Things that cause you to test positive.

[Carolina Extreme]

One problem that you may potnetially be running into at the Int'l level is that it was my understanding (last year at least) that eurpoe and most of the international comunity dosn't recognize ADD or similar diagnosises as a disease. If there is no disease then there is no treatment. So I could imagine it wolud be difficult to convince a international govening body of the medical neccessity of the perscription sitimulants. This shouldn't effect US policy however.

Great point! You hit the nail on the head. IAAF is where the problem originates. They do not recognize A.D.D. or A.D.H.D. or prescriptions for it. They think Americans are whimps for needing medication for school. Where it hits home is the USOC has to do what IAAF says to stay in the good graces of the International Olympic Committee, and USATF has to do what USOC say's or USATF could loose their funding and/or right to be the governing body of track and field in the US. So no one at USOC or USATF has enough guts to stand up for our junior athletes.

When Craig Masback called Chase to tell him of his positive test, he told Chase that he would still be on the USA Team roster. However, they would not allow him to fly to Barbados or compete out of concerns that Chase would likely medal and it could potentially be stripped, and that would be embarrasing to USATF. He suggested that we tell people that Chase pulled a muscle, was sick, or couldn't go for family reason's. I'd rather take the high road. As hard as it is for us to swallow. Chase is guilty, he didn't know it was a problem, he wasn't trying to cheat, but he has a price to pay for it because it is against the rules.

What is fair punishment for him and these other athletes though? I think loosing the trip to Pan American Juniors, the USATF JO National's and the embarrassment of all of this being made public (internationally) and the stigma attached should be enough... if not to much. I like Becca's suggestion about disqualification from the meet you tested at... but I would add... for the first offense. But the rules say automatic two years, just like those testing positive for cheating on purpose with THG. So basically it appears that USATF and USOC don't have the balls to stand up for our athletes when injustice's are done. Again, this isn't just about Chase. His situation brought it to our attention and got us started. He isn't the only athlete that was pulled from the team. There was at least one other person but I don't have much details, only that it was "Methylphenidate" in her system. Methylphenidate is in Ritalin and Concerta.

[Carolina Extreme]

I think the biggest problem is misinformation. Even here it talks about athletes stopping prescriptions before competition, but it doesn't say how long. They should specify.

http://www.usantidoping.org/files/Press ... 02_141.pdf

And what you hear from USADA apparently depends on who you talk to. We recently called to see if Wellbutrin was OK to take as an alternative, since this is what the Dr wanted to prescribe. USADA told us it was OK to take it. I just went to the link you posted and it say's Wellbutrin is not OK, you can only take it out of competition with prior approval. I AM REALLY MAD NOW!!!! They are setting Chase up to fail another test. My attorney is right that we need to send the medicals to them to have on file, as well as GET IT IN WRITING.

Thank you very, very much for posting that link!

[Robert schmitt]

I admire you for "taking the high road" and bringing this to our attention. I hope that it percipitates a change.

[jmayesvaultmom]

Also, it says

"Unless an athlete has obtained a prior medical authorization from his or her international federation, the detection of these substances in an athlete's urine from an in-competition doping control is a doping offense. As a practical solution, many athletes with ADD or ADHD simply choose to discontinue their medication in advance of competitions."

In other words, if they know about it in advance... but then you read the post about the female athlete that let them know in advance and then was slapped with the 2 year probation without even a drug test because she admitted she was taking adderol or some other similar medication! While investigating this, get them to tell you the amount of time that athletes need to go without taking their medication to be able to pass the test. Again I say that this would work for most athletes whose big meets are in the summer...college or high school...like jr. nationals, etc. When they are out of school, many kids don't take their medication anyway.

[Carolina Extreme]

I think the biggest problem is misinformation. Even here it talks about athletes stopping prescriptions before competition, but it doesn't say how long. They should specify.

http://www.usantidoping.org/files/Press ... 02_141.pdf

And what you hear from USADA apparently depends on who you talk to.

Would you believe that the opposite is on the USADA pocket card that Chase received at Juniors. It say's Wellbutrin is OK. At the link you provided it says it is not ok, it is banned during competition along with Adderall and Ritalin.

