Chris Lukezic issues statement regarding USADA decision...

One day after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) issued a press release stating that former Auburn High School standout Chris Lukezic "...accepted a two-year suspension for an anti-doping violation based on his refusal to submit a sample collection", the 2005 world championships team member put out a statement on his personal web site, giving his view on the matter.

Lukezic (left/photo by Paul Merca), who competed at Georgetown Univesity and professionally for Reebok, announced his retirement from the sport in November 2009, felt that USADA crossed the line of privacy when they demanded a sample from him on April 20th of this year. According to a post by Larry Eder on runblogrun.com, "Lukezic claims to have notified USA Track & Field of his retirement."

To further illustrate how absurd the whole Lukezic case is, Eder writes, "Chris Lukezic is prone to self-analysis. Hell, the guy ran 3:33.28, so perhaps it was too much oxygen on the brain. As Lukezic saw himself as non-elite athlete, he refused to take the test. Now, you arm-chair quarterbacks are asking, " Why, Chris, did you not just pee in the little plastic cup and get it over with?" Chris Lukezic saw himself as a private citizen, and he did not see himself as the elite athlete USADA perceived, so he decided to take a stand. RBR applauds his quiet act of defiance."

I understand that USADA has an obligation to ensure that the sport of track & field and other sports in the Olympic movement in this country is clean; however, when you start chasing folks who have absolutely no intent of ever competing at the world class level like Lukezic, the agency opens itself up to criticism from athletes, the media, and others who don't think USADA has a clue what they're doing.

Lukezic's official statement can be read here...

By the way, just wondering how much USADA spent to send the poor guy out to Lukezic's door to collect a urine sample? That money could've been spent elsewhere in USADA's battle to level the playing field.