Olympics could be far better spent on improving their industrial base, the agricultural infrastructure or the educational complex.

Travesties like the Zach Lund incident will only accelerate this trend. Countries have already declined to host the Olympics because they see big disadvantages in the cost/benefit calculations. The arbitrary and capricious decisions of governing agencies in the Olympics, despite their regrets, will seal the fate of the Games.

To Be Continued under the Title "From Gary"
#2 Comment from sfcjamieg
2/10/06 4:09 PM | Permalink

Travesty! That's putting it lightly. Dick Pound can go pound (pun intended) sand for all I care as his action are that of a "Dick" head. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Zach.
#1 Comment from tomvbstar
2/10/06 12:16 PM | Permalink

The US Bobsled & Skeleton Federation has certainly undergone a lot of turmoil in recent months - coupled with an interim leader who was doing the best he could given his temporary role. In any case, the oversight of this masking agent making the list last year and no one communicating it to Lund is a travesty. It's quite unfortunate for Zach. Fortunately, however, fellow skeletoner Eric Bernotas (among the leaders in the World Cup) stands a good chance to earn a medal.

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