Track Agents Hope to Curb "Serious" Offenders

Story written by Eric

The Association of Athletics Managers (AAM) agreed in November 2007 that it would not represent any track and field athlete who tests positive for -- and is convicted of -- a doping violation which penalises the athlete for two or more years.

It was a hard stance taken against cheats, but a decisive one which sends a clear message to athletes: Doing the crime equals doing the time, but forgiveness won't come by way of powerful men in charge of securing placements in meets when those fallen athletes return.

And, as it turns out, many meets in Europe won't accept those athletes, either.

The agent initiative, which was signed 2007-November-9, has gathered momentum with 30 members representing virtually every high-profile athlete across the globe -- athletes who won 31 individual Gold Medals in the Athens Olympics four years ago.

The AAM's goal is to improve the professional status of the sport of athletics on a worldwide basis, and, in having signed a pact inclusive of the top agents, it believes it will have better opportunity to police and license managers and agents.

According to Mark Wetmore, who works at Global Athletics and Marketing managing about 70 track and field athletes from around the world -- including triple 2007 IAAF World Outdoor champion Tyson Gay, agents came together to form the disciplinary committee in a concerted attempt to take a stand in the sport.

"We have to help clean up our sport in any way we can. We're not helping these things if athletes can get another agent, another manager. We shouldn't support it in any way," he stated to the Boston Globe on 2008-Jaunary-27.

Other reknowned agents who have signed on the dotted line include Emmanuel Hudson, whose track club, HSI, includes a former banned athlete, Torri Edwards; Renaldo Nehemiah, whose star client has been banned Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin; and John Regis, who worked with Dwain Chambers -- a former BALCO client who's currently involved in an upheaval with UK Athletics in Great Britain.

Wetmore has also had one client fall prey to the drug game, sprinter Aziz Zakari.

Said Wetmore, who is also 110m hurdle world-record holder Liu Xiang's agent, to The Independent:

"You hear such sweeping statements being made about the sport – that doping is all the fault of the coaches, or of the agents – and we wanted to make it clear to people that we didn't have anything to do with it. We take this issue very seriously and we feel we have to make a stand. I think you are seeing groups independently coming to the same conclusions right now. The meeting promoters and the agents are now shoulder-to-shoulder against doping."

The Euromeetings group, whose members conduct track-and-field meets here on the European circuit, have also made a pact to refuse entry to current or future athletes convicted of serious doping violations -- those whose violations require a two- or more year banishment.

The Euromeetings are headed by president Rajne Soderberg, who also serves as meeting director of the DN Galan event in Stockholm.

Chambers failed a test for THG -- an undetectable steroid issued by Victor Conte's BALCO laboratories in California, USA -- in 2003, and later admitted candidly that he had taken steroids for a longer period of time than that for which he had been caught.

The Euromeetings group is comprised of quite a few meeting arrangers who had payed Chambers to compete at their track meets whilst he was a doped athlete, and who have requested that they be payed back the money he in essense stole whilst falsely presenting himself as a clean athlete.

He returned to full-time athletics competition in 2006 following his 24-month ban, and helped Great Britain secure a gold medal in the 4x100m relay down in Göteborg at the EAA European Outdoor Championships that August. Chambers then attempted to pursue a dream of playing in the NFL, was unsuccessful, and then decided to return to the track.

UK Athletics' row with Chambers stems from Chambers not having been on the active drug testing programme during his time spent away from the sport in 2007, and state they can not assure he is a clean athlete. Chambers has been tested since his return to competition this indoor season, but the stated effects of Conte's drugs are said to have an effect life of up to two years.

The Euromeetings group may flex their arms and prohibit Chambers from competing in their events -- much like they have with blocking his entry at today's on-going Norwich Union Grand Prix meet in Birmingham. In doing so, however, they effectively shoot themselves in the foot, as a percentage of money Chambers earns can be garnished and used toward repayment to them.

One athlete, American hurdler Damu Cherry, has already felt the backlash resulting from a previous ban, and was removed from the starting list at the Olso Golden League meeting when Daniel Wessfeldt, another prominent agent who signed the agreement, had her removed.

Not Enough Liu Xiang?

Story written by EPelle

World and Olympic 110m hurdle champion Liu Xiang is happy to be outside of the house.

Ordinarily, news about athletes doing anything else than running or setting records doesn't make the press, but Liu Xiang is no everyday athlete.

China Daily has planted itself in Liu Xiang's every footstep over the past two years following his 2004 Olympic victory in Athens, reporting when world-record holder Liu Xiang has taken drug tests, when he has donated money, every change in his IAAF world ranking, and when he has stepped away from the track for brief appearance in commercial spots for a sponsor.

