catherine poletti | iancorless.com – Photography, Writing, Talk Ultra Podcast

It is never nice to have to report and document on doping, particularly in a sport I love. However, in the past 24-hours many questions have been raised re a positive test for EPO at the worlds largest trail running event, the UTMB®

I must thank Robbie Biritton for bringing the positive test of Gonzalo Calisto to the limelight. I recommend that you read my post from earlier today HERE.

This positive test raised many questions. Most importantly, how was it possible that the IAAF could have this information available to the public and the UTMB® or UTWT not notify the world media and runners of this positive decision?

I was proactive and I emailed UTWT and UTMB® and within a relatively short period of time, the UTMB® released a ‘press release’ which acknowledged all our claims. You can read that HERE.

Problem is, myself and many of the ultra running community still have many questions. How was it possible that Robbie, myself and other journalists were the ‘first’ to release this information?

And I quote:

Dear UTMB®

Many thanks for this and thank you for responding so quickly.

It does pose some serious questions though and I would like clarification why it has taken myself (and a few others) to bring this to everyones attention.

How long have the UTMB known about this positive test?

Kind regards,

Ian

This evening I have received a reply from Michel Poletti. He provides the following answers to my question?

Dear Ian,

We have learned this news this morning at 7 AM (Paris time) by an email from Anne who has been asked by other journalists.

Indeed, the anti-doping procedure is so discreet that :
– the organizer has no information about the doping controls operated on his race
– when a national or international federation make a decision, this decision is published on the web site of the federation, with no other announcement
Thus, if an organizer want to know something about the anti-doping controls which were made on his race, he should need to look every day on the web site of the federations…or to wait to be warned by someone else…

Do not hesitate to ask for any other question

Best regards

I have to say that I welcome this response. However, I struggle with it…. I responded:

I appreciate your email and I thank you for the clarification.

I am somewhat bemused and perplexed by this situation?

I became aware of this some 12 hours before the UTMB organisation? I find this hard to believe… this has been ‘public’ knowledge on the IAAF website since June 24th. Are you telling me, that it was myself that informed UTMB of a positive test?

The IAAF have found Gonzalo Calisto ‘positive’ of EPO at ‘in competition testing’ after placing 5th at ‘the’ most prestigious trail running event in the world and they did not inform the race, you or Catherine?

Could I ask the following please?

1. Why are you not informed of a positive test?

2. Which authority took the test and on who’s authority?

3. Who does Gonzalo Calisto approach to review the test?

4. Under who’s authority is Gonzalo Calisto suspended from racing?

These are fundamental points and please rest assured, I want to ensure that Gonzalo Calisto is not the subject of a witch hunt.

*****

I will inform you of a reply when I receive it.