Val Barnwell is free to compete now: His suspension has ended
Rumors are circulating that disgraced M50 sprint champion Val Barnwell is training for 2012. His two-year suspension for testing positive for PEDs at Lahti worlds in 2009 ended yesterday — Dec. 11, 2011. He’s been quoted in major newspapers about the bust, and is unrepentant. In July 2011, the Sacramento Bee reported: “Barnwell has said his use of Viagra and other ‘sexual enhancement supplements’ caused his testosterone levels to rise, though none of the supplements Barnwell said he took appear on the banned list. … Barnwell, reached at his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., criticized not only the methods of testing but the very act of ‘invading the privacy of masters athletes around the world’ with an ‘invasive and demeaning’ procedure.” How much of a welcome will Val get at his first nationals?
Val Barnwell hears he's being summoned for drug testing at 2009 worlds.
24 Responses
Anytime Mr. Barnwell’s name comes up its illustrative to revisit this article and the attendant discussion: http://masterstrack.com/2010/03/8311/
He is one “interesting” fella. I’ll be curious to see if he races clean in the future and, if so, how well he goes.
Cheers,
Jim
If he thinks a urine test in invasive, I wonder what he thinks of a prostate exam.
(I meant to type “IS invasive”
Val should be welcomed at nationals as long as he is drug free!
Whenever Mr. Barnwell’s name comes up its illustrative to revisit this article and the comments that go with it: http://masterstrack.com/2010/03/8311/
Will be interesting to see how he goes when he’s clean.
Would he say the same thing if his test was negative?
I am awaiting Mary Harada’s “pure as the driven” snow” comment.
Ads for any type of drug need to include a statement from the company/promoter verifying that consumption of the product will not produce positive tests for performance enhancing drugs. Put the responsibility on the promoters rather than the athletes.
For example, there should be a clear attestation that taking Ignite Natural will not cause a positive test for masters athletes. There is a full page ad in the National Masters News for Dec.2011/Jan.2012 on page 22 for Ignite Naturals. Liz Palmer writes a full column which is directly below the ad. She claims that she will begin taking Naturals I. N. Extreme Energy. How would a reader know the drug testing consequences of taking this magic formula or any other product endorsed by National Masters News or other sports magazine?
Similarly, we are bombarded daily with ads for viagra and a million other products. During my last regular check up, I asked my physician, a runner, about TUEs. He knew nothing about the subject. There but for fortune go all of us who could one day be tested positive.
The most valuable baseball player in the National League, Braun , allegedly tested positive. He immediately asked for a second test which was negative. Regardless, he must wait months for some drawn out review process and may be suspended for the first couple of months of the 2012 season. Meanwhile the world will castigate him as a druggie.
I hope Val tests negative next time. Make sure to test Liz and other product promoters at future meets.
Jack made some good points. National Masters News should not advertise products that contain banned substances. The simple fact that a product is advertised in the NMN gives people the impression that it does not contain prohibited substances.
In response to Jack Karbens, post # 6: Before I agreed to be a sponsored athlete for Ignite Naturals, I did my homework. I spoke extensively with the president of the company Bruce Ransom about my concerns regarding any supplement that I may take and he assured me that the products I would test would not cause a positive result, as other sponsored athletes of Ignite Naturals are also subject to drug testing. This was good to hear, but I also did my homework by plugging in each and every item on the ingredient list of the products into the online Global Drug Reference Online link at http://www.globaldro.com. None came up as banned, either in or out of competition. In other words, I am taking personal responsibility for any supplement or food item I may take or eat.
Jack and Milan (post #7), you are automatically assuming that the products I am testing from Ignite Naturals contain banned substances. You are incorrect, and if I had found evidence of this there is no way I would test their products.
Jack, please introduce yourself to me at the next national meet. I’d like you to meet me and speak with me before you pass judgement on me.
@John: you saved me the trouble -:)
Jack – You seem to be a little out of the loop here. As Liz points out, it’s easy to check on products and drugs to see whether they’re banned; just use the link Liz provided. I did the same only last week, when my doctor recommended corticosteroids for anti-inflammation. Took me about a minute. It’s ridiculous to suggest that every product on the market provide its status for every sport (different sports have different restrictions for the same drugs).
