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Is Tyson Gay a little sociopathic like Lance Armstrong, but perhaps a lesser version? Shall I suggest: villain light?
Gay told us this time last year when it was announced by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that he had tested positive for a banned substance, he had been “let down by someone” he trusted. Really? Perhaps the last few remaining fans of sprinting were let down Mr. Gay, by you.
See now it comes out that you knew all along what you were doing. You plea-bargained your way out of a four or two-year prohibition, so in turn receiving the lesser one-year suspension, including time served. Oh sure you lost your silver medal in the 4x100m from the 2012 Olympic Games, which you should have been disqualified for in the first place and some recent results from various meets have been erased (see below), but you got away nearly scot-free, this is wholly unjust.
The good news is the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) apparently retains the option to appeal the ruling. Hopefully they do and hand Gay a career-ending four-year ban.
Some people suggest as a way to make a real deterrent is to completely wipe clean a dirty athlete’s entire history, like as if they never existed. I agree.
Mr. Gay, you took performance enhancing drugs knowingly. You did this while volunteering in USADA’s “My Victory” program — in which athletes volunteer for enhanced testing to prove they are clean. That was a brazen ruse.
When the news first became public, Gay told the media, “I don’t have a sabotage story…” and he also said, “I don’t have any lies. I don’t have anything to say to make this seem like it was a mistake or it was on USADA’s hands, someone playing games…I basically put my trust in someone and I was let down.”
The American public bought it. The few remaining track fans that there are said nearly en masse, “Tyson Gay is one of the good guys.” This is one more nail in the coffin of a once mighty sport. Gay, your legacy will be remembered in the annuls of running lore right along with all the rest of the dirty cheats: Linford Christie, Carl Lewis, Marion Jones, Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin, Steve Mullings and the others.
09.06.2012          New York adidas Grand Prix       100m    USA     10.00    -1.5
23.06.2012          Eugene USA Ch.                     100m    USA       10.00    +1.6
24.06.2012          Eugene USA Ch.                    100m    USA       10.04    -0.6
24.06.2012          Eugene USA Ch.                      100m    USA       9.86       +1.8
06.07.2012          Paris Meeting AREVA          100m     FRA       9.99       0.0
13.07.2012          Crystal Palace Aviva London    100m    GBR       10.15    -0.7
13.07.2012          Crystal Palace Aviva London    100m    GBR      10.03    -1.2
Above are results where it is suggested he was “before doping” – below is “in-doping”
04.08.2012          London Olympic Games               100m    GBR      OW      10.08    -1.4
05.08.2012          London Olympic Games               100m    GBR      OW      9.90       +1.7
05.08.2012          London Olympic Games               100m    GBR      OW     9.80       +1.5
23.08.2012          Lausanne Athletissima                 100m    SUI        GL       9.83       -0.1
04.05.2013          Kingston Jamaica                   100m    JAM                   9.86       +0.2
25.05.2013          New York adidas Grand Prix       100m    USA      GL         10.30    +1.0
25.05.2013          New York adidas Grand Prix       100m    USA      GL         10.02    -0.8
20.06.2013          Des Moines USA Ch.                    100m    USA                   10.28    -1.6
21.06.2013          Des Moines USA Ch.                     100m    USA                     9.75       +2.4
21.06.2013          Des Moines USA Ch.                     100m    USA                     9.75       +1.1
04.07.2013          Lausanne Athletissima                 100m    SUI        GL        9.79       +2.0
You sir are a liar and a cheat and now apparently a rat just to save your own flagging career or what’s left of it. At the age of 31 you should walk away, quietly.