No stone is left uncovered by Chinese press when they have something fed to them from Liu Xiang's corner.

One practical reason for the information overload may be that Liu Xiang doesn't have much regular contact with the public, and is usually in an enclosed environment or training according to his coach, Sun Haiping.

"As long as we impose proper control, it [public engagements] won't sway him out of form," Haiping said to Xinhua after a charity event in Wuxi last Sunday, when a pair of Liu Xiang's gold-colored track shoes with his autograph fetched the equivalent of $18.750 in an auction for retired athletes insurance.

"It will be his last advertising activity before the 2008 Games," said a track and field official quoted by the Hubei Daily after Liu Xiang signed with Amway for the equivalent of $2.5M.

China Daily states that according to the official, the General Administration of Sports - China's sports administrative body - plans to control Liu Xiang's involvement in advertising by "tap[ping] his commercial value step by step but control[ing] the number of participation[s]."

This entire Liu Xiang hysteria - rightfully termed - is excellent for the Chinese as they look to a national hero to lead them forth to gold in Beijing two summers from now.

China touted Liu Xiang as a medal hopeful in 2004, but the 21-year-old Shanghai native kept to himself, allowing his feet to do the talking. When he won the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final in a championship record 12,93 - his third-fastest ever, hundreds of Chinese waved flags and cheered wildly at the finish line, a small reflection of what is to come.

However, the control over Liu Xiang seems reminiscent of Rocky IV when Drago spoke of his mission against Balboa.

It is a matter of size. Evolution. Isn't it, gentlemen? Drago is the most perfectly trained athlete ever. This other man has not the size, the strength, the genetics to win. It is physically impossible for this little man to win. Drago is a look at the future!

Though no one has heard those exact ramblings from the Chinese leadership surrounding Liu Xiang, one begins to wonder how much propaganda will be shoveled out as he journeys to win the world championship gold medal which eluded him in Helsinki two years ago, and to set China on fire by attempting to win the gold on his home soil.

As the first-ever male Chinese athlete to win a gold medal in Olympic track and field history, Liu Xiang was given god-like status in a country of one billion inhabitants.

The IAAF reported that as well as his having received lucrative sponsorship contracts which placed him in the top-three in the national earnings list for entertainers and sports celebrities, a school text book, and a short theatrical play have been devised around his life.

Liu Xiang has also taken up a national publicity role fronting a campaign to increase public awareness about environmental protection, and also a civic position as an ambassador to promote his home city of Shanghai.

The athletics world shockingly learned Liu Xiang's name in Athens as the world junior-record holder (13,12 in Lausanne in 2002) equalled Colin Jackson's 12,91 world record time in stealing the gold from his much more experienced counterparts.

Time Asia reported following the Olympics that a Greek television announcer stammered following the surprise win.

"In first place, it's ... it's a Chinese man." Foiled by the X in Liu's given name, the broadcaster sidestepped the problem: "He is Mr. Liu. Congratulations to Mr. Liu from China," the Greek is reported as stating (source).

Liu Xiang may handle the increased propaganda (there are portraits of Liu Xiang plastered in several hundred places in Beijing) as the Olympics draw near. He apparently lives in a box, and has no real outside contact with the surrounding world. His coaches tell him when to rise, and when to set his body in the bed - a curfew to which Liu Xiang has been directly opposed. They tell him which appearances to make, and how much energy to spend at those limited functions.

There is no time bomb ticking inside of Liu Xiang as there was inside of the Russian monster "Drago". The hurdler has a way with people. The fighting machine killed people.

Fans and supporters are what make life for Liu Xiang interesting, and give him joy while he is visible in the public on those rare occasions he is permitted to be seen. The question which arises is whether or not Liu Xiang has more opportunities to race baby kangaroos who have stolen from little children and make Chinese television audiences applaud in the future.

According to Sun, commercials are a good way to promote an athlete away from the field, and Liu Xiang's increasing popularity is in large part due to his participation in such activities.

"But it must be within reason, and not excessive," Sun said.

First things first for the great Chinese hope.

Liu Xiang is an athlete before he is a spokesperson. He has a championship to win and his national ground to protect - two goals which surpass all sums of money, fame and notoriety combined - when the Olympic Games come to his country.

If Liu Xiang is able to make his country proud by winning the 2008 Olympic gold medal, Chinese nationalism will be at a feverish high. More will be requested of the star athlete - interviews, appearances, guest dinners, and so forth. Will his mentors close the door to future earning potential and affection by the Chinese people?

Liu Xiang has made a declaration that he would like to continue competing into his 30s. Surely he can not be shielded and hushed away until after he retires. There will not be enough of Liu Xiang to go around if he is kept behind closed doors the next four to six years.

• Liu Xiang's official website