As for Ryan Braun, you seem to be a little mixed-up there, too. Braun tested positive for high testosterone. An athlete/MLB player must have a level at least 4 times higher than normal to test positive. Normal is based upon the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone (not just an abundance of testosterone, as you might expect in a pro athlete], which in a healthy male should be 1:1. A subsequent additional test of Braun’s “A” sample showed that the testosterone wasn’t even his own, that it was from an artificial source. A test on Braun’s “B” sample will now be conducted according to the rules (agreed upon by players and clubs). The “B” sample and “A” sample are both drawn from the initial sample, which is split into two for exactly this purpose. Of course, we already have – in essence – two tests showing that Braun is guilty of doping.
The “second test” you refer to (in which Braun claims to have received a negative result) is one that Braun conducted on his own after being informed of his positive result; the test was not performed by an impartial body. The fact that Braun’s camp has produced a result that isn’t positive is meaningless. Braun may have performed this “second test” at a time during his drug cycle when he wouldn’t test positive. Or he may simply have lied about the second test.
Finally, your suggestion that Liz, a clean athlete who performed her due diligence before endorsing a product, should be drug-tested because you’re somehow (and for some inexplicable reason) upset that Val Barnwell cheated and got caught is pretty damn petty. And it implies that Liz is dumb – because USADA would see that ad, know that the product contained a PED, and test Liz the next day. I mean, really, how stupid do you think Liz is? (Hint: she’s smart; and she’s clean; and she’s not so damn lazy that she can’t check out a product she uses for PEDs.)
Val cheated. He served his suspension. Now he gets to compete again. If he gets caught cheating again, he’s gone for good. Val will get no welcome from me at Nationals, but he won’t get any protest either. He served his time. So it goes.
Milan and Jack, you cant depend upon a magazine to do your research for you. Something that is not banned now could be banned six months from now. Nor can you depend upon the company for the same reason. Can you imagine the potential for litigation if someone claimed a positive test in this situation? Liz has the right idea by saying she is taking personal responsibility for whatever supplement she may use and I hope you do the same.
Liz (post # 8), will you be testing all of the of products on the Ingnite Naturals website or just some of them?
JStone, I will test GSH Ignite (pre-workout) and I.N. Extreme Energy (post-workout) and will write about my impressions of the products.
Jack, I understand some of your frustrations, but hoping someone fails another PED test and directing a drug test be administered to a specific person (Liz) is a bit mean spirited. Val has served his punishment and no one says anyone has to welcome him back with hugs and kisses, yet he should still be treated and respected like any other fellow athlete until prove otherwise. Although Liz and I have not seen eye to eye on previous subjects other than supplimentation, she is a hard working, fine athlete that should be respected as so. Now, I’ve stated my concerns in previous Blogs about taking any over the counter supplements in general to help with muscle recovery and building. Supplement Manufacturers flirt with using ingredient amounts and variations of “on the bubble” suppliments that could cause a problem, with some athletes in my own opinion to improve sales and I personally would not risk staking my reputation on them. For example I took just 5 minutes to look up Ignite Naturals Extreme Energy that was mentioned earlier in this blog. More than likely this is safe product and you may see some benefits from it as well. As I searched further into the ingredients I saw that it has Bovine Immonoglobulin Concentrate, which comes from Bovine Colostrom. This raised a red flag because even though it is not on any banned list for elite athletes , it is, (or was) on the NCAA banned list. One of it’s advertised effects are ” Slowing the aging process” and another showed it “increased hormonal levels”. Now there is Bovine Colostrom in various other popular supplements, but what gets me nervous reading the ingedients on the Ignite Naturals website for their Extreme Energy product is that that have measured amounts for the other ingredients but none for the Bovine Concentrate. Can you take this product and the thousands of others just like it safely? Probably, but the bigger question is… is it worth the worry? Here is a website with the findings of Bovine Colostrom, http://www.exrx.net/Nutrition/Supplements/BovineColostrum.html . Especially read near the bottom of the page, “Summary and Recommendation” and the NCAA. I still stand by my idea of eating as well as possible, staying hydrated, dynamic stretching, rest, while not over-training, ice, hot showers and let the chips fall where they may! ;~)
Welcome back Val — Hope to see you Indoors, Sully
Well known fact to everyone but this guy that Viagra does not introduce Testosterone.
I think all you guys have way too much time on your hands.
WELCOME BACK V-DOG TRAIN HARD .WE STUMBLE WE FALL ALL IN GODS EYES.PEACE
I have been useing Shiros pillows since 1997 .but be careful they can cause cramping……
Val did the time, let him back. Whether you trust he’s clean or not upon his return is up to you.
Yes, let him back, but keep in mind that steroids and hGH give you an advantage for years to come even if you stop taking them.
Trying to sell pillows on this website is just too obscure for me.
Welcome back Big bro. Miss ya.
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