The Drug Wars

In the past several months, the focus in the drug wars have shifted dramatically. Recent programs on ABC Prime Time and the BBC (British Broadcasting System) clearly have changed the thrust of the current investigation from "IF" there has been doping, and by whom, to "WHY" the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the swimming Federation, FINA, has covered up the positive tests that have occurred.

A recently published book, the second in the series "The New Lords of the Rings," reveals that medals were bought in Seoul by boxing officials, that over 1000 positive drug tests were recorded in all sports in the Barcelona Olympics, while the IOC reported only FIVE positives, concealing the other 995 from the public, and that the various Federations have bought by the IOC thought a mixture of cash donations and elevation to the IOC itself. (In May 1995 president Larfaoui of FINA was elevated to the IOC by Chairman Samaranch, on the condition that he will only remain a member as long as he is FINA President. This July, Larfaoui will seek a rules change that win allow him an unprecedented third-term as FINA President.) Larfaoui was elevated to the private club almost exactly one month after a special FINA commission chaired by the USA's Ross Wales reported back from China that they could find no evidence that China's Federation was cheating. This report was exactly what His Excellency Mr. Samaranch wanted to hear. A China indictment would have meant serious consideration for expulsion of China from the Olympic Games, an event that Coca-Cola, FINA and the IOC's biggest sponsor, would have been utterly opposed to. Coca-Cola clearly wants to see its product in the worlds largest market ... China. It is using the Olympic Rings to provide the promotion of its own ever-present red and white logo.

Larfaoui swore an oath of allegiance to the IOC, as all members do, that supposedly overrides all other loyalties. (Private clubs can operate as fascist organizations if they chose to do so, and the IOC does.) In the last month, FINA has rolled over for the IOC, stating publicly that it will seek to roll back the four year ban for first time steroid use that it w the FINA Congress legally voted into being on a motion by John Devitt of Australia at the RIO CONGRESS in November of 1995, and make the first time penalty an IOC compatible two years. Larfaoui betrays his FINA constituency, and those who elected him to office, in favor of those who SELECTED him (Samaranch) to the elite private club of the IOC.

Swimming's victory in Rio to say strongly that we are opposed to drug use, is tossed aside for the personal privilege of Larfaoui on the alter of the IOC.

WHAT DRUG TESTS?

Thanks to USS President Carol Zaleski, we are now privy to the number of drug tests that FINA has provided in this Olympic year, at least in the USA. A June 24th release from USS states that FINA has done an amazing job of 36 drug tests in the USA this year. (That's not even the entire Olympic Team once, folks.) Zaleski, acting on orders from the USS Board of Directors, has asked FINA to reveal the number of tests done world-wide by its vaunted team of Swedish Drug Police. So date, they have declined to provide those numbers, despite telling the world in Rio, that they would test the top 50 in each event, and report results. FINA also heralded its "world-leading program to fight drug use" far and wide.

Now if this world leading investigative drug team has only been able to test 36 swimmers in the USA, the most easily accessible testing site in the world, with the most free movement and communications of any nation, exactly how many tests do you suppose they have been able to carry out in communist China-, land of the largest number of positive drug tests in history, and the most restrictive society on the face of the earth?

The NEW Chinese Stars

IF the Chinese bring their top two swimmers to Atlanta (as they are under no obligation to do), then fully 43% of those swimmers came from outside the world top 50 list in the past year, to places within the top 10 in the world and on their Olympic Team. Of those athletes, 27% of their potential Olympic Team came from outside the World TOP 150 in 1994 to world top ten in 1995 (prior to the Games.) This means that those 43% would not have been tested by-FINA even if FINA has been doing a bang-up thorough job of testing in China. (And this situation is WORSE than a similar comparison of Chinese rankings from 1993 pre-Rome world championships to 1994 in Rome.)

IS FINA TESTING IN CHINA? IN HUNGARY? IN CANADA? IN THE USA? We don't know, they won't tell the public, the athletes, the coaches, or anyone else, including the Presidents of the Numbers One and Two Swimming Nations in the world, the USA and Australia. (We only know the FINA test numbers in the USA thanks to the USS report.)

