Loot wrote:
Jeter has not failed any test and has had no link to drugs or anyone that sells them.
Jeter continued to associate with Mark Block, her former agent, after he was banned from the sport for 10 years for a doping offense. This got a lot of attention when I asked her about the relationship at the Olympics.
As Mark Forde of Yahoo Sports wrote:
"After winning medals Wednesday night, sprinter Carmelita Jeter and hurdler Jason Richardson were asked about their ties to Mark Block, an agent, event manager and former coach who's currently serving a 10-year ban for his role in the BALCO drug scandal.
The questions came from reporter Weldon Johnson of LetsRun.com, a website that covers track and field and has written about Block's recent presence at major track meets – including the U.S. Olympic Trials last month.
There was discernible tension in the room when Johnson posed his questions, yet both athletes gave Johnson an answer and neither backed away from their relationship with Block.
LetsRun.com ran the following transcript of the exchange with Jeter:
Johnson: "Carmelita, Mark Block has said he has been following you around this year. Can you talk about the relationship you have with him and what sort of message you feel it sends to associate with a man banned from the sport?"
Jeter (after a seven-second pause): "I'm going to count to 10, only because I'm up here, I just won a bronze medal for the United States of America. I am a woman that has a medal in the 100 and 200 now. For me to be asked about my relationship with someone bothers me, but you can ask me anything else other than that but I will answer you.
"Mark Block is a close friend of mine. He's a very close friend of mine and I love him dearly. Whatever happened with Mark Block before I came to Mark Block has absolutely nothing to do with me. I love that man. I love his family. I love his daughter. And I don't know how some people are raised but I was raised to always be friends with someone and to have loyalty with people.
"And if he got in trouble for whatever he got in trouble for that does not mean I still do not care for him, that does not mean I do not still consider him a close friend of mine because that is exactly what he is. Now, yes, he was banned for the time you said. That does not mean that he cannot be of management. He cannot be an agent. He comes to meets that I am at, because he is a great supporter of mine. That's why Mark Block comes to things you might see me at because he loves and cares about not only me but other athletes that are a part of Total Sports. Did that answer your question?”
More here from Forde:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics--u-s--track-stars-jeter-richardson-under-fire-for-relationship-with-man-banned-from-sport-.htmlLRC take on same day:
http://www.letsrun.com/2012/banned-0809.phpMore Block-Jeter:
http://www.letsrun.com/2012/block-0803.phphttp://www.letsrun.com/2012/block-0804.phpBlock in VIP Nike Tent at Trials:
http://www.letsrun.com/2012/block-0701.php