Chrissie lifts the lid on testing
News out this week that Chrissie Wellington was going to publish her drug results came as no real surprise. The former World Champion has long been an advocate of testing and has often used press conference as a forum for getting her messages across including the one that she is a clean athlete.
The cynics on the world of sport will often point the finger in cases such as Chrissie's, but so far she has met any accusation with transparency, the natural enemy of the 'drug cheat' shrieker. So was the publication idea a good one?
The short answer to this is a yes but like always there is an annoying little asterisk sitting on that yes, insurance policy style. The positives (pardon the use of this word) are that, according to team Wellington, we know how many times she has been tested in the past few seasons (they have gone back as far as 2008).
And predictably, with Wellington's rise in the triathlon world so too, a rise in the number of drug tests. From nine tests in 2008 the figure has almost doubled to sixteen in 2010. So far this year she has racked up 2 tests. The other interesting stat is who is doing the testing. With WTC making some news last season by rewriting the pro rules and including some time on drug testing it seems they are following through on their promise. At least as far as Wellington is concerned. The whole drug testing procedure is still shrouded in mystery as not all pro athletes are inclined to either list or talk about what goes on. Which is not to say they're hiding anything if they don't climb the nearest building and shout out that they have been tested, but it is not a generally talked about topic.
The other point to take out of this, apart from the frequency of the testing, is the fact that Wellington, by publishing her results, is defying any of her critics to make a case. It is the widespread belief that offence is the best form of defence when it comes to drugs in sport. Athletes who take the strong stance and broadcast their results or publicly welcome the tests seem to deflect the attention on them. No positives equal no story. Wellington has been in the gun since she started her run of victories and this new move by her and her management surely must be the result of too many shots being fired at her.
The flip side of the this is that people always want more. It is not enough that she simply publishes the where and the what. They want more and more information. This was fired at Lance Armstrong when he too decided to publish his test results. A practice he did cease. The critics called it a smokescreen and demanded more figures. Next thing they will want to be present in the stall while it's all going on such is the scrutiny on the professional athlete.
Wellington too has now made a path she has to follow until the end of her career. She has to make sure now that every test she does is recorded and publicised. Knowing Chrissie's attitude to this, the laborious task of logging tests, will not be an issue. But she needs to do so. Letting one go or stopping the process will not be looked on favourably by those who think there is more to Chrissie than brilliant solo performances.
There was also the social media comments made by a couple of well known athletes. They were questioning why she did it. In Chrissie's own words she did it to "improve transparency, accountability and dialogue on anti doping." For other athletes to question why she made this move is perplexing too. Unless they feel threatened or exposed by someone who really, is just trying to deflect the negative press. Maybe more athletes need to come out and follow her lead. It will show the public that they are getting tested and in what frequency.
But the great ones in sport these days will spend half their time deflecting negative, generally ill informed comments. Whether it is human doping or the extreme (read crazy report on bike doping last season). Papers, magazines sell when doping is mentioned.
The tragedy (sporting wise) of the best in the world is that they will always have the spectre of drugs hanging over their heads for deeds carried out by those who went before them. The scenario is not a good one but it is almost precedent to question anything great. And Wellington's career is at the crossroads of legendary.
It is a shame that Wellington feels the need to do this but the one thing that she has in her favour and that no one can either dispute or take away from her, in the 38 tests across 3 seasons, the only negative thing about her career to date….. are the drug test results.