WILL FINA continue to trumpet its "world-leading anti-drug program" despite its unwillingness to tell us what they are really doing?

IS ANYONE BUYING THIS NONSENSE?

Not in Australia, where the back page of THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN from Sydney, was filled on the 22nd of June with "OLYMPIC FACE RUIN: GOULD" as a headline. The story quotes Australian Olympic Greatest Ever Female Swimmer Shane Gould. "Its up to athletes and coaches to apply pressure on behalf of the sports. On reflection, I find it quite frightening, gray areas have replaced black and white, and in modern society, concepts of right and wrong should be quite clear at the Olympics, and they are not. I am concerned with the ethics involved. FINA must be held accountable." Earlier, the Olympic star had said, "If FINA will not fix it, then it must be fixed from the grass roots level, from the current athletes and coaches and the former athletes." The article, written by John MacDonald, also quotes Australian Swimming Coaches Association President Otto Sonnleitner, "The time will come when people will be sick of being beaten by drugged swimmers, and will say, 'forget the Olympics'" Sonnleitner went on to say that FINA is not really suited-to run world swimming, with an Algerian President and a Uruguayan Vice-President, "I can't remember when either nation had a world-class swimmer, and neither has ever had a world-class program." Sonnleitner said that if FINA's structure did not change, Australian Coaches would look seriously at joining a pressure group that would include former Olympians like Gould and present Olympic swimmers, with the aim of looking it a new way to run world swimming.

Forbes Carlile is quoted, "Either FINA will have to change, or there will be solid grounds for promoting the establishment of something to replace it."

Discussions in Australia in April with Australian Coaching representatives, and World Swimming Coaches representatives, laid down four critical touchstones to be reached in evaluating the world swimming governing body:

#1. The athletes and the coaches of the world want drug-free sport. Now.

#2. The athletes and the coaches of the world want direct representation elected by themselves at the highest decision making level of the organization, be it FINA or a replacement.

#3. The athletes and the coaches demand a truly democratic and open organization with information "sunshine" rules and strict accountability for funding in and out, as well as reporting on all programs.

#4. The athletes and the coaches want an organization concerned and active in promoting the growth of the sport of swimming worldwide.

TWO MEASUREMENTS IN ATLANTA FINA CONGRESS:

United States Swimming, after a request from the American Swimming Coaches Association, has an proposal on the table of the FINA Congress in Atlanta, that would place one coach and one athlete on the FINA Bureau. Passage of this item would-directly affect point number 2 above. Passage is not likely. Bureau opposition is known.

The FINA Bureau themselves, in an under the table agreement with the World Swimming Coaches Association, placed on the Rio agenda, an item that would punish national federations who failed to police their own drug problems, and had multiple positive drug tests in any quadrennium. (China and East Germany would both have to be banned for an Olympic quadrennium). This item in hot debate in Rio, was ruled a "Tie" and therefore denied passage in Rio. It is scheduled to come up again in Atlanta. If it is not passed there, it is hard to envision how FINA can see itself as effective in an anti-drug stance. Tellingly, not one Bureau Member spoke FOR the proposal when it was assailed by opponents in Rio. Again, FINA appears to provide support to anti-drug initiatives to placate angry coaches and athletes, while not working to support its own proposal when the chips are down on the table.

And if FINA fails to move towards re-formation?

No group. gives up power voluntarily, least of all an autocratic, non-democratic club that is modeling itself after the group that provides the bulk of its finances, the IOC. Increasingly it is -clear- that FINA is a puppet of its financial benefactor, the IOC,-and FINA's President rewarded with elevation to the sacred club of clubs.

Will the world's coaches and athletes stand still for this hijacking of their sport, or will they move to form a new organization demanding reform after Atlanta? As of this writing, we don't know the answer, but the questions become more and more clearly laid before us. Make no mistake, the athletes and the coaches of the world are mere slaves to this consortium of "administrators" that is FINA. We bring in the results that bring home the money from the IOC. Our athletes are the stars, the coaches the vital support players. Neither has a voice in the conduct of a sport in which we are the central players.

