Photo of Doug Logan and Gail Devers
Doug Logan & Gail Devers
e-mail to a friend
tell us what you think!

"Shin Splints"
A Blog by Doug Logan

The Noose Tightens

Friday, May 08, 2009

On January 22, I gave a 20-minute talk at Focus on the Future, a gathering of the dietary supplement and healthy food industries in Scottsdale, Ariz. I intended to raise some hackles and more than a few eyebrows, but their reaction was even stronger than I anticipated. I was yelled at, walked out on, and generally viewed a purveyor of socialism.

You can read the text of that address, "Braiding the Noose", in the archives of this blog . The basic idea was that track and field has a problem with drugs, and that lax or nonexistent regulation of the supplement industry by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), combined with blatantly misleading and tainted products produced by certain bad actors in the supplement industry, were making things worse.

After sneaking out of Scottsdale under the cover of darkness, I was invited by some in the industry to be shown the error of my ways. I had it all wrong, they said. The supplement industry does not need regulation, and is not filled with companies making unsafe products that all but say, "Hey, taking our stuff is like -- or maybe even IS -- taking steroids!" I politely declined.

Several events in the last few weeks have caused me to think back to that fateful speech, and they have made me more sure than ever that I was on the right track.

On April 27, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero filed a lawsuit against several companies and retailers, arguing that after taking a supplement called 6-OXO EXTREME, he tested positive for a prohibited substance, Androstenedione. He was then banned for the first 50 games of the 2009 Major League Baseball season. In the suit, Romero argues that he went into separate retail outlets, in New Jersey and Alabama, in search of a supplement that would not cause any positive tests under MLB drug-testing protocols. He says salespeople directed him to 6-OXO. He then talked to some of his fellow athletes, who concurred that the supplement was OK. He read the label, which said the supplement was "natural." In short, he "was told" he wouldn't test positive.

Only after he tested positive did he have the supplement tested. And what do you know hey, how in the heck did that Andro get in there? Romero contends the post-positive analysis also showed the presence of other substances not disclosed on the product label.

Let's assume that Romero is being honest and forthcoming in his lawsuit. Based on his suit, it would appear that he thought $8-an-hour clerks at health-food stores are experts in the legal minutiae of MLB anti-doping policies and are intimately familiar with the manufacturing practices of 6-OXO EXTREME'S maker. Anyone within the world of track and field would scoff at the notion of an athlete arguing before the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that they should be let off from their two-year (not 50-game), first-time steroid suspension because "the guy at the register said it was OK." Or even a step further, that their buddies thought it was OK, too. It doesn't matter if an image of the Virgin Mary appears in a grilled cheese sandwich and tells you it's OK. It doesn't matter what the label says. You cannot take the risk.

Be that as it may, the Romero case may back up the argument I made in January, that some possibly clean athletes unintentionally test positive because their supplements are tainted. His case will be a bit of a litmus test in determining what responsibility, if any, the manufacturers of certain products have when the livelihoods of the athletes to whom they so aggressively market their products are at stake.

Less than a week after Romero filed his suit, the FDA on May 2 warned Americans to, in the words of the Associated Press, "immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death." The product's manufacturer has since recalled 14 of its products. The Associated Press story pointed out the naked truth about dietary supplements: "manufacturers don't need to prove to the FDA that their products are safe and effective before they can sell them to consumers."

I know it might be hard to believe that supplement manufacturers don't always have the best interests of their consumers' health at heart. Maybe, just maybe, the Romero case and the Hydroxycut incident will lead to greater regulation. Or any regulation.

The good news is that I don't know of anyone who contends that CERA, a new blood-boosting drug, accidentally occurs in any supplements. The bad news for six 2008 Olympic athletes is that, in retroactive testing of their samples given in Beijing, the IOC this month announced they have tested positive for that drug. Among those reported to be positive is men's 1,500m gold medalist Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, as well as two other track athletes.

The testing that the International Olympic Committee conducted on these samples, months after they were given, is a bit reminiscent of the way that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency reverse-engineered a test for THG in 2003. USADA tested many samples of track and field athletes long after they were given, catching cheaters just when those cheaters thought they were in the clear, so to speak. In that case, USADA blew open the BALCO scandal and achieved what may be the biggest step forward against doping cheats in this sport. Track and field in the United States has seen only a small number of significant positive tests since then.

