TAC Appears to Be Getting Tough : Independent Probe of Track’s Drug Problem Sought

Saying there is “general concern of the athletes about the integrity of the sport of track and field,” the Athletes Advisory Committee of The Athletics Congress held an emergency meeting in suburban Washington and Friday released a position paper that called for an independent investigation of the drug problem in U.S. track and field.

The meeting was prompted by recent allegations by sprinter Darrell Robinson that some top American athletes have used performance-enhancing drugs.

The AAC Executive Committee members, among them Edwin Moses, Harvey Glance and Renaldo Nehemiah, met Thursday at a hotel in Arlington, Va. Their discussions were wide-ranging, but centered on the drug issue.

This was made clear in the statement’s first point: “The AAC Executive Committee is concerned that the use of performance-enhancing drugs may be pervasive in the sport and that appropriate mechanisms may not exist to control that use.”

Moses said earlier this week that athletes were angry that a TAC committee had overturned the positive testosterone tests of two athletes, saying the results had been inconclusive.

The position paper also made these points:

--TAC should appoint an independent investigator to look into the drug problem in U.S. track and field.

--The selection of the investigator must be approved by TAC’s Board of Directors and the AAC Executive Committee.

--Limited amnesty should be offered to athletes and coaches to encourage cooperation with the investigation.

--The TAC Board of Directors should appoint a special committee to act as a liaison between TAC and the investigator.

--TAC should suspend all proceedings against athletes and coaches related to drug use.

This last point specified the ongoing Chuck DeBus case, which is still before a TAC hearing panel. DeBus, an L.A. area coach, has been accused of providing drugs to athletes. The AAC asked that the DeBus case be handed over to the independent investigator.

TAC President Frank Greenberg said the meetings were watched with interest.

“A lot of what they are saying is very close to what we are doing,” Greenberg said from Philadelphia. “We are not that far apart. It’s pretty obvious independence is needed.”

However, Greenberg’s notion of an independent investigation involves using TAC panels and procedures. That does not mesh with what the athletes have asked for--a group or body with no ties to track and field to conduct the investigation.