Might get burned at the stake for this one but...

[Lax PV]

So me and my roommates were talking the other day about Gatlin, and Marion and all the doping stuff. Has there ever been a PVer to get a suspension based on failing a drug test?

And the real burner, do you think PV will have a problem with all of the drug conflicts??

Me personally, I don't think it has ever been an issue, because the nature of the event and the atmosphere of the competition. Everyone is there having fun, loving where they are, and the people they are with. I am not sure why, but the pole vault has kind of found an interesting spot in athletics in that, we honestly want our competition to do well. It's not a 'cocky' event, and for that reason, I don't believe it has ever been, or ever will be an issue.

But I am curious what you all think? Drugs are killing our sport right now, and I think it should be addressed--hope no one is offended, as I am not suggesting that any one is on them--just curious and looking for a new topic on the forum.

[rainbowgirl28]

Any posts naming individuals that have never been PROVEN to have taken drugs will be deleted.


Having said that, I might consider softening my stance on discussing this issue, provided you guys can have a mature discussion that will not get me sued.

[rainbowgirl28]

So me and my roommates were talking the other day about Gatlin, and Marion and all the doping stuff. Has there ever been a PVer to get a suspension based on failing a drug test?

Yes. In recent years, Janine Whitlock (UK) served a 2 year ban for steroids, and Chase Shealy did a year for the stimulant found in adderall (the same thing Justin Gatlin got in trouble for back in college).

And the real burner, do you think PV will have a problem with all of the drug conflicts??

Anything that affects the sport will affect the pole vault in one way or another.

Me personally, I don't think it has ever been an issue, because the nature of the event and the atmosphere of the competition.

The pole vault has had its share of athletes taking banned substances, just like every other event in track and field. Has it EVER been an issue? Just read Tim McMichael's post where he mentions the people who told him he'd never be good because he was clean.

But I am curious what you all think?

I think the pole vault is probably one of the cleaner events in track and field, but no way is it 100% clean. NO event in track and field (or probably any sport!!!) is completely clean.

I hate it when people say they are going to stop being a fan of track and field because it is so dirty.

OK, go back to watching professional sports. Because, you know, baseball and football are clean. Right.

[Lax PV]

Any posts naming individuals that have never been PROVEN to have taken drugs will be deleted.


Having said that, I might consider softening my stance on discussing this issue, provided you guys can have a mature discussion that will not get me sued.

I think that is a good disclaimer.

[rainbowgirl28]

The pole vault has had its share of athletes taking banned substances, just like every other event in track and field. Has it EVER been an issue? Just read Tim McMichael's post where he mentions the people who told him he'd never be good because he was clean.

That post
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... 2552#72552

[MadeinTaiwan]

i think one of the reasons that pv is cleaner than a lot of the events in track and field is that there is not as much money to be made from pv as say in the 100, so you make less on your return(the cost and risk of taking preformance inhancers).

[MightyMouse]

OK, go back to watching professional sports. Because, you know, baseball and football are clean. Right.

Ive become disenchanted with almost all organized sports in general. Its made me appreciate Highschool and College sports alot more. Although theres something to be said about those as well. But if an American Vaulter tests positive for steriods....

[bjvando]

there are tons of money rewarded for success in the sprints- if a sprinter does not run to thier 'potential' or their best, then the sponsor may take money from them- that is why i think 'they' are more prone to make the decision to take the performance enhancers.

i think with vaulters not making as much money and having to fend for themselves as far as income- then there is less to lose in the event.

[rainbowgirl28]

i think one of the reasons that pv is cleaner than a lot of the events in track and field is that there is not as much money to be made from pv as say in the 100, so you make less on your return(the cost and risk of taking preformance inhancers).

That's true. Good PEDs are very expensive.

[jumpbackin]

we want our competition to do well. It's not a 'cocky' event, and for that reason, I don't believe it has ever been, or ever will be an issue.

This topic inspired me to start a topic in the Masters forum titled Today's Vaulters. Check it out if you care to.

[Tim McMichael]

The pressures during my time as a journeyman were extreme to the point of being unbearable. One year there were three vaulters with decent contracts from Nike. They all had good years. The week before nationals Nike told all three that they had decided to cut one of them, and it would depend on who lost to the other two at the championship. What this meant was that you had three of the top vaulters in the country competing for the ability to keep making their house payments. Not good. I vowed I would never have anything to do with Nike after that meet; they never wanted to have anything to do with me anyway, so that worked out just fine.

The point is that, sometimes the pressure is extreme because there is less money to go around. This means that the temptation is greater too.

I honestly wish we could go back to the days of the amateur ethic. Believe it or not, there was a time when people believed that money would corrupt the sport, and you could get banned for life for getting paid. This idea was disregarded as a relic of an irrelevant past, and the push for professionalism succeeded. And it corrupted the sport.

[rainbowgirl28]

I honestly wish we could go back to the days of the amateur ethic. Believe it or not, there was a time when people believed that money would corrupt the sport, and you could get banned for life for getting paid. This idea was disregarded as a relic of an irrelevant past, and the push for professionalism succeeded. And it corrupted the sport.

Actually the whole amateurism thing began as a way for the elitist rich people to keep the working class out of their competitions.

The ancient Greeks were well paid professionals. The idea that they weren't is a myth fabricated by the founders of the modern Olympics for the reason mentioned above.

For way too long of a time, you could not make money doing anything related to the sport. The throws coach at Lindenwood (Dick Cochran) won a medal in the discus at the... 1952 Olympics (I think). He was a medal favorite in the next Olympics, but could not compete. He was ruled a professional because he had made a little money coaching.

I understand the desire to return to a purer era, but there was little pure and unselfish in the modern amateurism movement.