Action, closure desired in doping cases.Byline: Bob Rodman The Register-Guard The doping doping, in electronics: see semiconductor. Altering the electrical conductivity of a semiconductor material, such as silicon, by chemically combining it with foreign elements. probe that has enveloped en·vel·op tr.v. en·vel·oped, en·vel·op·ing, en·vel·ops 1. To enclose or encase completely with or as if with a covering: "Accompanying the darkness, a stillness envelops the city" the sport of track and field in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. is leaving few American athletes without an opinion on the matter. The three stars under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency who are entered in the Prefontaine Classic The Prefontaine Classic is one of the premier track and field meets in the United States. Every year it draws a world caliber field to compete at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. History The first annual Prefontaine Classic took place in 1974. - sprinters Tim Montgomery Timothy Montgomery (born January 25, 1975) is a former American athlete and 100 m record holder. He was stripped of his records after being found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs. , Marion Jones Marion Jones, also known as Marion Jones-Thompson (born October 12, 1975 in Los Angeles, California), is an American former athlete in track and field. She was the winner of five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, which she later relinquished after and Chryste Gaines Chryste Dionne Gaines (born September 14, 1970) is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres. A 1988 graduate of South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, Texas,[1] - did not attend Friday's news conference for today's IAAF IAAF abbr. International Amateur Athletic Federation Grand Prix meet at Hayward Field. Maurice Greene, the Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter who is tracking the 100-meter record he once held, did so, and brought with him his take on the drug scandal. "Me, personally, (I think USADA USADA United States Anti-Doping Agency should) do something and get it over with so that we can get on to what we have to do, so our sport can move on from this," said Greene, the former Nike-sponsored star now racing under the adidas banner. Allen Johnson, winner of the 1996 Olympic gold medal in the 110 hurdles and a four-time world champion who also held court with the media, agreed. "USADA is trying to do a good job," he said, "and in the end USA track will be fine. ... We'll still go to Athens and get our 100 medals. "But at this point, I feel like everything is out of hand. I'm disturbed by the switch from `reasonable doubt' to `comfortable satisfaction' as a lower burden of proof in doping cases. "USADA's job is not to ban people but just look at the evidence. It's all politics ... and everybody has their own agenda." Jones, a five-time Olympic medalist, former wife of banned shot putter C.J. Hunter, girlfriend of Montgomery and mother of their child, has maintained her innocence in news conference after news conference. Earlier this week, she released the results of a lie detector test lie detector test n. a popular name for a polygraph which tests the physiological reaction of a person to questions asked by a testing expert. A potential or actual criminal defendant or possible witness cannot be forced or ordered to take a lie detector test. that her lawyer said proves Jones never took performance-enhancing drugs. "Marion's situation is tough ...," said Greene, who will race against Montgomery at the Pre Classic, which begins at noon with the men's hammer throw. "They say they have documents of you doing everything else, and you're saying you haven't. Basically, we don't have the ultimate truth because we don't have the documents." Two former Pre Classic champions - sprinter Kelli White and shot putter Kevin Toth - have been banned and were the initial casualties from the investigation that began with the federal probe of BALCO, the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative that is accused of illegally distributing steroids. On Friday, Montgomery told the USADA he has done nothing wrong and ridiculed alleged agency evidence against him. Montgomery's response was written by his attorney, Cristina Arguedas, and released to The Associated Press and other news organizations late Friday. Montgomery, Gaines, Michelle Collins and Alvin Harrison had until Friday to respond to the USADA's formal notice. Now, a USADA review panel will decide whether to bring doping charges against them. If they are found guilty of doping, they would face minimum bans of two years. Montgomery has a lot to lose from the investigation, including the stature of his world record, if it's ruled that he used performance-enhancing drugs, Greene said. "It's going to taint taint an unpleasant odor and flavor in a human foodstuff of animal origin. Caused by the ingestion of the substance, commonly a plant such as Hexham scent, or while in storage, e.g. milk stored with pineapples, or as a result of animal metabolism, e.g. boar taint. everything he does," he said. "On your stat sheet it's going to have everything you've done but basically the last thing it's going to say is banned, or busted for drugs." Felix Sanchez, the American-born and two-time 400-meter hurdles World Champion competing for the Dominican Republic, said the process, when completed, will be beneficial to U.S. track and field. "I think all of this is a good thing," Sanchez said. "There will be a few casualties, some stars, but it is good for the sport in the long term." Rob Gloster of The Associated Press contributed to this report CAPTION(S): Sprinter Maurice Greene said Friday that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency should "do something and get it over with so that we can get on to what we have to do, so our sport can move on from this." Marion Jones didn't attend Friday's news conference but spent more than an hour at the Nike Store signing autographs and posing for photos. |
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