[The Tedinator]

I know. Duh. This is just a sad story all around:

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130224/NEWS01/302240002/Tragic-tale-Tammy-Thomas-Doping-scandal-haunts-former-Olympic-cyclist

I bet there are literally hundreds of stories like this out there.

 

[Local Hero]

A sad subplot is that so many athletic hopefuls do so little to plan for their futures. Then when they fail at their sport (either because they didn't dope or got caught doping) they are adrift.

 

[Local Hero]

There's also the issue of coaches sleeping with their athletes. I think a lot of masters racers get into coaching for the ladies!

A sad subplot is that so many athletic hopefuls do so little to plan for their futures. Then when they fail at their sport (either because they didn't dope or got caught doping) they are adrift.

Especially when they want to be lawyers and end up as convicted felons.

 

[The Tedinator]

Yep. You see it everywhere. I mean, Vince Young is broke? Jamarcus Russell got 75 mil as the #1 pick of the Oakland Raiders and has nothing now? Chris Washburn was a first round NBA pick of I believe the Atlanta Hawks and at one time was seen panhandling on the streets of the ATL.

 

[Bluenote]

Strange story.

There's just not that much money in women's cycling. There was even less in the early 90s (pre-Lance).

In that era, female cyclists looking to go to the Olympics were doing it for some personal satisfaction. They were not doing it as a ticket for a secure future.

It just boggles my mind to imagine someone turning themselves into a she-male and ruing their health 'for glory.'

She was in her 20s when she started cycling. She had a college degree. When told to dope she could have just said 'no' and gotten another coach.

While she was at USA Cycling she went to great lengths to dope - fighting her ban, then getting hooked up with 'the clear.' But now USOC and USA Cycling are supposed to pay for her self inflicted health issues? She didn't make the Olympic squad, but US Olympics are responsible for her?

She doesn't seem to be accepting responsibility for choices she made - doping, doping after her ban, lying to the Grand Jury, taking stuff that was clearly bad for her.

The sexual abuse stuff is tougher. USA cycling shouldn't have hired someone with that kind of past. Coaches shouldn't sleep with their athletes. If she was pressured into sex, USA Cycling should really hook her up with counseling, meds, etc...

 

[badge118]

I think people are missing the bigger picture here. Look at her story. Go back the the 84 team doping. Look at all the doping scandals period. The authorities at best have a history of turning a blind eye to doping practices in the interest of success. So is the real story her story, why "she" did it, or is it the system that perpetuated her actions and even brought in people known to engage in improper actions in the pursuit of victory?

 

[Bluenote]

I agree that USA cycling has a problem and needs to clean itself up.

But I don't think that's what happened here.

She started doping with her first coach - before the Olympic squad. She continued, even though she got a ban. Plus women in the 90s doped much less than the men. (I saw it first hand, remember). Not enough money in the sport to justify it. Plus the health impact for women is pretty awful. Who wants to become "a member if the East German shot put squad."

She made choices and now has to live with them.

 

[badge118]

I agree that USA cycling has a problem and needs to clean itself up.

But I don't think that's what happened here.

She started doping with her first coach - before the Olympic squad. She continued, even though she got a ban. Plus women in the 90s doped much less than the men. (I saw it first hand, remember). Not enough money in the sport to justify it. Plus the health impact for women is pretty awful. Who wants to become "a member if the East German shot put squad."

She made choices and now has to live with them.

Oh I am not absolving her of responsibility. I think USAC however contributed to the continuation of the issue. They hired people who were known to have "issues" and when her "issues" were discoverd did little or nothing to stop it.

Here is an analogy for ya....roller derby . She was a Jammer (the person who scores points). She got her self rolling down the track. USAC was a blocker, maintaining the pack (system) and arguably sling shotting her faster down the track.

 

[Bluenote]

Oh I am not absolving her of responsibility. I think USAC however contributed to the continuation of the issue. They hired people who were known to have "issues" and when her "issues" were discoverd did little or nothing to stop it.

Here is an analogy for ya....roller derby . She was a Jammer (the person who scores points). She got her self rolling down the track. USAC was a blocker, maintaining the pack (system) and arguably sling shotting her faster down the track.

Did USA cycling give her drugs? Sounded like she was getting them on her own?

 

[badge118]

If you hire someone know to be involved in unsavory practices you enable. When you know someone tested positive but keep putting action on the back burner you share some responsibility. Did they make it happen? No. Would it have still started without them? Yes. Did they however not act to stop it when they could have and hired someone who was KNOWN to have serious issues? Yes. Basically for sometime USAC, in other cases as well, sacrificed some of their responsibility on the altar of success.