Sam Laidlow Announces ITA Investigation

Triathlon Forum
482

It seems to me that Sam Laidlow has really mismanaged this situation. He’s either guilty, in which case his career is over. Or he’s squeaky clean, in which case he has shown a clear tendency to break down under pressure and overreact. Either way, it’s gonna take him a long time to recover from this, I would not be surprised if his performance levels suffer no matter how this ends. It’s lonely at the top - maybe there is something else you learn slowly coming through the Olympic ITU pathway, which many have glossed over.

He is a 24 year old who just realized his dream and got to the top of the triathlon heap.

The rest of us have ZERO clue what it is like being at the top, suddenly becoming a public persona for the entire sport.

Easy for us on the internet to throw rocks at how Sam managed the situation, but none of us has walked a meter in his shoes.

So rather than judge him, why don’t we let it all play out. You and I have no idea how his performance is affected by this stress or not. Sam may have over reacted or he may have taken a pro active step (in his mind) knowing that the RVB camp’s email trail was going to result in a public leak (heck RVB himself admitted that it got leaked beyond the first recipient and once three people know a secret we know the story is public domain and no longer a secret)

483

I personally don’t get why so many people think ironman athletes must be on EPO. Oxygen delivery is not a limiter at the full distance. Some short course athletes that do the odd PTO race could well be on gear, but a guy like Sam trains specifically for the full distance - none of that aerobic capacity bullshit matters there.
So EPO only works aiming at an arbitrary definite limiter? Is there no value in using something that even microdosed can provide an average ~4.1% improvement in power output and an average ~4.2% VO2max improvement? You sure? Seems to me like it would be significant.

And since there’s several references to HGH here, wait until you find out how easy it is to use HGH undetected even today and how many undetectable secretagogues and hormone-like substances athletes have access to.

And by you I actually mean most of the people here who seem to ignore how prevalent doping is, its potential and how rarely dopers are actually caught (just cross-reference self-admitted anonymous questionnaires with doping convictions).

484

Do the “big” names in triathlon take any type of media training? I’d assume after Laidlow’s 2nd in Kona some of his bigger sponsors (or his agent even, I assume he has an agent?) would sit him down and do some media training. What to say, what not to say. How do conduct interviews and probably most importantly how to handle criticism and possible doping allegations. This is endurance sport, EVERYONE that does well get accused of doping in some way or another.

485

It seems to me that Sam Laidlow has really mismanaged this situation. He’s either guilty, in which case his career is over. Or he’s squeaky clean, in which case he has shown a clear tendency to break down under pressure and overreact. Either way, it’s gonna take him a long time to recover from this, I would not be surprised if his performance levels suffer no matter how this ends. It’s lonely at the top - maybe there is something else you learn slowly coming through the Olympic ITU pathway, which many have glossed over.

He is a 24 year old who just realized his dream and got to the top of the triathlon heap.

The rest of us have ZERO clue what it is like being at the top, suddenly becoming a public persona for the entire sport.

Easy for us on the internet to throw rocks at how Sam managed the situation, but none of us has walked a meter in his shoes.

So rather than judge him, why don’t we let it all play out. You and I have no idea how his performance is affected by this stress or not. Sam may have over reacted or he may have taken a pro active step (in his mind) knowing that the RVB camp’s email trail was going to result in a public leak (heck RVB himself admitted that it got leaked beyond the first recipient and once three people know a secret we know the story is public domain and no longer a secret)

Thanks for the lecture…

486

Do the “big” names in triathlon take any type of media training? I’d assume after Laidlow’s 2nd in Kona some of his bigger sponsors (or his agent even, I assume he has an agent?) would sit him down and do some media training. What to say, what not to say. How do conduct interviews and probably most importantly how to handle criticism and possible doping allegations. This is endurance sport, EVERYONE that does well get accused of doping in some way or another.

Doubt.

487

Yourself and the Baysi guy in this thread are getting a bit carried away and in my view, and borderline slandering Sam Laidlow, name calling RvB sr, etc… I think we can agree that his IG post was a bit of a mess, but it is not evidence that the guy did something wrong. Some of the stuff you have stated is borderline ridiculous: “innocent folks don’t do this…etc.” Have you ever been wrongly accused of something when you were 24 ?

