-_-

I know I'm just a lowly trail runner, but what the heck? I love Nike (obviously), but this confuses the hell out of me.

That being said, I don't know enough about the situation to judge. However, on a personal note, the main reason I'll never pursue running with 100% effort is because of doping concerns at the top level. When I raced in Europe last year, I was shocked by how much openly-voiced suspicion there is of certain athletes in trail/mountain running. If that's what it's like when the stakes are relatively low financially, what is it like when millions of dollars are on the line?

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David Roche
Some Work, All Play podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/...ll-play/id1521532868
Coaching: https://swaprunning.com/

Nike doesn't exactly have the best track record (PUN!) when it comes to dopers.

I refuse to buy Nike products because of their business practices.

Must be (another) level playing field argument from Nike's perspective?

I never buy Nike. But there are a lot of folks around here who wear Nike day-glo shoes on their trips to Walmart.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

If this surprises you then you probably shouldn't ask Nike where/ how they manufacture their stuff.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Lance Armstrong something something...

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Paula Radcliffe has publicly called them out over it. Considering she is a Nike sponsored athlete herself, that is refreshing to see.

I think Nike may have made a huge PR error here. At least I hope so.

Hopefully more leading athletic figures will add their voice on this.

This is not a shock at all. Nike has never cared about anti doping. I remember a Nike press conference at a world championship at the end o the 90s. Nike mad it clear that the journalists were not allowed to ask about doping. I am sure the Nike sprinters were glad since they all were dancing the Balco back then.

Also, money does not drive doping. The wish to win, or even just improve/look good does.
Just take a look at a HS or college football team and you know they are on roids.

Given all the NFL, MLB, NCAA, and T&F athletes they sponsor, I think Nike long ago realized that to sponsor the top athletes they had to look the other way on doping.

Bike companies do the same thing. If you look at people who have served a doping ban (ex. Contador), as long as they still have the potential to win big races, teams and sponsors continue to support them.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Looking the other way is one thing. Specifically paying and publicising a repeat drug cheat though, is low (even for them).

Most poeple outside this little world won't give a rat ass.......

"Also, money does not drive doping. The wish to win, or even just improve/look good does.
Just take a look at a HS or college football team and you know they are on roids."


I agree and disagree. My take is that sophisticated, difficult-to-detect doping is almost always driven by cash money. Those HS/college teams would get bagged with the first pee test, let alone the bio passport.

Generally, I think pros dope to make a living, amateurs dope for ego (though there's certainly some mix-up between those generalizations)

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David Roche
Some Work, All Play podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/...ll-play/id1521532868
Coaching: https://swaprunning.com/

I dunno... it does not take a genius or a multimillionaire to micro-dose epo. There are very few testing programs outside of the big-money athletes that have a chance at catching many who use even such a simple strategy. Repeated, random out of competition testing is the minimum requirement. Bio-passport is the gold standard. To beat bio-passport, yeah, it's only the big money guys, but they are the only ones who need to beat it because almost everyone else just has to pee in a cup after they cross the finish line every once in a blue moon.... if that. In amateur Triathlon and cycling it would basically be impossible under the current testing regime to catch people micro-dosing. The fact we catch people in-competition the few times we test says to me there are significant numbers of non-idiots out there on serious PED's.

I would not ask you to jeopordize your livelihood, but as a Nike athlete it would definitely garner attention for you to take a stand against affiliating the brand with known dopers - much less multiple-offenders. I know it would be a risk to do so... but if they drop an athlete because they advocate for clean sports.... that would be a real scandal.

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

They're going to respond once dissent reaches critical mass, and it'll be something along the lines of "helping athletes back onto the path to inspire others out there to just do it clean".

Mark my words.

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I agree with this being a problem, but no one seems to bat an eye when busted ball sports athletes get busted and remain sponsored.

Thankfully, we do not play sportsball.

I won't buy Specialized products until they drop Saxo-Tinkoff/Contador.

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'It never gets easier, you just get crazier.'

THIS needs to be repeated in many threads on doping > "Last year, researchers at the University of Oslo announced that their studies show “muscles can retain the advantages given by anabolic steroids decades after the point at which they were taken,” the BBC reported in October."

Remember that most countries do not have the pro vs AG like here in the USA. If you are good you make money, but you do not have a pro class.
Most people that use doping do not compete. They use it to look better or to be stronger. Just look at steroid use at any HS or university. It is actually really easy to make steroids, you can make it at home.

When it comes to sport the drive to succeed is as strong among older athletes as younger. Just look at old dudes racing bikes.
Doping a a sport problem, not just a pro problem. If you can cheat with no testing at HS, why stop later in life.

Astana has given Specialized a PR get out of jail card to take a clear and vocal stance against doping. All they had to do was drop the team, and I am sure there legal wizards who have shown willingness to attack before could figure out a way the current investigation/doping issues invalidate the teams contract. Specialized instead continues to promote the team which worse in my opinion than Nike.

T&F are yet to cut the head off the snake.

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29 years and counting