Jessica Calalang Cleared of Drug Violation

It has been said. This obviously explains everything. The rumor mill was so radical that there was speculation that they were plotting to skate for another country. Glad it has been resolved and I noticed that their skating at Finlandia was better. Wonder if her clearance was related to the improved performance - She went for and landed her triples!
 
Article based on yesterday's Associated Press article (linked in post #1) with new quotes by a USADA spokesperson at the end:
www.insidethegames.biz

Calalang cleared by USADA and WADA after eight-month battle to overturn ban

American figure skater Jessica Calalang admitted she felt "absolutely helpless" at times as she battled to prove her innocence after being hit with a...
www.insidethegames.biz www.insidethegames.biz
A USADA spokesperson told insidethegames that Calalang had done "everything right" and hoped this "horrible" situation would not happen again following changes to WADA's rules.
"We thoroughly investigated the case and other similar ones reported earlier this year," said USADA.
"Our science team determined the innocent source of the laboratory finding and we determined there was no rule violation, which was confirmed by WADA.
"WADA’s new laboratory processes will ensure this horrible circumstance does not impact athletes going forward.
"We would like to thank Ms Calalang for doing everything right and for her cooperation and truthfulness during this trying situation and are glad the truth was determined."
Click to expand...
 
WADA might have noble intentions, but it's "suspend first, ask questions later" attitude hurts more than it helps. If I had to choose between letting an athlete suspected of drug use compete, and then later changing the medals once their guilt has been confirmed or not letting them compete, thus permanently elminnating the possibility of them competing at a given competition -- which could be the most important competition of their lives, I'd chose the former. Most people, I think, would chose the former. (It's not like we're letting potential murderers walk the streets or anything.) But WADA always chooses the latter.
 
wickedwitch said:
WADA might have noble intentions, but it's "suspend first, ask questions later" attitude hurts more than it helps. If I had to choose between letting an athlete suspected of drug use compete, and then later changing the medals once their guilt has been confirmed or not letting them compete, thus permanently elminnating the possibility of them competing at a given competition -- which could be the most important competition of their lives, I'd chose the former. Most people, I think, would chose the former. (It's not like we're letting potential murderers walk the streets or anything.) But WADA always chooses the latter.
Click to expand...
Allowing athletes suspected of drug use to compete may mean giving them an entry that would otherwise go to someone not suspected of drug use.
 
This mentality that it’s okay to get innocent people swept up as long as the guilty also get caught is so Pol Pot.

”Better to kill an innocent by mistake than spare an enemy by mistake.” - Pol Pot
 
thvu said:
This mentality that it’s okay to get innocent people swept up as long as the guilty also get caught is so Pol Pot.

”Better to kill an innocent by mistake than spare an enemy by mistake.” - Pol Pot
Click to expand...
It's definitely not an "innocent until proven guilty" approach which is very core to the US's legal system.

I am torn when it comes to WADA and PEDs in sport. THere was a time when I thought they should just let people do whatever as they are (mostly) adults making their own choices and if they chose to take something dangerous to improve their performance, so be it. But then I read statements from people forced out of the sport they loved because they didn't want to take dangerous substances and couldn't compete without them. So this is again a situation where your choices impact others.

WADA isn't perfect but I do think we need them.
 
@thvu Some may say it's okay to allow skaters and coaches accused of rape, sexual harassment, and sexting with minors to continue to compete and coach pending an investigation, and others may say that it is not okay. To liken one side or the other to Pol Pot is unwarranted.
 
Cases like these are extremely rare fortunately. The vast majority of athletes who test positive and are suspended are subsequently banned from competing. There are all sorts of implications for letting these athletes compete that will deprive clean athletes of opportunities.
 
I am in love with Jessica now. Not in any erotic sense (fye!) but in platonically admiring her class. She has not blamed anyone, she has only said positive things about others, and she has quietly worked to get herself cleared. This is a hero. And so are her partner and coaching team.
 
olympic said:
It has been said. This obviously explains everything. The rumor mill was so radical that there was speculation that they were plotting to skate for another country. Glad it has been resolved and I noticed that their skating at Finlandia was better. Wonder if her clearance was related to the improved performance - She went for and landed her triples!
Click to expand...
I still have no idea where some people got that rumor from. It just seemed so far off from left field.
 
thvu said:
This mentality that it’s okay to get innocent people swept up as long as the guilty also get caught is so Pol Pot.

”Better to kill an innocent by mistake than spare an enemy by mistake.” - Pol Pot
Click to expand...
The show The Good Wife actually had a whole episode about how ridiculousness some of these drug hearings can be. It was one of that uneven show’s more interesting episodes.
 
I just wish the WADA and USFS would treat these athletes with much more respect. I understand the idea and need for universal policing for drug cheats, but shouldn't they at least employ a minimum of COMMON SENSE when handling these circumstances? What is the likelihood that this nondescript young woman from America is intentionally taking some kind of stimulant that no one has ever heard of just to get an edge with her figure skating performance and competitors? Really, ZERO. It is outrageous that they would put her entire athletic career on hold (possibly for good) because of some random positive urine test. Before suspending an athlete, they should first think: "Why/how would this athlete even find out about this substance and choose to cheat against her competitors?" If it makes ZERO sense, then maybe don't suspend the athlete, mmkay? I know every athlete will claim "tainted sample" or "I didn't know!", but you really have to get down to the basic fact that some sports just don't really have a problem with PEDs, and it makes no sense that this random US skater who was hoping for maybe top 15 at Worlds would cheat the system/sport intentionally with a banned substance.