Notice that at any sporting event in the world, the players and coaches surround the field and are the center of attention. This is so in swimming as well, almost all the wave to the top ... the European Championships give athletes the seats of honor. The American Championships do likewise. In Australia, the sport is athlete centered.

Then we go to the FINA World Championships. The athletes are relegated with the coaches to the cheap seats high up in the nosebleed section where no one else really wants to sit. Then we go to the Olympic Games, and once again the worst seats in the house belong to the prime players. The FINA officialdom meanwhile parade the deck, all eyes on them.- The FINA Bureau and invited guests sit in the -seats of honor and comfort. FINA's rules are made with the ease of officiating in mind, not what is best for the athlete.

Who is center stage in FINA events? The administrators and officials. The slaves go the back of the bus, the top of the stands, and eat in the kitchen. Symbolic, yes, and perhaps only a minor irritation. But symbols are powerful and moving.

If FINA resists re-formation, as expected, what final symbol will it take to motivate coaches and athletes to take matters into their own hands?

Next Battleground in the War: Atlanta, the FINA Congress.

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE:

From Mahatma Gandhi: "When we try to bring about change in our societies, we are first treated with indifference, then with ridicule, then with abuse, and then with oppression. And finally the greatest challenge is thrown at us, we are treated with respect. This is the most dangerous stage."

Are coaches at the stage of ridicule, or abuse? Note where we are heading.

AND ... A LONG LOOK BACKWARD IN TIME:

from SPORT INTERN, a European publication: "German public prosecutors have made a new contribution to reprocessing the so-called residual burdens of GDR Sport. In early May, they had files confiscated from dozens of former GDR sports officials, sports scientists, and sports physicians, in order to be able to prove their guilt regard to the doping of minors. Manfred VonRichthofen, president of the German Sports Confederation, welcomed the efforts it aimed at providing clarification about those responsible for the GDR's inhuman doping practices." In their actions, the public prosecutors reacted by order of the authorities, and also "in response to complaints from persons affected". The public prosecutors action was also directed among others, against the former GDR, Sports Chief Manfred Ewald, his deputies Thomas Kohler and Horst Roder the former secretary of the GDR State, Gunter Erback and against Rudi Hellman, the head of the sports section within the ruling communist party."

Interestingly, the newspaper of the German communist party, NEUES Deutschland, saw it differently: "The police action would appear to be aimed at generally bringing into disrepute the internationally successful GDR sport although today Federal Republic of Germany benefits from it. "The FGR benefits from it? Yes indeed. Over 1000 of the doping doctors, sports medicine researchers and related others are now employed in sports in the Federal Republic of Germany, including many of the highest ranking officials. Deja Vu, anyone?

REFERENCE BOOKS ON THE DRUG WARS:

The definitive text on the history of doping is written by the John Hoberman, Professor of Germanic Languages at the University of Texas at Austin, entitled "MORTAL ENGINES." Published by Free Press a division of Macmillan, Inc. 866 Third Ave. NY, NY 10022. (1992) ISBN 002914765-4.

The 2nd in a series on the corruption of the Olympic Games, is called, "THE NEW LORDS OF THE RINGS" written by investigative journalist ANDREW JENNINGS, and published June, 1996 in London, England. His first book, written with TV commentator Viv Simpson, was "The Lords-of the Rings," also published in some nations as "The Dishonored Games."

Available in the USA ONLY through the ASCA right now, call us at 1-800-356-2722 to get your copy.

Gee, I wonder why it isn't being published in the USA? Could it be that Fascist Juan Antonio Samaranch would prefer that the good folks in Atlanta don't see it before July? Both books -reveal that Samaranch was a card-carrying Fascist in Franco's Spain for 2/3 of his life, and still operates the IOC along, fascist rules. One of the more fascinating chapters of NEW LORDS, is an explanation of how in 1994, the IOC tried to completely control press coverage Olympic Games, and how this was narrowly averted. Now lets completely control a society, AND completely control the press reports on that society, what do you call that again?

BOTH HOBERMAN AND JENNINGS WILL JOIN THE WSCA ANTI-DOPING COMMITTEE ON THE SPEAKERS PODIUM AT THE ASCA WORLD CLINIC IN SAN DIEGO!