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**Sovietvest** · 14-08-21, 08:38

The lack of any statement or explanation from Ujah or UKA may be unavoidable - if he truly has no explanation, or is guilty - but it’s not playing out well in the court of public opinion. I’m at the in-laws and their Telegraph devoted the first 3 sports pages to this. When did athletics last get three front pages in a national paper. In the court of public opinion he’s guilty and if in the future he gets off for any reason it will be a footnote.
NMB’s enigmatic tweet is pathetic - explicitly say you support him or (more sensibly) keep schtumm.

As for the earlier reference to Campbell - utter hypocrite! Earlier that year he did an interview with the bbc saying that as a Christian, he forgave Chambers and was happy to run with him. It was after a reported training track dispute over the non-selection of Campbell’s training partner for the Munich relay team that suddenly Campbell discovered he had principles and did the melodramatic performance after the race.

Back to Ujah - I’m under no illusions - our guys are no more or less likely to be doping than most other nationalities. Seems unlikely however that he would be taking a testosterone-type drug during the competition period. I’d guess it’s a tainted supplement but then he should know exactly which ones he took and be putting out a statement to say he’s asked for them to be investigated.

**Occasional Hope** · 14-08-21, 18:08

He denies everything: CJ Ujah: British sprinter 'shocked and devastated' after positive drugs test - BBC Sport

**Walsh7** · 14-08-21, 21:10

Mexican race walker María Guadalupe González Romero has been banned for a further four years for tampering with the anti-doping process.
The 32-year-old - also known as Lupita González and a 20-kilomtere race walk silver medallist at Rio 2016 - is already serving a four-year ban for testing positive for banned steroid trenbolone. The AIU's tampering charge also centered on a claim that González - while taking a polygraph test - accepted she had provided false receipts, asked a friend to give false testimony and submitted fabricated medical evidence. González was therefore banned for four years, to run consecutively to the existing four-year ban.
The Mexican is now banned until November 15 2026.

**Grassmarket** · 01-09-21, 18:38

I thought Shelby Houlihan’s “steroids in my burrito” defense was, if not convincing, at least creative, but seemingly the CAS don’t give marks for artistic impression.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sp...drugs-ban.html

**Stew-Coach** · 14-09-21, 16:22

GB sprinter Ujah's 'B' sample positive

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/58559089

British Olympic silver medallist CJ Ujah's 'B' sample tests positive, following his initial positive test at the Tokyo Olympics.

CJ B sample positive

**Ursus** · 14-09-21, 18:46

Originally posted by Stew-Coach

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/58559089

CJ B sample positive

No great surprise. And whatever they say publicly he will have 3 very hacked off team mates.

**larkim** · 15-09-21, 09:54

What comes out from the teammates will be intriguing. If he has a credible "excuse" which stands up to some scrutiny, you'd expect them to stand by him. But if he doesn't and they don't pillory him then they are part of the problem, and there would be at least an insinuation that they are tainted to, as depressing as that is. And I know I have a long history of treating innocent until proven guilty through a positive test.

If he is an out and out doper then it's not unreasonable to imagine that he was doing so covertly without them being aware, so I don't think a conviction for him necessarily implicates them in whatever he was doing, but it certainly would raise suspicion that a "close knit team" shared at least some common understanding of what might be going on.

**Ursus** · 15-09-21, 12:14

Read into it what you will but shortly after the original news broke Kilty retweeted a post from the Athletics Integrity Unit about knowing the doping rules.

**Grassmarket** · 15-09-21, 17:55

Originally posted by larkim

What comes out from the teammates will be intriguing. If he has a credible "excuse" which stands up to some scrutiny, you'd expect them to stand by him. But if he doesn't and they don't pillory him then they are part of the problem, and there would be at least an insinuation that they are tainted to, as depressing as that is. And I know I have a long history of treating innocent until proven guilty through a positive test.