Did USFS cover her legal bills? Surely, USFS must have some connection to a good attorney who might do it pro-bono.
 
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ErikWilliam said:
I thought Sasha is divorced? And didn't marry her baby daddy. Congratulations to her if she married him!
Click to expand...
According to Wiki, Sasha now has a son (Jan.2020) and a daughter (Aug.2021) with her fiance, Geoffrey Lieberthal. Julianna is married to attorney Keith Lieberthal. Both men are sons of academic Kenneth Lieberthal. In my world, Sasha and Julianna are sisters-in-law.

Thanks, @Coco, for that interesting bit of trivia!
 
ЭPiKUilyam said:
I just wish the WADA and USFS would treat these athletes with much more respect. I understand the idea and need for universal policing for drug cheats, but shouldn't they at least employ a minimum of COMMON SENSE when handling these circumstances? What is the likelihood that this nondescript young woman from America is intentionally taking some kind of stimulant that no one has ever heard of just to get an edge with her figure skating performance and competitors? Really, ZERO. It is outrageous that they would put her entire athletic career on hold (possibly for good) because of some random positive urine test. Before suspending an athlete, they should first think: "Why/how would this athlete even find out about this substance and choose to cheat against her competitors?" If it makes ZERO sense, then maybe don't suspend the athlete, mmkay? I know every athlete will claim "tainted sample" or "I didn't know!", but you really have to get down to the basic fact that some sports just don't really have a problem with PEDs, and it makes no sense that this random US skater who was hoping for maybe top 15 at Worlds would cheat the system/sport intentionally with a banned substance.

Did USFS cover her legal bills? Surely, USFS must have some connection to a good attorney who might do it pro-bono.
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In this case your disagreement is with USADA, not WADA or the USFS.
 
skatingguy said:
In this case your disagreement is with USADA, not WADA or the USFS.
Click to expand...
Fine, whoever. The fact remains that an athlete who had no risk factors and zero suspicions for using PED in their sport almost lost her career because of this. Common sense, BY WHOMEVER, should have reigned supreme here. That is what I am saying.
 
ЭPiKUilyam said:
Fine, whoever. The fact remains that an athlete who had no risk factors and zero suspicions for using PED in their sport almost lost her career because of this. Common sense, BY WHOMEVER, should have reigned supreme here. That is what I am saying.
Click to expand...

EricWilliam is now EPiKUilyam??? 😉

Привет, Эрик Уильям!
 
We're wildly off-topic but once you learn the Cyrillic alphabet, the wild abandon with which Hollywood throws in a я for an r to make things look spooky and Russian becomes so silly and ridiculous. I've even seen it for movies that don't involve Russia at all I think... I could swear I saw it for something set in Poland once, but maybe I'm remembering wrong.
 
Now that we're talking about the Cyrillic alphabet, here's a Russian take on the situation:

www.sport-express.ru

Кандидат в олимпийскую сборную США доказала свою невиновность в допинге. Она пользовалась «заразной» косметикой

Фигуристка Джессика Калаланг избежала дисквалификации, несмотря на положительный тест на запрещенку.
www.sport-express.ru www.sport-express.ru

I am happy for them that they are able to resume competing in this Olympic cycle!
 
Yuri said:
Now that we're talking about the Cyrillic alphabet, here's a Russian take on the situation:

www.sport-express.ru

Кандидат в олимпийскую сборную США доказала свою невиновность в допинге. Она пользовалась «заразной» косметикой

Фигуристка Джессика Калаланг избежала дисквалификации, несмотря на положительный тест на запрещенку.
www.sport-express.ru www.sport-express.ru

I am happy for them that they are able to resume competing in this Olympic cycle!
Click to expand...
The translated headline is hysterical:

The US Olympic team candidate has proven her innocence to doping. She wore contagious makeup​


Beware contagious makeup, people!

ETA if you made it to the end of that article, the following paragraph is completely wrong:

However, the athlete for eight months did not have the opportunity to officially train and receive funding from the US Olympic Committee and the national federation. How, a week after the ban was lifted, Kalalang and Johnson managed to compete in a serious tournament and take fourth place in it remains a huge mystery. After all, even if Jessica kept fit at private rinks, her partner had no right to keep her company on the ice.

In fact, there was no ban on her practicing at any rink nor was Johnson prohibited from practicing with her. Whoever wrote that doesn't understand how these things work in the US, I think.
 
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MacMadame said:
ETA if you made it to the end of that article, the following paragraph is completely wrong:

However, the athlete for eight months did not have the opportunity to officially train and receive funding from the US Olympic Committee and the national federation. How, a week after the ban was lifted, Kalalang and Johnson managed to compete in a serious tournament and take fourth place in it remains a huge mystery. After all, even if Jessica kept fit at private rinks, her partner had no right to keep her company on the ice.

In fact, there was no ban on her practicing at any rink nor was Johnson prohibited from practicing with her. Whoever wrote that doesn't understand how these things work in the US, I think.
Click to expand...
It is very common for people to assume that things operate the same way in other countries and cultures as they do in their own, especially if they lack curiosity or have limited access to information.
 
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