With the Kraft positive test does that mean Natscha gets the win? Whats the story?
That’s what I understand will happen. IMNA’s waiting for the final results of everybody’s drug tests before declaring the “winner” and distributing checks.
Xtri has her as winning
.
Tom,
Ironmanlive.com has stated as such. The prize money is being redistrubuted.
It’s amazing to me that Kraft is calling this a “mistake”. I still don’t understand how it can be a “mistake”. EPO, is a banned substance! What exactly was she thinking? However, it is encouraging that she has come forward and admitted her guilt almost right away. Of course this does not change the fact that she also robbed the glory and profile from Badmann and the others.
It will be interesting to see what the fall-out from this will be. There is already talk that sponsorship in Germany will take a direct hit and the ripples could spread wider. I know that in Canada in the wake of the Ben Johnson affair, you could not even GIVE away sponsorship for anything related to track & field and running for a very long time. It was nearly 10 years until eough time had passed that people where ready to move on.
It will also be interesting to see what the sport of triathlon will do as a whole here - with the drug problem. Unlike many other sports, we are not SO burdaned down with politics, beaurocracy and huge money. We have an opportunity to nip this in the bud. However, this will be dependant on the communication between the WTC, various national federations, The ITU and WADA, to be very good and transparent.
Fleck
Thanks for the update. I have been so busy here chasing my tail I haven’t been able to keep track.
Yeah, this is a big problem for the sport.
I had not thought of that possibility - that there could be translational differences.
Thank you.
Fleck
“Yeah, this is a big problem for the sport.”
And it will be up to the sport, to do something about it.
One of my concerns, and I say this with the utmost respect, is the pro-athletes themselves in triathlon seem to be a bit too care-free and focussed on training and NOT willing to speak up on issues that directly impact their livleyhood. I have sat in on pro-meetings in the past and not a peep from anyone about anything - and then back to the high-fives, the hi-how-are-ya’s and chit-chat about that great work-out last week! I am not suggesting, the formation of a union - that has been tried unsuccessfully in the past a few times, but it seems odd to me that as a group, they don’t take more charge of the situation. The events of the last week could have a dramatic negative impact on their ability to make a living.
Fleck
It could have been a mistake … oops I just injected something into my body… I hope it is not an illegal performance enhancing substance that I will be tested for!
In the wake of the Ben Johnson drug scandal we had the infamous Dubin inquiry which outed a large number of sprinters and caused a major upheaval in the way testing was done in Canada. For a while all of the top runners were tested very frequently both in and out of competition to ensure that our program got cleaned up. They also completely wiped out Ben Johnson so that any possible return to racing was doomed from the beginning. I wonder if the German Federation will have the incentive to do the same or if they will just roll merrily along and try to forget about this “mistake”.
I understood her comments to be that she was taking full responsibility and that by saying she made a mistake was owning up to her cheating through use of PEDs. Certainly not material to be put on a pedestal, but it’s a refreshing change from “I have no idea how this happened and I will spend the rest of my life proving my innocence.”
That was my take too jhendric.
**Note the Beke decision is still pending. **
FROM IRONMANLIVE.COM
World Triathlon Corporation Makes Professional
Standings Official
By Staff for Ironmanlive.com on Mon, Nov 15th 2004 (3:09 PM).
Germany’s Nina Kraft is disqualified from the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World Championship, giving Switzerland’s Natascha Badmann her fifth Ironman title.
WTC received official confirmation today from the German Triathlon Federation (DTU) that Nina Kraft has admitted using the banned substance erythropoeitin prior to the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World Championship. Kraft tested positive following the event, and has waived her right to have the B-sample tested.
She has therefore been officially disqualified from the event, according to WTC officials. Outlined below are the official professional standings from the Oct. 16 race in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Prize monies will be distributed to athletes following this announcement.
Professional Women’s Results:
1st
Natascha Badmann (Switzerland)
$100,000
2nd
Heather Fuhr (Canada)
$50,000
3rd
Kate Major (USA)
$25,000
4th
Lisa Bentley (Canada)
$15,000
5th
Joanna Lawn (New Zealand)
$12,500
6th
Belinda Granger (Australia)
$10,000
7th
Lisbeth Kristensen (Denmark)
$8,500
8th
Fernanda Keller (Brazil)
$7,500
9th
Tina Walter (Germany)
$6,500
10th
Nicole Leder (Germany)
$5,000
WTC is awaiting information from the Belgian Triathlon Federation concerning Rutger Beke’s positive drug test results from a Belgian race that took place in September. Men who placed six-11th at the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World Championship could be affected by the announcement.
Professional Men’s Results:
1st
Normann Stadler
$100,000
2nd
Peter Reid
$50,000
3rd
Faris Al-Sultan
$25,000
4th
Alex Taubert
$15,000
5th
Rutger Beke
(pending)
6th
Torbjorn Sindballe
$10,000
7th
Cameron Widoff
$8,500
8th
Timo Bracht
$7,500
9th
Rene Rovera
$6,500
10th
Raynard Tissink
$5,000
The U.S. Anti Doping Agency (USADA) conducts all drug tests at USA Triathlon-sanctioned events and determines the positions that will be tested. In 2004, the top three male and female professionals were tested, along with a random selection of professionals placing fourth-10th. Age group athletes are not drug tested.
This year, the following positions were tested at the Ironman Triathlon World Championship:
Ø Top 1-3 (male and female)
Ø Places 4, 5 and 9 (male)
Ø Places 5, 6 and 10 (female)
“USA Triathlon supports USADA in its continuing efforts to catch those athletes who cheat by using performance-enhancing drugs,” said Mike Greer, USA Triathlon’s interim executive director. “The bad news this year is that an athlete cheated. The good news is that she was caught and those professional triathletes who might consider using drugs were put on notice.”
There has been no decision yet on a possible ban against Kraft for future competitions.
Specific questions relating to the actual drug testing procedure should be directed to USADA.** **
I’m waiting for one of these events to wipe out the top 18 for postive doping controls. Then some middle aged mother of 3 from Jersey will be Iron(Wo)man champ with a 11:43.
Like the “under 6’” Gus Macker 3 on 3 team that were all 6’1" or better. It took till the semi’s for someone to get out the tape measure. Great for the teams in the first four rounds who were already driving home.
-SD
The problem w/ the pro’s taking some control is that there are only 2 or 3 pros out there that have the ability to take a leadership position, can get their message across and are well respected by other pro’s, RD’s, ITU and many NGB’s.
Besides the obvious: Natascha, Heather and Kate Major all psyched to get a big bump up in pay, Nicole Leder must be thrilled to go from zero cash to 5,000 in the bank!!!
She took home more than Lothar in Florida.
Who says drugs are no good?