While this blog was created to tell the trials and tribulations of this wanna-be-badass-runner, the fan of the sport
in me can keep quiet no longer. While I and countless others pursue our
athletics goals with integrity, there are always some out there who cheat the
system, purposely using banned substances to get ahead. And, at times, these
athletes, even after being caught, are still rewarded. As, for example, was
justin gatlin, now that Nike
is re-signing him.
Simply put, this is not acceptable.
Before I say any more, let me
stress what this post is not.
•It is not an attack on Nike generally. Nike unquestionably
makes some amazing athletics gear. I’ve set many PRs in Nike footwear, and would
be more than happy to set many more in Nike gear in the future. Plus, it is
undeniable that Nike spends huge (well, compared to most other companies, not necessarily
compared to other sports) sums of money making a positive impact on our sport.
•It is not a
post generally about lengths of bans. While I personally am in favor of
lifetime bans from the sport (and expunging all
previous records) for a case of intentional doping, this is a much longer
issue, which needs not be entered into here.
•It is not a post about how most, or however-many, elite
athletes are doping. I choose to be trusting in general, withholding negative
judgment unless there is significant evidence. Perhaps I am too naïve. But
now’s not the time to talk about it.
So
what time is it? It is time to talk about what we, the fans of this great sport
of athletics (track & field), should do in situations surrounding convicted
dopers. And justin gatlin is exactly that. While he has served his ban and is
allowed to compete legally, this does not mean that we have to make it easy for
him. This certainly does not mean that Nike has to re-sign him. But they did.
Nike,
like all (most?) major corporations, are in it for the money. That’s fine.
They, presumably, re-signed gatlin because they thought it would lead to better
profits. So what can we, as fans of the sport, do about it? We can show Nike
that such support of such an egregious case will only hurt their bottom line.
To
do so, we send a message with the almighty dollar. Stop, for now, buying Nike.
Yes, this will hurt you, as you’ll lose out on some of their great gear. Too
bad. Tell your friends. Email whomever at Nike you can. One email will be
ignored, so will ten, but what about a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred
thousand? And then talk to your local running specialty store.
While
Run Specialty may be a small segment of Nike’s overall structure, my assumption
(which could be way off base) is that the majority of people who’d be
influenced by a sponsored runner would typically purchase their gear from a run
specialty shop. So it’s these customers that, I assume, Nike is trying to reach
by such a deal. If Run Specialty shops say no more, perhaps Nike will change
their ways.
So
email your local running store(s). Let them know that you would prefer they
stop carrying Nike products while such convicted cheaters are on the payroll. Again,
one person doesn’t make a difference, but many do. So convince your friends to
do the same.
Of course, no one store will make a
difference itself. But if many stores get this feedback, and some start to say
no more and cancel their Nike orders, perhaps Nike will listen. The more stores
that stop carrying Nike, or extremely cut their orders, the more likely we, the
people, the fans of this great sport of athletics, will be able to make our
voice heard.
And that voice cries out: Compete Clean
Make-a-difference check-list:
•Email your local run-specialty store about your stance on
dopers, and those who support them.
•Email Nike, explaining your choice to boycott until they
drop convicted dopers like gatlin.
•Spread the word to friends and followers, in person and
online, using the hashtag #CompeteClean
•Compete, in all that you do, with integrity.