We don’t know if he is guilty or innocent, all we know is that there is an investigation going on and hopefully it is effective at catching any wrongdoing and clearing him if this is an unjustified witchhunt.

Please read what I said, not what you think I said. I said Rvbsr may well be a jerk, but I don’t think he is merely based on what’s written. Ie, people accusing him of being a bad guy based on this stuff have no evidence in his behavior to draw that conclusion.

I never said people who aren’t innocent don’t do this. I said people who are innocent and happy withemselves and grounded, etc don’t lash out like this. Clearly, if he’s innocent he’s got some serious inner turmoil. See, you’ve accused me of borderline slander and I’m not upset because the accusation is false and I’m content with myself internally and have no inclination to lash out. Obviously the pressure of this thread is non existent and the pressure of Sam’s life is huge, which is why I ended my previous comment saying whatever happens with the investigation or Sam’s professional life I hope he can truly be comfortable in his skin and not just have to present it as a front for media. He actually strikes me in multiple instances as someone not happy with himself. Making rhymes about Sam Longs abilities, then defending his hoala swim as fair game (oceans are free), and now this. On the flip side, I see his spoken media desire to build others up now that he’s a champion as a really positive trait and I truly hope he just follows that ethos. Even if it’s a fake it until you make it thing, he’s going to eventually embody that positivity if he turns to it first out of duty/desire and eventually it will be instinct as who he’s become.

The current instinct he faces under pressure seems to be to defend and lash out. Obviously that’s common in all of us. We all struggle over our lifetimes to choose to be the better man.

This episode is mingled with the possibility of some or many of these pros facing the moral hazard and competitive pressure that at least seems like exists for them all to use hormones and drugs to cheat. There’s always a cost to that. There’s also always a cost to negativity if innocent.

Sam’s intentional media has shown him desiring to be humble and service minded. His reflexive media had shown him to respond aggressively and defensively. I think he knows what he ought to do. I hope he keeps doing it.

488

We don’t know if he is guilty or innocent, all we know is that there is an investigation going on and hopefully it is effective at catching any wrongdoing and clearing him if this is an unjustified witchhunt.We only know there is an ITA investigation going on because Laidlow announced its actualité.
I too hope all the investigations they have the resources to pursue are effective and well conducted. I hope other athletes and ‘players’ will be proactive in helping them and that communications will remain confidential.
I think we will not find out the outcome of any investigation, unless it’s adverse.
No subject of an investigation is going to be ‘cleared’: there’s either going to be an adverse finding; or no finding.
This is not a witch hunt: an anti-doping agency is doing what we want them to do: deter doping by investigating and when there has been doping, discovering it with sufficient evidential and due process rigour to nail the dope.

489

This is not a witch hunt:

Welllllll except RVBsr’s post here actually made it seem like it was kind of. He sent an email to a professional triathlete documenting testimonials on SL. Which means he went out and effectively surveyed people to gather thei opinions, observations and suppositions. He then shared those in a “confidential” email to a pro which was then shared with SL. The email wasn’t sent to the ITA nor was it an anonymous tip.

His whole post opens a whole lotta questions that don’t seem to have been answered:

Why was he doing his own independent investigation?

Why was it sent to a fellow pro and not to the ITA?

Why did the pro share with a “friend”?

Why did that friend feel it was appropriate to share with SL?

By conducting his own investigation he was implying to those people he “questioned” that SL is a cheat and guilty.

I’m not a SL fan but damn this sure seemed like RvBsr was way out of bounds and SL was justified in going public. There is no confidentiality in a parent of a pro investigation.

490

Yourself and the Baysi guy in this thread are getting a bit carried away and in my view, and borderline slandering Sam Laidlow, name calling RvB sr, etc… I think we can agree that his IG post was a bit of a mess, but it is not evidence that the guy did something wrong. Some of the stuff you have stated is borderline ridiculous: “innocent folks don’t do this…etc.” Have you ever been wrongly accused of something when you were 24 ?

We don’t know if he is guilty or innocent, all we know is that there is an investigation going on and hopefully it is effective at catching any wrongdoing and clearing him if this is an unjustified witchhunt.