Very confusing...

Suppose an athlete relies on the pocket card that says it's OK. They test positive and get a two year suspension...automatic. Bummer!

[jmayesvaultmom]

Excuse my french...they need to get their s**t together!!! This sounds like a great court case....FALSE ADVERTISING!!!!!!! You have what they say in writing in two different places and two different sets of information that contrast each other!!! I'd say sick your attorney on them for false advertising, too!!! If two kids at jr.s tested positive and they were only testing the first and second place finishers....can you imagine how many kids are taking the medications and just were not tested!!!! I'd say that is a case of discrimination!!! Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

[Carolina Extreme]

Excuse my french...they need to get their s**t together!!! This sounds like a great court case....FALSE ADVERTISING!!!!!!! You have what they say in writing in two different places and two different sets of information that contrast each other!!! I'd say sick your attorney on them for false advertising, too!!! If two kids at jr.s tested positive and they were only testing the first and second place finishers....can you imagine how many kids are taking the medications and just were not tested!!!! I'd say that is a case of discrimination!!! Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

Yep,... "Life's a b**** and then you die."

Really though, you make some great points.

Oh, by the way... Life is great, just full of obsticles along the way.

[Carolina Extreme]

This sounds like a great court case....FALSE ADVERTISING!!!!!!! You have what they say in writing in two different places and two different sets of information that contrast each other!!! I'd say sick your attorney on them for false advertising, too!!! If two kids at jr.s tested positive and they were only testing the first and second place finishers....can you imagine how many kids are taking the medications and just were not tested!!!! I'd say that is a case of discrimination!!! Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

False Advertising, descrimination... How about Breach of Trust? As members of USATF we are trusting them to look out for the best interest of the members, our children. USATF is not standing up for our children and their rights to be both students and athletes. How about lack of information? There is no clear message to all young athletes about anti-doping issues. The athletes don't find out until it's to late. Also, from what I understand we are the only country that tests junior athletes. If it's true, why? And if it's true why would we even tell IAAF or AP or anyone else that a junior athlete tested positive? Maybe theres something there. I need someone smarter than me to figure this out. Can you think of anything else? Where's Johnny Cochran when you need him?

[Carolina Extreme]

Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

Is Gabe Baldwin a member on this site? Gabe finished third at Juniors and replaced Chase at Pan American Juniors. I would love to find out if he was drug tested before the flight. That might give us something as well. Gabe if you are a member, please if nothing else, private message me with the information.

[rainbowgirl28]

He is not a member that I know of.

[vaultguru6]

Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

Is Gabe Baldwin a member on this site? Gabe finished third at Juniors and replaced Chase at Pan American Juniors. I would love to find out if he was drug tested before the flight. That might give us something as well. Gabe if you are a member, please if nothing else, private message me with the information.

I jumped at Jr. Nationals this year, and they tested the top eight or so finishers. Unluckily for me, i pulled a big ugly NH and was out of there before they could even ask me to come get tested. So i know it was not only the top two that got tested, but more like the top 6-8. What they did with the tests of finishers 3-8 could be anyones guess though. So i'm sure Gabe was tested at the meet at the same time as all the other competitors.

[Carolina Extreme]

Only the top finishers are tested??? But a third place finisher is not tested, but gets all the glory and recruiting opportunities, etc. and could be taking the same medication????

Is Gabe Baldwin a member on this site? Gabe finished third at Juniors and replaced Chase at Pan American Juniors. I would love to find out if he was drug tested before the flight. That might give us something as well. Gabe if you are a member, please if nothing else, private message me with the information.

I jumped at Jr. Nationals this year, and they tested the top eight or so finishers. Unluckily for me, i pulled a big ugly NH and was out of there before they could even ask me to come get tested. So i know it was not only the top two that got tested, but more like the top 6-8. What they did with the tests of finishers 3-8 could be anyones guess though. So i'm sure Gabe was tested at the meet at the same time as all the other competitors.

Thanks for the input. I understood it was only the top 2. I would love to know for sure. If any of the others in the top 6 or 8 are reading this please respond to let us know if you were tested also.