100m winner at USAT Olympic trials tested positive for marijuana at the event and for now is out. There is apparently some consideration for giving her a 30 day ban, which would expire in time for her to race the 4x 100m relay. Since her trials result is invalidated, I’m not sure how she gets named to that team.
Her mother died just before trials (I think like a few days or a week). In a video she posted she apologized to her fans and said that she made the mistake because of her difficulty in dealing with her emotions about her mother’s death. I really feel for her. It’s easy to say she did something pretty dumb, but she is a 21 year old who was dealing with a massive amount of grief at the same time that she was about to compete in the most important event of her life.
In competition test, if you can’t not smoke for a week, you have an addiction. Full stop. WADA and USADA have given up on a full ban and bring to use in competition testing and categorize it in categories of substance abuse. However, the reality of Marijuana is that it allows greater recovery when used around training.
Several years ago I lost my father, at the time I held a job where I was drug tested regularly. I didn’t go and get super high or into a drunken stupor. So when we talk about personal loss and drug use, that’s just an excuse.
The taboo that still surrounds marijuana is a joke. The only performance enhancement it has is if you want to competive eat some oreo cookies.
Can someone with more knowledge than me tell me the difference between Phelps and this case?
All I can recall is that Phelps also got popped and also that Phelps won a bunch of gold medals.
I don’t think you can start giving breaks on drug tests just because an athlete is 21 and under a lot of pressure. I mean, what makes her special? Oh…yeah…
The taboo that still surrounds marijuana is a joke. The only performance enhancement it has is if you want to competive eat some oreo cookies.
Can someone with more knowledge than me tell me the difference between Phelps and this case?
All I can recall is that Phelps also got popped and also that Phelps won a bunch of gold medals.
Phelps was never “popped” and he never tested positive. THC is only a doping violation in-competition. There was a picture from a party (outside of competition) where he appeared to be smoking out of a bong and at the time weed was illegal across the country.
I’m not very familiar with doping rules, but is THC banned for performance enhancement or because it causes impairment? I’ve used marijuana and full-spectrum CBD to recover from super long rides and, although they were less sore the next day, they didn’t have the same pop and top-end power.
Our Company is a “Drug-Free Workplace”. Which means we drug test all applicants and do random drug tests anytime we choose to do so. If any of our employees test positive they are dismissed. Doesn’t matter if they are grieving, depressed, stressed, oppressed or anything else. You have to be a responsible person to do certain things. Obviously she made a mistake, but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes, hopefully learn from them and move forward.
The taboo that still surrounds marijuana is a joke. The only performance enhancement it has is if you want to competive eat some oreo cookies.
Can someone with more knowledge than me tell me the difference between Phelps and this case?
All I can recall is that Phelps also got popped and also that Phelps won a bunch of gold medals.
Phelps was never “popped” and he never tested positive. THC is only a doping violation in-competition. There was a picture from a party (outside of competition) where he appeared to be smoking out of a bong and at the time weed was illegal across the country.
Thanks for the clarification.
Makes sense, but still an outrageously outdated rule at this time in my opinion.
Our Company is a “Drug-Free Workplace”. Which means we drug test all applicants and do random drug tests anytime we choose to do so. If any of our employees test positive they are dismissed. Doesn’t matter if they are grieving, depressed, stressed, oppressed or anything else. You have to be a responsible person to do certain things. Obviously she made a mistake, but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes, hopefully learn from them and move forward.[/quo
Certain drugs I would guess? Plenty of “responsible” people using doctor prescribed drugs that can be just as impairing as recreational drugs.
In competition test, if you can’t not smoke for a week, you have an addiction. Full stop. WADA and USADA have given up on a full ban and bring to use in competition testing and categorize it in categories of substance abuse. However, the reality of Marijuana is that it allows greater recovery when used around training.
A ban would be righteous and she should be.
I don’t know when she smoked or ingested the THC, but you often have to go 3-6 weeks to avoid a positive drug test for THC. At the 150ng/ml limit, it probably means recent usage.
It’s unclear if THC impacts recovery, CBD has more evidence, but we allow lots of other things for recovery. Neither THC or CBD are substantially better than the other options out there, although they might be more enjoyable to take. Frankly the WADA ban on Cannabis is rooted in puritan prohibition and not sound science that it’s a PED.