Please read what I said, not what you think I said. I said Rvbsr may well be a jerk, but I don’t think he is merely based on what’s written. Ie, people accusing him of being a bad guy based on this stuff have no evidence in his behavior to draw that conclusion.

I never said people who aren’t innocent don’t do this. I said people who are innocent and happy withemselves and grounded, etc don’t lash out like this. Clearly, if he’s innocent he’s got some serious inner turmoil. See, you’ve accused me of borderline slander and I’m not upset because the accusation is false and I’m content with myself internally and have no inclination to lash out. Obviously the pressure of this thread is non existent and the pressure of Sam’s life is huge, which is why I ended my previous comment saying whatever happens with the investigation or Sam’s professional life I hope he can truly be comfortable in his skin and not just have to present it as a front for media. He actually strikes me in multiple instances as someone not happy with himself. Making rhymes about Sam Longs abilities, then defending his hoala swim as fair game (oceans are free), and now this. On the flip side, I see his spoken media desire to build others up now that he’s a champion as a really positive trait and I truly hope he just follows that ethos. Even if it’s a fake it until you make it thing, he’s going to eventually embody that positivity if he turns to it first out of duty/desire and eventually it will be instinct as who he’s become.

The current instinct he faces under pressure seems to be to defend and lash out. Obviously that’s common in all of us. We all struggle over our lifetimes to choose to be the better man.

This episode is mingled with the possibility of some or many of these pros facing the moral hazard and competitive pressure that at least seems like exists for them all to use hormones and drugs to cheat. There’s always a cost to that. There’s also always a cost to negativity if innocent.

Sam’s intentional media has shown him desiring to be humble and service minded. His reflexive media had shown him to respond aggressively and defensively. I think he knows what he ought to do. I hope he keeps doing it.

LOL your psychological break down of SL makes no sense to me… Maybe you need to be tested for drugs?

He seems to me to be a character un the sport and happy in his life. He’s just been crowned king, he’s 5min in living his dream and all the accolades that go with it and jealous parents and the like because their son is a lesser athlete are trying to taint and rob the glory he worked so hard for. I think that is what he has pretty much stated all along. If I had done it clean I would lash out and slander all the people that were dragging me down too, then let the investigation prove my innocence.

Why do people harp on about the Hoala swim and his character too? Been to Kona 4 times and done it 4 times for free as well. Mind you I was way back so pulled off and didn’t got through the chute like the 100’s doing it for free also but then again I wasn’t going to win it. I think it is funny what he did himself and enforces his ratbag character. I’m an Aussie so he reminds me of Cam Wurf and how the US contingent don’t get his larakin (google that if you like) nature. I’m sure whoever truly won got their winner medallion and time topping the result sheet.

As mentioned earlier until you’ve walked in his shoes leave the character assessment alone because I understand what he has done and seems reasonable and calculated to me…

491

This is not a witch hunt:

Welllllll except RVBsr’s post here actually made it seem like it was kind of. He sent an email to a professional triathlete documenting testimonials on SL. Which means he went out and effectively surveyed people to gather thei opinions, observations and suppositions. He then shared those in a “confidential” email to a pro which was then shared with SL. The email wasn’t sent to the ITA nor was it an anonymous tip.

His whole post opens a whole lotta questions that don’t seem to have been answered:

Why was he doing his own independent investigation?

Why was it sent to a fellow pro and not to the ITA?

Why did the pro share with a “friend”?

Why did that friend feel it was appropriate to share with SL?

By conducting his own investigation he was implying to those people he “questioned” that SL is a cheat and guilty.

I’m not a SL fan but damn this sure seemed like RvBsr was way out of bounds and SL was justified in going public. There is no confidentiality in a parent of a pro investigation.

Summarises well the questions I too have. And to me explains Sam’s reaction, although I think in hindsight he regrets reacting this way. Giving it another couple of days and cooler heads may have prevailed. Asking his entourage for assistance on the matter would also have been wiser. But he’s young and this reaction didn’t surprise me, nor I think it implies all the things others have tried to imply from it.

