Episode #14: Kara and Adam Goucher on the 4-Year Bans for Salazar/Brown for Doping Violations

Clean Sport Collective

Last Monday September 30th, USADA announced a 4-year ban for Albert Salazar and Dr. Jeffrey Brown for doping violations associated with their work within the Nike Oregon Project. In this interview with Chris McClung, Kara and Adam Goucher tell the story of their 6-year journey to support USADA's case. Kara is a co-host for the Clean Sport Collective podcast, and Adam shared his perspective on the fight for clean sport in episode #9. Both Olympians, they know what it is like to compete at the highest levels in track and field while also being robbed of achievement by drug cheats. In 2011, everything changed for them when they realized their own coach and training group were participating in suspicious activity. Neither could have suspected the extreme challenges that would come from simply telling the truth. In this discussion with Kara and Adam, we talk about all of those challenges and the implications of this decision on the fight for clean sport, including: - Their initial reactions to the Salazar and Brown decisions - Their perspectives on the reactions of others including Nike - When they first saw suspicious activity within the Nike Oregon Project and why they decided to come forward - What life is like as a whistleblower and what it was like to testify in this case, including the stress and impact on their own family - Their reactions to those who would question Kara's own intentions or integrity or accuse her of cheating herself - What she would like to see happen with the Nike Oregon Project and its athletes - What consumers can do to support the fight for clean sport in the wake of these decisions - What this means for their future and the future of clean sport This is a powerful interview about a very difficult journey for Adam and Kara. As an organization that is passionate about clean sport, we are proud to have them on our team and especially proud that their commitment to telling the truth led to this victory for clean sport. Details of each decision from USADA: https://www.usada.org/wp-content/uploads/Salazar-AAA-Decision-1.pdf https://www.usada.org/wp-content/uploads/Jeffrey-Brown-FINAL-AA-Award.pdf Other recent interviews with Kara on these decisions: NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/06/sports/salazar-doping-nike-oregon-project.html BBC: https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/49951671 Women's Running: https://www.womensrunning.com/2019/10/news/goucher-on-alberto-salazar-doping-violations_103148