The USATF has revised their zero tolerance anti-doping policy to include coaches, agents, and medical personnel. They will now require coaches to register in order to receive benefits from USATF, including credentials to national championships, stipends, positions on national team staffs and media exposure for themselves or their athletes.
By making the policy less athlete-centered, the USATF hopes to protect athletes and coaches by discouraging athletes from working with people who are likely to encourage them to cheat.
“This expansion of our Zero Tolerance policy provides protection for our athletes, the sport, and coaches who are doing things the right way,” said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback. “While
USADA remains responsible for issuing doping bans, the Board of Directors recognizes how critical it is that we do everything we can to deny USATF benefits to those who may be influencing athletes to use drugs.”
I think that this is a good move by the USATF and I hope that the program has a positive impact. I think that coaches should be held accountable for the actions of their athletes; this will help prevent clean athletes from working with coaches who have a questionable history as well as good coaches from taking on bad eggs that might ruin their careers.
That, to me, is one of the reasons these policies have continued to fail – the enablers – coaches, soigneurs, team leaders – do not have an incentive to ensure their atheletes are clean. The coach’s incentive is to win, and expand his/her client base. So, it’s that much easier for them to look the other way.
Tag coaches, etc, with the same sanctions as the atheletes, and change might happen.
I agree that coaches should get the same sanctions, but this is just a step in that direction. Only USADA has the authority to ban players and coaches; the USATF can only refuse them the right to get the benefits that they offer.
It is a good step in the right direction, though.