492

Summarises well the questions I too have. And to me explains Sam’s reaction, although I think in hindsight he regrets reacting this way. Giving it another couple of days and cooler heads may have prevailed. Asking his entourage for assistance on the matter would also have been wiser. But he’s young and this reaction didn’t surprise me, nor I think it implies all the things others have tried to imply from it.
.
.
I am not at all surprised that Sam acted the way he did given his age and the mud-slinging that came his way in the last year or so. The guy had people questioning his Kona race in 2022,he got shit for his Rap song and subsequent “bitch fight” with Sam Long at the Collins Cup. He got A LOT of shit and smart ass comments and innuendos after he pulled out of the PTO Ibiza race. People were full on trolling him for having to “move house” and so close to the Chartier doping scandal,many started,not so subtly, saying he pulled out to avoid a drug test. Now he wins in Nice,becomes World Champ making a dream come true and the father of the guy who came 4th throws shade at him. Add all that up and holy shit I am surprised he didn’t go into full crazy guy meltdown.
If he doped he will get caught and if he didn’t people will still think he did. The guy can’t win either way.

Hehehe…
https://youtu.be/fXTMGbO6_zU?si=mWYJERnG77k8kwnl

493

Lol imagine the mental breakdown Sam Long would have if he was in Laidlows position!!

494

Lol imagine the mental breakdown Sam Long would have if he was in Laidlows position!!
.
.
Yeah,that would be something although Sam Long has changed and grown up a lot this year (for obvious reasons)

On that topic,people have dismissed the age/maturity thing here because these guys are not your normal 20 somethings but that video is a classic example of age and experience bringing maturity. Look at how Lionel deals with Laidlow and his Rap song compared to Sam Long looking like he is about to lose his shit.

495

Summarises well the questions I too have. And to me explains Sam’s reaction, although I think in hindsight he regrets reacting this way. Giving it another couple of days and cooler heads may have prevailed. Asking his entourage for assistance on the matter would also have been wiser. But he’s young and this reaction didn’t surprise me, nor I think it implies all the things others have tried to imply from it.
.
.
I am not at all surprised that Sam acted the way he did given his age and the mud-slinging that came his way in the last year or so. The guy had people questioning his Kona race in 2022,he got shit for his Rap song and subsequent “bitch fight” with Sam Long at the Collins Cup. He got A LOT of shit and smart ass comments and innuendos after he pulled out of the PTO Ibiza race. People were full on trolling him for having to “move house” and so close to the Chartier doping scandal,many started,not so subtly, saying he pulled out to avoid a drug test. Now he wins in Nice,becomes World Champ making a dream come true and the father of the guy who came 4th throws shade at him. Add all that up and holy shit I am surprised he didn’t go into full crazy guy meltdown.
If he doped he will get caught and if he didn’t people will still think he did. The guy can’t win either way.

Hehehe…
https://youtu.be/…?si=mWYJERnG77k8kwnl
Hurrah I knew you would get it. Seems not many people do…

496

This is not a witch hunt:

Welllllll except RVBsr’s post here actually made it seem like it was kind of. He sent an email to a professional triathlete documenting testimonials on SL. Which means he went out and effectively surveyed people to gather thei opinions, observations and suppositions. He then shared those in a “confidential” email to a pro which was then shared with SL. The email wasn’t sent to the ITA nor was it an anonymous tip.

His whole post opens a whole lotta questions that don’t seem to have been answered:

Why was he doing his own independent investigation?

Why was it sent to a fellow pro and not to the ITA?

Why did the pro share with a “friend”?

Why did that friend feel it was appropriate to share with SL?

By conducting his own investigation he was implying to those people he “questioned” that SL is a cheat and guilty.

I’m not a SL fan but damn this sure seemed like RvBsr was way out of bounds and SL was justified in going public. There is no confidentiality in a parent of a pro investigation.

So the person that interrogated the French athletes for 90 minutes wasn’t an ITA investigator but Rudy’s dad??

497

Unless you know more than what has been posted on this thread, there is nothing to say that RVB Sr. “leaked” confidential information. People are making wild leaps on this thread.

Based on everything I’ve seen, Sam is the one who put this in the public sphere.

I know some like Shambolic have said it would have been leaked anyway, but that is just hypothesis contrary to fact.