If he is an out and out doper then it's not unreasonable to imagine that he was doing so covertly without them being aware, so I don't think a conviction for him necessarily implicates them in whatever he was doing, but it certainly would raise suspicion that a "close knit team" shared at least some common understanding of what might be going on.

That’s a bit unfair: I am sure they are all under orders from UKA to shut up until the process is complete.

**SprintRelayFan** · 15-09-21, 21:10

Okagbare has lost her appeal and is serving a 4 year ban

**larkim** · 16-09-21, 15:15

Do athletes who have been banned in the UK get any form of counselling / support? Whilst he may deserve condemnation, potentially, I hope Ujah himself can deal with the mental health challenges of the situation he is in and is getting some support to get through that. At the end of the day, it is only sport, but it's pretty easy to see how someone could get into a very depressive cycle in his circumstance, guilty or not.

**Gully** · 17-09-21, 10:22

Originally posted by larkim

Do athletes who have been banned in the UK get any form of counselling / support? Whilst he may deserve condemnation, potentially, I hope Ujah himself can deal with the mental health challenges of the situation he is in and is getting some support to get through that. At the end of the day, it is only sport, but it's pretty easy to see how someone could get into a very depressive cycle in his circumstance, guilty or not.

Are you for Real ??????? why the hell should a Cheat get Counselling or support - had all the funding and support and sign contracts around conduct etc - should hav to pay all the support back .
Why not say "do his team mates get counselling or support for having their dreams shattered and ruined dreams"

The most ridiculous of statements I've read.

**larkim** · 20-09-21, 10:54

Originally posted by Gully

Are you for Real ??????? why the hell should a Cheat get Counselling or support - had all the funding and support and sign contracts around conduct etc - should hav to pay all the support back .
Why not say "do his team mates get counselling or support for having their dreams shattered and ruined dreams"

The most ridiculous of statements I've read.

At the end of the day these people are human beings, as flawed as the rest of us. If he is an out and out cheat, intentionally doping to gain, then I'm on your side - he shouldn't need or benefit from any support or counselling from UKA etc.

But what if the real truth underlying his impending ban is that he was simply too stupid to read a label properly? He should 100% get banned, but would you find that easy to deal with mentally? You've stuffed up your life, you've stuffed up other people's lives, you've made what looks with hindsight to be a simple and stupid mistake and ruined everything you were working for. I know that would send me into a deep spiral of depression to deal with, and whilst I wouldn't for a minute want to row back on the athletics consequences of his actions or inactions, I wouldn't want to read a story in a few weeks or months about him taking his own life because he couldn't deal with the consequences.

That's what I was suggesting.

I have zero sympathy for intentional dopers, but I don't think it is that much of a stretch to have some concern for people who may have ended up in a sanctioned position where they are less intentional.

(And of course, it could well be the case that he will *say* it was unintentional, but in fact be entirely intentional - what matters is what he knows himself)

And it should have gone without saying that whatever support the rest of the relay squad wants / needs to help them get through this, they should get it in spades from UKA etc. I didn't think that would need spelling out.

**philipo** · 20-09-21, 11:34

Mental health ?? I do so worry about the health of some posters on this site. Gully is correct. What about the rest of the worlds athletes who have to be obey the rules which are admittedly demanding. The mental health bandwagon wont do ,posters . As we all know, ignorance of the law or rules is NO excuse. Larkin I am truly appalled at your excuses for CJ. I certainly have great sympathy for the other members of our team.

**Sovietvest** · 20-09-21, 12:52

Rae Edwards (former sprinter with a YouTube channel, Raes Take) is claiming that Okagbare is deploying the Tyson Gay defence: “I was taking HGH without my knowledge in products provided by my coach.” Gay was let off with 6 months and his coach, Drummond got 8 years. In a series of, let’s say, exuberant videos, he claims she has spoken to the FBI who are now investigating Rana Reider’s group for drug trafficking. He claims Utah is also acting as a whistleblower. “Bigger than Balco”, he says.
This guy is obviously keen to create traffic to hid YouTube channel but is claiming multiple sources.

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