In contrast to how the FDA handles supplements, USADA, the IOC and the entire Olympic family take the regulation of their industry -- the business of sport -- so seriously that they will never close the window on an athlete's doping sample. And that is how it should be. Only when people live in fear that they can be caught months, or even years down the line, when testing improves, can sport be truly cleaned up.

Unfortunately, we will continue to live our lives in what forever will be called the "Steroid Era". Major League Baseball's naive desire to have closure with the problem has turned out to be precipitous and unrealistic. Last week it was Selena Roberts' book debunking A-Rod's sanitized contention of limited juicing. This week it is Manny Ramirez' positive test for a weird concoction of substances to boost his testosterone levels. Next week? Stay tuned.

Relying on human beings to do the right thing in the realm of ethics will only go so far. Test them yesterday, tomorrow, and in the future. Keep tightening that noose.

COMMENTS
Dead wrong approach. Your lack of knowledge of science shows. Tainting is here to stay. DDT was found in polar bears. And that is just a small example. At the 1996 Olympics the testing process became a shambles. The testing was having a difficult time separating substances tainted into foods. And this is going to get worse, because of an out of control food industry and chemical industry. Mr. Logan, those will be your next targets and good luck with that. It is easy enough to jump on the supplement industry because of their weak political clout especially as the powerful pharmaceutical industry is trying to crush them. The reality is that proper testing can indeed distinguish tainting and inadvertent use from hard core drug use. WADA is really not serious about testing. Whatever happened with the hair follicle test that could have been done since the 1980's? It will never happen because it's too good. WADA has become a public relations body. One athlete is always going to have an advantage over another athlete based on diet, social environment, access to health care and funds to afford substances to put in their body. The WADA list is indeed small compared to the human pharmacopeia. And don't even mention the veterinary one. One can take two or three benign substances and get an entirely different effect. So WADA is going to be playing a losing hand given its approach where it thinks it can outlaw every substance that is a performance enhancer. WADA needs to accept that it cannot police everything and focus on a shorter list where they actually come up with tests that work. Let's focus on the outlandish performance enhancers. This approach is extremely necessary given the genetic enhancers that will ever increasing become the route of future enhancing.
Posted by: John Blue on 5/8/2009 11:27:44 AM PT
Hear, hear, sir! That industry needs a brilliant spotlight shining on its darker corners. Self-policing plus "marketplace pressures" have failed spectacularly thus far. Why should this change?
Posted by: Mark V. McDonnell on 5/8/2009 11:37:13 AM PT
Hey Doug! Since you are an advocate of being pro-active, why doesn't USATF do some research and find out what supplements in the public marketplace contain banned substances? Then, provide that information to the athletes.
Posted by: David Hager on 5/8/2009 11:58:27 AM PT
Your writing and reasoning are way too polished, and constitute a threat to all of us who work in journalism. cease and desist, senor.
Posted by: GVecsey on 5/8/2009 12:12:41 PM PT
Mr.Vecsey, Perhaps journalists, like yourself, should remember Red Smith's advice and stop "godding up these athletes", especially those you know are breaking the rules and the law. I hope Track & Field doesn't settle for being 'better than baseball' in its pursuit to clean up our sport. The Press can be The Watchdog here, too. DJ Grad
Posted by: Dennis J. Grady on 5/8/2009 2:09:23 PM PT
John Blue's characterization of "weak political clout" for the supplement industry warrants a chuckle. How about the unflagging support of the second-most senior Republican Senator, Orrin Hatch? Perhaps Mr. Blue forgets that Hatch hatched the current lax regulation of the supplement industry by writing the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 to move the industry out of the reach of the FDA.
Posted by: Sieg Lindstrom on 5/8/2009 2:33:14 PM PT