My personal view is that if you have suspicions you notify the authorities and then keep your mouth shut. Then the ITA or other is allowed to conduct their investigation unencumbered. You don’t keep your mouth shut out of fear or “omerta” You keep it shut so the qualified experts, people who are hopefully better at this stuff than us, can assess and move forward…or not.

Choosing to send emails to other pros, before an investigation has started (maybe? don’t know) undermines the authority and transparency of the testing body. It creates rumors, speculation and contributes to narratives which hurt the AD process…which as I said above doesn’t help, everything needs to be bullet proof.

Not speaking to Sam specifically, but it also gives an athlete a “heads up” or a warning which otherwise may not be warranted if the investigation is just starting/ongoing.

I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong but my concern is about compromised process not Sam or RVB sr.

2c
Maurice

498

This is not a witch hunt:

Welllllll except RVBsr’s post here actually made it seem like it was kind of. He sent an email to a professional triathlete documenting testimonials on SL. Which means he went out and effectively surveyed people to gather thei opinions, observations and suppositions. He then shared those in a “confidential” email to a pro which was then shared with SL. The email wasn’t sent to the ITA nor was it an anonymous tip.

His whole post opens a whole lotta questions that don’t seem to have been answered:

Why was he doing his own independent investigation?

Why was it sent to a fellow pro and not to the ITA?

Why did the pro share with a “friend”?

Why did that friend feel it was appropriate to share with SL?

By conducting his own investigation he was implying to those people he “questioned” that SL is a cheat and guilty.

I’m not a SL fan but damn this sure seemed like RvBsr was way out of bounds and SL was justified in going public. There is no confidentiality in a parent of a pro investigation.

So the person that interrogated the French athletes for 90 minutes wasn’t an ITA investigator but Rudy’s dad??

Are you saying the investigator from the ITA shared their notes on a confidential investigation with RvBsr and he was recapping it for the pro athlete? Or are you saying he reached out to everyone who he thought may be contacted by the ITA and interviewed all of them so he could recap and share with the mystery pro?

499

This is not a witch hunt:

Welllllll except RVBsr’s post here actually made it seem like it was kind of. He sent an email to a professional triathlete documenting testimonials on SL. Which means he went out and effectively surveyed people to gather thei opinions, observations and suppositions. He then shared those in a “confidential” email to a pro which was then shared with SL. The email wasn’t sent to the ITA nor was it an anonymous tip.

His whole post opens a whole lotta questions that don’t seem to have been answered:

Why was he doing his own independent investigation?

Why was it sent to a fellow pro and not to the ITA?

Why did the pro share with a “friend”?

Why did that friend feel it was appropriate to share with SL?

By conducting his own investigation he was implying to those people he “questioned” that SL is a cheat and guilty.

I’m not a SL fan but damn this sure seemed like RvBsr was way out of bounds and SL was justified in going public. There is no confidentiality in a parent of a pro investigation.

So the person that interrogated the French athletes for 90 minutes wasn’t an ITA investigator but Rudy’s dad??

Are you saying the investigator from the ITA shared their notes on a confidential investigation with RvBsr and he was recapping it for the pro athlete? Or are you saying he reached out to everyone who he thought may be contacted by the ITA and interviewed all of them so he could recap and share with the mystery pro?

Are you asking me? I was asking you.

500

Sounds like you need to go read RVBsr’s post earlier in this thread. Here’s an excerpt:

In reference to my PRIVATE email which was sent to only 1 recipient, a Pro whom I have known for many years, and over there, by inadvertence, mistake, negligence, malevolence (which I don’t want to believe at this point)-hard to know the truth- a third person saw the mail, which, I repeat, was Confidential, not addressed to that person, and decided to forward it to Laidlow, apparently because they have sponsors connections. On my side, I see this as an incredible coincidence. Fate? It should never have happened. My private email was not meant to be public. It’s like if someone intercepted or opened 1 of the thousands of letters or emails that All of you in this Forum are writing every week, and shared it in Public. Would you be happy? Clearly not. Is it right? Also not. My email contains testimonies from many people, and personal informations and opinions who are my business only. And, as with many other emails, the recipient answers back and so on. I have been gathering some infos only since September 2023 when they started to pour in from different directions.

501

I know, but Marjooline said that someone interrogated Clement for 90 minutes. My question is: was that someone Rudy’s dad?