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SPORTS Monday 23 SepteMber 2019

Continued from Page 18 Anti-Doping Agency's not discuss ongoing cases
Coleman's case involved rules, which call for ath- in public, because this one
a pileup of complicated letes to provide informa- got leaked to the media,
rules, confusing interpreta- tion on their whereabouts and because Coleman
tions and twisted after-the- so doping-control officers subsequently commented
fact narratives that have can find them for out-of- on it, it freed up USADA to
allowed critics to cast both competition tests with no explain its side of the case.
main players in this saga — advance notice. If an ath- "In this case, we applied the
Coleman and the U.S. Anti- lete has a combination of rules to Mr. Coleman in the
Doping Agency — into a three missed tests over the manner that USADA under-
negative light. span of 12 months — ei- stands should be applied
Coleman, who has never ther because he isn't where to any other international-
failed a drug test, nor ever he said he would be, be- level athlete," USADA CEO
been suspected of run- cause he gave the wrong Travis Tygart explained.
ning afoul of the rules, will information or because he Most fans probably won't
be running under a cloud didn't update the informa- delve into the minutiae of
of suspicion in the minds of tion — it can be considered this issue, but will see the
some fans and media who an anti-doping violation. words "Doping" and "Track"
tend to paint all U.S. sprint- Athletes are responsible in the headlines and think
ers with the same broad for submitting their where- "nothing new there." In this June 30, 2019, file photo, Christian Coleman, left, of the
United States, wins the 100-meter race as he looks towards
brush — as cheaters, a ste- abouts information quar- For the better part of 10 compatriot Justin Gatlin during the Prefontaine Classic athletics
reotype borne out of Amer- terly, then updating it as years, Bolt shifted that focus meet in Stanford, Calif.
ica's sordid doping past. necessary. In an interpreta- — even deflecting away Associated Press
Coleman, meanwhile, is tion of the rule that WADA inevitable questions about
assailing USADA for being applied to Coleman, his his own clean doping re- track federation still under white hat, but guys, c'mon,"
sloppy and putting him first missed test, on June 6, cord with a smile, or by suspension). Gatlin said after his victory,
in the crosshairs because 2018, was backdated to earnestly taking umbrage Now that Bolt is gone, the in responding to the boo-
of the confusion over the the start of the quarter in at the mere suggestion — top two contenders in Sat- ing and the harsh question-
rules. which he missed the test — and placed it squarely on urday's 100-meter final are ing that accompanied the
"It's a shame on USADA, the April 1 — which put it out- the track, where his light all expected to be Coleman win.
fact that this was public side of the 12-month win- but blinded everyone from and defending champion Can any sprinter — wheth-
knowledge, the fact that dow between that failure this sport's ever-growing Justin Gatlin, a 37-year-old er declared innocent, or
they didn't know their own and his latest one, on April laundry list of warts and who has been suspended insistent that he's changed
rules, and the fact they ex- 26, 2019. imperfections (Remember, twice for doping viola- his ways — get a clean start
pect athletes to know the It was an interpretation of the Russian doping scandal tions and whose victory at in a sport that demands ex-
rules but they can't follow the rule that USADA did began as a track and field worlds in London in 2017 actly that?
their own," Coleman said not initially anticipate, and issue, and barring an un- was greeted with skepti- Maybe Coleman's trip
on a 22-minute video he one that will be eliminated expected move by track's cism from the media and to Doha, with less than a
posted on YouTube last when the WADA code is re- governing body this week, boos from the stands. year to go before the 2020
week. vised for 2021. Russians will compete as "I know you have to have Olympics, will offer some
At issue are the World And though USADA does neutral athletes with their the black hat and the sort of answer.q
Truex wins again at Richmond; Gibbs' Jones disqualified

By HANK KURZ Jr. anything like that in my life," ning at this level, there's
AP Sports Writer Truex said. a little bit of a pinch-me
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — "When things are rolling, feeling," Truex said. "Look,
Martin Truex Jr. seemed to they just are." this is really, really difficult.
have a "pinch me" moment The victory completed a These races are hard to
as he climbed from his car redemptive finish for Truex, win. ... You've got to have
in victory lane. the championship leader some things go your ways
Nudged off the lead with coming into the race. The sometimes and we've cer-
87 laps to go, Truex rallied bump from Ricky Sten- tainly had that the last two
Saturday night, ultimately house Jr., who was running weeks."
passing Joe Gibbs Racing on fresher tires, seemed Pole sitter Brad Keselowski
teammate Kyle Busch with inadvertent, and came in moved up to fourth with
25 laps to go and winning Turn 4, but Truex was still Jones' disqualification, and
his second consecutive running third when the every driver that finished
NASCAR Cup Series race. caution flew. behind him moved up one
That it came in the series' He gradually reeled in his spot on the final grid, and Martin Truex Jr. struggles to lift the winner's trophy after his vic-
playoffs, it seemed, made teammate, got a nudge in the two in-race stages, tory in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Richmond Raceway
it all the more surreal. from Busch as he passed where Jones had been in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019.
"To spin and win is pretty and pulled away. ninth in the first stage and Associated Press
incredible. I've never done "I think any time you're win- fourth in the second.q