Any coach worth their salt and against drugs will have done their due diligence about the supplements they may suggest which would include factory visits. The right multi, probiotic and EFA's should be more than sufficient to get any athlete thru training that is not insane (see crossfit). Maybe we should spend more time teaching coaches/athletes how to use proper coaching methods and recovery strategies, and less time looking for a quick fix thru nutrition. I partially agree with Doug here. Industry does need regulation, but the Pharmaceutical companies are pushing the FDA hard for control of this large market and much of what they make is horrible and toxic. In their case it is not "better living thru chemistry". Many companies are very good and bear the burden of some very bad companies making questionable supplements. FDA needs separate component to oversee supplement industry which I think they have suggested. On another note 6-OXO EXTREME manufacturer has been a known dirty supplement/company with hidden ingredients for many years. Player should have checked out internet sites for such info! Readily available. This is his fault here in 2009. I might have suggested otherwise in 2001. Pretty weak argument.
Posted by: Randy Huntington on 5/8/2009 4:41:20 PM PT
I'm behind Mr. Logan on this but the athlete has to be responsible. The example of Manny Ramirez is a good example. Manny is not the sharpest crayon in the box but well paid, and should determine that a supplement is not banned. He was an athlete after an advantage who knows for how long. Have you had a friend get busted for driving drunk? Was it his first time? I would guess not. We need to make the penalty stiff and consistent. If it is worth the chance to cheat then the penalty isn't great enough. I think the same should be in place for the supplement companies - money talks folks, cut off their water should determine that his
Posted by: John Blakely on 5/8/2009 5:01:26 PM PT
the oly way to know what you are putting in your body is to grow it youself. Of course, that is impossible in this day. The best we can hope to do is quit slapping wrists for positive drug use. Life time ban for the first offense no exceptions. Do the hair test and be done with the problem.
Posted by: Richard Hotchkiss on 5/8/2009 6:12:28 PM PT
the oly way to know what you are putting in your body is to grow it youself. Of course, that is impossible in this day. The best we can hope to do is quit slapping wrists for positive drug use. Life time ban for the first offense no exceptions. Do the hair test and be done with the problem. Any idiot that is using should be caught.
Posted by: Richard Hotchkiss on 5/8/2009 6:14:37 PM PT
Mr. Logan, after reading this blog, I am left asking, "So what?" There is no reference to new action to be taken on this topic. No conclusion. Nothing we didn't already know. You write, "Maybe, just maybe, the Romero case and the Hydroxycut incident will lead to greater regulation. Or any regulation." Maybe, just maybe, it is time for USATF to put its money where its mouth is and do something to try to regulate the industry as it pertains to track and field athletes. Listen to Shannon Rowbury's comments in the press conference before the US Road Mile Championship. Check out Trey Hardee's blog in response to her comments. Send some experts who know the science to every step along the production line. Give companies the opportunity to show that their product is clean. And if they are, give them a USATF seal of approval. It doesn't need to be to one company. Give it to any company that proves the label accurately states all that is in the product. You shouldn't have been so quick to have politely declined the industry's invitation. Then, once these products get the seal, test them yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is not the morals of the athletes that go awry when a tainted multivitamin or protein powder tests positive. So have some faith in the young people out there who are trying to compete the right way, and give them some help. If you don't want to. Find someone who will.
Posted by: Mark on 5/8/2009 6:25:00 PM PT
It is important to define what it is you are trying to accomplish. The athletes have been made accountable. If your sole purpose is to find banned substances in there system and publicly chastise the athlete,then mission accomplished. If the purpose is to eliminate abuse, then accountability goes beyond the athlete. Manufacturers must be held accountable for full disclosure, and there should be a list of acceptable and unacceptable substances for athletes. I believe we should support our athletes efforts, rather than lynch them.
Posted by: Kristin Lundy on 5/8/2009 7:18:53 PM PT
We have the right person in Doug Logan. Comment on commentary. We need to get our "their" and "there" right. We are more credible when we are accurate.
Posted by: Lennie Tucker on 5/9/2009 3:10:22 AM PT
The latest witch hunt will bring fame to the torch bearers that's for sure but are we really well served? The Pharmacy giants will throw money by the ton into the hunt knowing that competition is going to be eliminated...a central theme in capitalism the way it's being practiced today...hence the lobbys with tons of dough. You are a dupe...a sincere dupe but nonetheless among the people who will bring doom to us all. All this 'sports purity' reminds me of Germany in the 20's or Reagan's passive nod to the Commies about their doping. Athletes are the pawns and the elderly will be the victims without the help these supplements can bring.