Despite the lack of evidence that cannabis enhances performance, the concern led the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ban cannabis use during competitions when it assumed responsibility for the list of prohibited substances in 2004. According to WADA, which is based in Montreal, Canada, and is affiliated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the drug meets all the criteria for being banned. As well as having potential to enhance performance, it poses health risks to athletes, and is illegal in many parts of the world.
Olivier Rabin, WADA’s senior science director, explained the agency’s reasoning for the cannabis ban in a 2011 paper8 co-authored by a researcher from the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. Although he acknowledges that the scientific evidence is shaky, Rabin says that the “wealth of testimonies†from athletes who admit to using cannabis to enhance their performance can’t be ignored.
Basically they are justifying the ban on “Athletes think it helps” and not “Science shows that it helps.” Using that logic, coherent water should be banned too.
Our Company is a “Drug-Free Workplace”. Which means we drug test all applicants and do random drug tests anytime we choose to do so. If any of our employees test positive they are dismissed. Doesn’t matter if they are grieving, depressed, stressed, oppressed or anything else. You have to be a responsible person to do certain things. Obviously she made a mistake, but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes, hopefully learn from them and move forward.
Certain drugs I would guess? Plenty of “responsible” people using doctor prescribed drugs that can be just as impairing as recreational drugs.
It depends on the job. If you’re doing heavy machinery work and hopped up on Percocet, you could be gone in certain scenarios even if it is a prescription. In that situation you should still be a responsible adult and inform your manager of the situation and determine the best way to handle it.
Our Company is a “Drug-Free Workplace”. Which means we drug test all applicants and do random drug tests anytime we choose to do so. If any of our employees test positive they are dismissed. Doesn’t matter if they are grieving, depressed, stressed, oppressed or anything else. You have to be a responsible person to do certain things. Obviously she made a mistake, but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes, hopefully learn from them and move forward.
Replying to you, but also to many people here.
1st - I’m not saying she should not be banned. WADA signatories are required to apply the rules and there are good reasons for that.
2nd - That does not mean I cannot empathize with her and understand that her situation is not the same as some idiot just deciding to smoke up before the olympic trials.
3rd - She’s not working at a nuclear weapons lab. She’s not a first responder. She is a runner - one that doesn’t even have to navigate a turn. No one’s life or safety or even property is dependent on her.
4th - Just because one person is able to handle the death of a parent with poise and make clear and rational decisions does not mean everyone should be expected to. Grief can make one think pretty irrationally - such as, “I don’t care about the Olympics anymore…”
I don’t know when she smoked or ingested the THC, but you often have to go 3-6 weeks to avoid a positive drug test for THC. At the 150ng/ml limit, it probably means recent usage.
Yes, I know what the threshold is. It’s very very very high. To pop for an in-competition test for Marijuana we’re talking about a THC burrito the night before…aka smoked the day before.
Our Company is a “Drug-Free Workplace”. Which means we drug test all applicants and do random drug tests anytime we choose to do so. If any of our employees test positive they are dismissed. Doesn’t matter if they are grieving, depressed, stressed, oppressed or anything else. You have to be a responsible person to do certain things. Obviously she made a mistake, but unfortunately we have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes, hopefully learn from them and move forward.
Certain drugs I would guess? Plenty of “responsible” people using doctor prescribed drugs that can be just as impairing as recreational drugs.
It depends on the job. If you’re doing heavy machinery work and hopped up on Percocet, you could be gone in certain scenarios even if it is a prescription. In that situation you should still be a responsible adult and inform your manager of the situation and determine the best way to handle it.
I was thinking more sleeping pills, I know Ambien often leaves me considerably more “hungover” the following day than smoking pot ever has.
I don’t think you can start giving breaks on drug tests just because an athlete is 21 and under a lot of pressure. I mean, what makes her special? Oh…yeah…
I’m going to hope and assume you’re referring to her Nike affiliation in this case…
I don’t think you can start giving breaks on drug tests just because an athlete is 21 and under a lot of pressure. I mean, what makes her special? Oh…yeah…
I’m going to hope and assume you’re referring to her Nike affiliation in this case…
+1