M35 Lyon hurdle medalist had major role in Peyton Manning expose

Liam is shown in documentary as Lyon hurdler.

Liam is shown in documentary as Lyon hurdler.

A masters hurdler who won gold, silver and bronze at Lyon worlds went undercover in that now infamous Al Jazeera report that basically accuses NFL QB Peyton Manning of doping with HGH. One of my readers brought to my attention the story of Liam Collins, who “spent six months undercover investigating the murky world of performance-enhancing drugs. … ‘For me, it was an opportunity to be the guy, to go undercover, and make a change,’ said Collins. At 37, he competes as a hurdler at an international level. For the investigation he claimed that he was making one last push for the Rio Olympics and was willing to do ‘whatever it takes to get there.’ ” In comment below, Liam confirms he didn’t take any of the drugs he got. But he did well at Lyon, taking M35 silver in the 400s and bronze in the 110s. (Also gold in the 1600 relay.) See the documentary here.

Liam went undercover for investigation but was fully clothed at worlds.

Liam went undercover for investigation but was fully clothed at worlds.

Here are Liam’s results from Lyon:

M35 110 Short Hurdles
================================
WMA: # 12.96
Name Age Team Finals Wind
================================
Finals
1 Fukuda, Hiroyuki M36 Japan 14.05 1.5
2 Emica, Christophe M36 France 14.22 1.5
3 Collins, Liam M36 Great Britai 14.24 1.5
4 Elliott, Mensah M38 Great Britai 14.26 1.5
5 Seck, Mamadou M35 France 14.56 1.5
6 Cespedes Diaz, Juan M36 Spain 14.70 1.5
7 Rouyer, Christophe M37 France 14.80 1.5
8 Beyong, Andre M35 France 15.48 1.5

M35 400 Long Hurdles
================================
WMA: # 48.13
Name Age Team Finals
================================
Finals
1 Adamczyk, Jakub M35 Poland 52.86
2 Collins, Liam M36 Great Britai 53.65
3 Rouyer, Christophe M37 France 55.30
4 Felip, Cedric M37 France 55.44
5 Habl, Gunnar M36 Germany 55.82
6 Mendy, Evariste M38 France 56.56
7 Flambard, Romain M37 France 56.62
8 Bayard, Jean-Christophe M36 Belgium 1:00.89

M35 4×400 Meter Relay
================================
35 WMA: # 3:17.82 16/08/2015 Great Britain and Northern Ire
L Baird, D Brown, L Collins, R Beardsell
Team Finals H#
================================
1 Great Britain and Northern Ire 3:17.82# 2
1) Baird, Lawrence 37 2) Brown, David 37
3) Collins, Liam 36 4) Beardsell, Richard 36

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January 4, 2016

6 Responses

  1. Tom Phillips - January 5, 2016

    Ken,

    Sorry to say this, but I think your remark “Unsure if he took any of the drugs he got” is unworthy of you.

    Unless you have other sources you’ve not mentioned, you only have the documentary to go on, and at several points, that makes it clear he did not. For you then to report the guy’s Lyon performances creates innuendo that is surely not necessary?

    Tom

  2. Liam Collins - January 5, 2016

    Thanks Tom, yes to clarify I did not take any of the dugs which the doctors were willing to give me. Thank you for writing the article it’s a great piece and I will link it to my website. I am very much an avocate for freedom of speech but perhaps you would be kind enough to take out that one line.

  3. David Sharp - January 5, 2016

    I agree with Tom. Liam is trying to expose cheats to try and rid our sport of drugs and you put in an unnecessary and cheap line like that to sow a seed of doubt in every reader’s mind about his own character and worthiness of his achievements in Lyon. Unless you have any proof of any wrong doing by any athlete I suggest you keep such jibes to yourself and not for public digestion.

  4. Liz Palmer - January 5, 2016

    Sadly, the above two comments could be said about the report’s accusations of Peyton Manning. Liam’s undercover reporting is full of errors and has no paper trail to back up his interviews. It’s great to try to expose cheats, but not with unfounded (and recanted) accusations that damage someone’s reputation.

  5. K. Chambers - January 5, 2016

    Ken, you can say what you want because the whole report, is doing the same you are getting a story and forming an opining. I Read you blogs becasue of your info and your candid and sarcastic comments, they make me laugh. 😉 So please continue. If he said he didnt take any of the drugs, OK. But there will be speculation.
    If you are an under cover cop trying to bust a cocaine dealer, they will ask you to take a “bump”. What do you think you’d do, you certainily aren’t going to blow your cover at that momment. But hey those guys weren’t real criminals Like drug dealers. 😉

  6. Anthony Treacher - January 6, 2016

    I don’t like crime provocation but that Al Jazeera program was very convincing.

    Where the main informant Charlie Sly names the sports stars on drugs he is credible. In his later Response http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2-8V0K3oM he ‘recants’ – goes back on his own words – he is not credible.

    Say what you will but Al Jazeera and Liam Collins did a really good job in that program. Whether or not we really want to know and accept the truth about drug taking is another matter.

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