Posted by: Carlos Krauter on 5/9/2009 9:30:09 AM PT
The latest witch hunt will bring fame to the torch bearers that's for sure but are we really well served? The Pharmacy giants will throw money by the ton into the hunt knowing that competition is going to be eliminated...a central theme in capitalism the way it's being practiced today...hence the lobbys with tons of dough. You are a dupe...a sincere dupe but nonetheless among the people who will bring doom to us all. All this 'sports purity' reminds me of Germany in the 20's or Reagan's passive nod to the Commies about their doping. Athletes are the pawns and the elderly will be the victims without the help these supplements can bring.
Posted by: Carlos Krauter on 5/9/2009 9:31:31 AM PT
I think we need to go back to the reason why we don't want "dopers". Dopers use dangerous substances that do enhance their performance but also put the person at a great risk to their health. We do not want other athletes to feel that they have to compromise their health just to be faster or stronger at their sport. That being said, there are a lot of supplements that enhance performance and make the athlete healthier. There should be nothing wrong here. Everyone wins. I actually think that intense training is probably not good for the body and that a proper diet and supplementation is essential to be HEALTHY. So I say drug test with the goal of eliminating all the dangerous drugs and dangerous supplements and let everything else go.
Posted by: Kurt Hartmaier on 5/9/2009 12:21:10 PM PT
Another unmentioned point is mentioning the amounts of available vitamins. Labses ahould state how many available units of each ingredient iis claimed. Get the government off our backs is what causes so many problemd not only locally but internationally. You and I are that government they wnt to illininate.
Posted by: george whitney on 5/10/2009 7:38:35 AM PT
Lack of regulation has been the cause of constant problems. Get the government off our backs is to say get all of us off their backs so anything goes and usually does.
Posted by: george whitney on 5/10/2009 7:41:10 AM PT
Another unmentioned point is mentioning the amounts of available vitamins. Labses ahould state how many available units of each ingredient iis claimed. Get the government off our backs is what causes so many problemd not only locally but internationally. You and I are that government they wnt to illininate.
Posted by: george whitney on 5/10/2009 7:41:34 AM PT
I'm not sure about three assumptions that are made in this article: 1. athletes are testing positive due to supplements 2. FDA approval makes something safe (Vioxx was on the market 5 years before it was found to be deadly!) 3. all supplements are of equal risk for contamination (Vitamin C versus the Bodybuilder section at GNC) Currently the FDA removes supplements suspected to be unsafe, which could be triggered by one adverse event report. However, we can better rely on our common sense.
Posted by: Amy Acuff on 5/10/2009 9:11:37 AM PT
Thanks for having the courage to take on this issue. FDA regulation does not insure that companies will not cheat. Most of us in medicine have seen evidence that large pharmaceutical companies have pushed products that were unsafe. However, the supplement industry is constantly providing deceptive information about products and their safety. Patients of mine who have had heart attacks after taking what they thought were safe dietary supplements would testify to that point. Both the pharmaceutical companies and the supplement companies are big businesses who let profit projections influence their decisions about product safety. Consumers including track athletes need protection from them.
Posted by: karl fields, MD on 5/10/2009 2:45:31 PM PT
POST A COMMENT

Share your comments about "Shin Splints" by completing the form below. USATF reserves the right to edit or delete submissions for profanity, inappropriate content or any other reason. The content of the submissions does not necessarily reflect the opinions of USA Track & Field, its athletes, employees, officers, sponsors or volunteers. USATF does not intend for the content of the submissions to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Neither USATF nor any of its athletes, employees, officers, sponsors or volunteers is responsible for, and neither will be liable for, either the submissions’ content, implication or intent, or any loss, damage or injury resulting therefrom.

Your name:
E-mail address:
Comments:
By clicking the Post Comments button, I certify that I have read and understand the USATF privacy statement and terms of use and agree to their terms.

 

>> Blog archives

Photo of Doug Logan Doug Logan is the CEO of USA Track & Field (USATF), the national governing body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the organization has more than 90,000 members throughout the country.