USAT Members Message Board | Community

September 15, 2008

USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon wants your opinions on our Strategic Plan. Post your comments here. For more information on the Strategic Plan, visit the Strategic Plan page at http://triathlon.teamusa.org/content/index/2674

November 06, 2008

Dan Matheson

I largely agree with USAT's vision for the future. I especially enjoy following the age-group rankings from year to year and setting a goal of improvement in my personal ranking each year. I applaud USAT for such incredible effort to compile the results. I have only one concern about USAT's strategic plan. The possibility of drug testing for age groupers presents several potential issues. While I would love to know that the fellow age groupers I'm racing against are not gaining an unfair advantage through performance-enhancing substance use, I am especially concerned about potential "false positive" test results and the thought of an innocent age grouper being banned, even temporarily, from the hobby that he/she loves. I'm certain that no test is 100% accurate (especially if a reasonably inexpensive form of testing is utilized), and the average age grouper does not have the time or financial backing to respond appropriately to an allegation of performance-enhancing substance use that he/she believes is inaccurate. If USAT moves forward with testing of age groupers, I believe it would be of critical importance to have a user-friendly and economical appeal system in place. Otherwise, I would rather deal with the possibility that a handful of fellow competitors are gaining an unfair advantage than the possibility that an innocent age grouper who uses a supplement that contains an unadvertised ingredient might be banned. Further, the knowledge required of most age groupers to monitor whether they are using potentially banned substances (depending on how extensive the list is) might be unrealistic. Thanks for all you do on behalf of us age groupers!!

December 06, 2008

Brandon Dorman

I'd be interested in seeing stats on what percentage of USAT members are 'age-grouper's - it seems to me that the majority of us do it for fun, with perhaps the upper 20% taking it really seriously with getting coaches and all that kind of stuff. However I especially applaud the collegiate recruitment efforts... UCLA is already starting to offer scholarships privately; hopefully what they start others will follow!

February 06, 2009

Odimag Godbold

Agree with the reservations expressed about the suggested drug testing of age groupers. Before pondering a few aspects, the real question should maybe be why USAT wants to use its limited resources on something as irrelevant as drug testing age groupers and what the value of the goal, that it would accomplishes, really is in the big scheme of things. A long list of product consumed by average people contains substances on the list of items that will get you busted. Many of us use some form of medication or over-the-counter products for various ailments, short therm or longer, not to mention individual diet choices. Despite whatever system is developed it will likely mean little due process for the accused. A local "Joe" doing a local event that happens to be sanctioned is unlikely to have much in the form of resources, time, and expertise to successfully negotiate the process, let along be spending any time prior to signing up checking up on if he might be ingesting products that could get him busted. Or worse, he will just ignore it and see it as silly and never do another triathlon again. Fairness is likely to be a strong supporting argument here but the world is not fair -- and what about those with more money than the average athlete, more time, more talent, better coaching, and better weather year round? They already have an unfair advantage. This testing thing sounds like too much trouble for nothing more than the pursuit of an imaginary external perception that most of us really don't care much about anyhow -- not to mention that most of the world's population care little, if any, about triathlon in the first place. It is true that a few will care a lot about this, but maybe the question here is not about fairness but more about that they have too much time and money on their hands -- and should really be worrying about more important things. Some will always cheat and get away with it but so what? Those stupid enough to take stuff that really makes a difference are running the usual health risks but I could still care less. Most of us are weekend worriers out there having fun a few time a year and staying fit and really just see this as silly over-mothering for no real good reason. USAT should use the resources to support the age group community. And with the current national economic situation we are very likely to see a nice drop in events and participants in the coming year, if not the next few, and drug testing will likely be the least of our concerns.

Message Board / USAT Members / Strategic Plan

Add a Post

Other Topics

USA Triathlon

Team USA

September 15, 2008 USA Triathlon	USA Triathlon wants your opinions on our Strategic Plan. Post your comments here. For more information on the Strategic Plan, visit the Strategic Plan page at http://triathlon.teamusa.org/content/index/2674
November 06, 2008 Dan Matheson	I largely agree with USAT's vision for the future. I especially enjoy following the age-group rankings from year to year and setting a goal of improvement in my personal ranking each year. I applaud USAT for such incredible effort to compile the results. I have only one concern about USAT's strategic plan. The possibility of drug testing for age groupers presents several potential issues. While I would love to know that the fellow age groupers I'm racing against are not gaining an unfair advantage through performance-enhancing substance use, I am especially concerned about potential "false positive" test results and the thought of an innocent age grouper being banned, even temporarily, from the hobby that he/she loves. I'm certain that no test is 100% accurate (especially if a reasonably inexpensive form of testing is utilized), and the average age grouper does not have the time or financial backing to respond appropriately to an allegation of performance-enhancing substance use that he/she believes is inaccurate. If USAT moves forward with testing of age groupers, I believe it would be of critical importance to have a user-friendly and economical appeal system in place. Otherwise, I would rather deal with the possibility that a handful of fellow competitors are gaining an unfair advantage than the possibility that an innocent age grouper who uses a supplement that contains an unadvertised ingredient might be banned. Further, the knowledge required of most age groupers to monitor whether they are using potentially banned substances (depending on how extensive the list is) might be unrealistic. Thanks for all you do on behalf of us age groupers!!
December 06, 2008 Brandon Dorman	I'd be interested in seeing stats on what percentage of USAT members are 'age-grouper's - it seems to me that the majority of us do it for fun, with perhaps the upper 20% taking it really seriously with getting coaches and all that kind of stuff. However I especially applaud the collegiate recruitment efforts... UCLA is already starting to offer scholarships privately; hopefully what they start others will follow!
February 06, 2009 Odimag Godbold	Agree with the reservations expressed about the suggested drug testing of age groupers. Before pondering a few aspects, the real question should maybe be why USAT wants to use its limited resources on something as irrelevant as drug testing age groupers and what the value of the goal, that it would accomplishes, really is in the big scheme of things. A long list of product consumed by average people contains substances on the list of items that will get you busted. Many of us use some form of medication or over-the-counter products for various ailments, short therm or longer, not to mention individual diet choices. Despite whatever system is developed it will likely mean little due process for the accused. A local "Joe" doing a local event that happens to be sanctioned is unlikely to have much in the form of resources, time, and expertise to successfully negotiate the process, let along be spending any time prior to signing up checking up on if he might be ingesting products that could get him busted. Or worse, he will just ignore it and see it as silly and never do another triathlon again. Fairness is likely to be a strong supporting argument here but the world is not fair -- and what about those with more money than the average athlete, more time, more talent, better coaching, and better weather year round? They already have an unfair advantage. This testing thing sounds like too much trouble for nothing more than the pursuit of an imaginary external perception that most of us really don't care much about anyhow -- not to mention that most of the world's population care little, if any, about triathlon in the first place. It is true that a few will care a lot about this, but maybe the question here is not about fairness but more about that they have too much time and money on their hands -- and should really be worrying about more important things. Some will always cheat and get away with it but so what? Those stupid enough to take stuff that really makes a difference are running the usual health risks but I could still care less. Most of us are weekend worriers out there having fun a few time a year and staying fit and really just see this as silly over-mothering for no real good reason. USAT should use the resources to support the age group community. And with the current national economic situation we are very likely to see a nice drop in events and participants in the coming year, if not the next few, and drug testing will likely be the least of our concerns.