Double standards of anti-doping rules

The start of the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene was overshadowed by a number of high-profile scandals.

So, a real blow to the image of the host team of the competition was the removal from the tournament of the gold medal winner of the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the relay runner Randolph Ross.

The athlete was supposed to start the preliminary races for 400 meters on Sunday, but on the eve of the independent organization of the International Association of Athletics Federations Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced that the American was suspected of interfering with the doping control process and providing incorrect information about his whereabouts.

The incident happened on June 18, when the AIU failed to take an out-of-competition sample from the athlete.

No further details are given, but the official statement specifically emphasizes that officials were alerted by the "behavior of the athlete during the investigation of a possible violation."

The 21-year-old runner is the son of World Cup 99 bronze medalist in the 110m hurdles, Dwayne Ross.

Recall that Ross Sr. was involved in the famous case of trainer Trevor Graham and the BALCO laboratory.

The high-profile doping scandal cost the careers of many American athletes, including Dwayne.

In 2010, he was suspended for two years by USADA for attempting to use, possess, and illicitly traffic in performance-enhancing drugs.

All his results since November 2001 have been annulled.

After the expiration of the period of disqualification, Ross began to work as a coach and also worked with his son.

At the same time as Ross, Kenyan marathon runner Lawrence Cherono received a suspension from the world championship.

In his sample, which was taken on May 23, traces of trimetazidine were found - the same substance that was found in Kamila Valieva.

As with the figure skater, the drug test was completed late - 47 days instead of 20 - and the runner was notified of the positive result when he had already arrived in the United States.

The athlete tried to challenge the temporary suspension, but the AIU, having considered his arguments, decided that his participation in the World Championships was not possible.

At the same time, the organization filed a complaint with the WADA laboratory in Lausanne in connection with exceeding the allowable time for analysis.

Against the background of the principled position of World Athletics, another story regarding doping did not go unnoticed.

As you know, Ukraine was classified by World Athletics as a high-risk country for anti-doping rule violations.

In the same list for 2022 are Belarus, Bahrain, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Ethiopia.

In accordance with the regulations, athletes from these countries had to pass at least three out-of-competition doping tests within ten months before the start of the competition in order to receive admission to the World Championships.

22 Ukrainian athletes have entered the tournament in Eugene, seven of which have not been tested enough times.

However, they made an exception to the rule.

As noted in the AIU report, these participants passed two additional tests directly in the United States before entering the start.

Recall that the Russian team was not admitted to the World Cup for reasons of "preserving the integrity of the competition," as stated by the head of WA Sebastian Coe.

Public play

Two curious cases occurred directly during the competition.

First, the runner from Uganda, Winnie Nanyondo, "distinguished herself" in the semi-final race for 1500 meters.

At the finish line, the athletes fought for the best position on the track, and the Ugandan received a small push in the back with an elbow from the Italian Gaia Sabbatini.

Nanyondo fell onto the track and, realizing that she would not run to the finish line, she put on a real show with sobbing and wringing her hands.

She achieved her goal - the judges watched the video replay of the episode and disqualified the runner from Italy, and Nanyondo was added to the list of finalists "due to exceptional circumstances."

The American Devon Allen, who competes in the 110 m hurdles, also tried to put on a small show.

In the final race, the world season's best-timed winner had a false start of 0.001 seconds but refused to leave the lane.

The referee showed Allen a red card, but he ignored it and returned to the starting line.

The referee approached the athlete and showed the card again.

Devon and this time refused to leave and went to the judges to sort things out.

He had to be taken away almost by force.

The emotions of the American can be understood - being the leader of the season, he counted on the title of the home championship.

By the way, the ex-world champion at this distance, Sergei Shubenkov, earlier doubted Allen's phenomenal result, which he showed at the Grand Prix in New York - 12.84 seconds.

According to the Russian, the nature of the American's run did not match the numbers on the scoreboard. 

“We can’t do anything, but in America it’s normal, they draw seconds they want.

There was no run there at 12.84.

Arriving at the Diamond League, he showed those human seconds that he always ran and for which he is really ready.

This Allen always ran like that.

Last year, a little out of 13 jumped out, which, in principle, is real, but I don’t believe in 12.84 at all.

It doesn’t look like a picture at all, a completely ordinary run, not a world record.

It looked as if a stopwatch had been started from the hand, ”said the Russian during the Russian Cup in Bryansk.

Escape from the police

There was also a police story in Eugene.

American coach Rana Reider was expelled from the stadium of the World Cup, who is under investigation on allegations of sexual harassment.

A specialist who was not accredited for the competition was noticed in the warm-up area before the final men's 100m race. Four Raider students took part in it at once - including future silver and bronze medalists Marvin Bracey and Trayvon Brommel.

Security asked him to leave, but Rader refused.

After that, a police squad was called.

Seeing law enforcement officers, Raider tried to escape, but was detained already outside the stadium.

At the police station, he was warned that if he showed up at the stadium again, he would be arrested for trespassing.