Merlene Ottey

Merlene Ottey (b. May 10, 1960 in Hanover, Jamaica) is a track athlete. Beginning her career as a Jamaican sprinter she now resides in, and represents Slovenia. She ranks at number four on the list of top ten all time female athletes on the 100 meters, and number three on the list of the top ten all time athletes on the 200 meters - women.

Controversy

In 1999, during a meet in Lucerne, Switzerland, a urine sample submitted had returned positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. Her 'B' sample also contained higher than normal levels of the substance. Ottey was subsequently banned by the IAAF from competing in the upcoming twenty-seventh Olympiad in Sydney, Australia in 2000. She also pulled out of World Championships in Seville, Spain.

Related Topics:
1999 - Lucerne, Switzerland - Urine - Anabolic steroid - Nandrolone - IAAF - Sydney, Australia - Seville, Spain

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Ottey, however, fought to clear her name, asserting that that charge was a "terrible mistake", and that she was totally innocent of knowingly taking steriods. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/519559.stm. In the summer of 2000, Ottey was cleared of all charges by the IAAF and Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association, and the laboratory who had tested her sample came under severe criticism.

Related Topics:
2000 - IAAF

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In Jamaica, at the National Senior Trials prior to selection for the Olympics, Ottey placed a disappointing fourth. According to the rules of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), only athletes who had finished in the top three at the trials were eligible to run at the Olympics; she was only qualified to run on the 4 x 100 m relay team. Ottey, asked that she be substituted for another team member, a courtesy that had been extended to others in the past. The JAAA's decision to replace Peta-Gaye Dowdie with Ottey caused widespread controversy. Dowdie's team members and many Jamaicans believed that Ottey had bullied her way onto the team. She was construed as an aging icon trying to retain power by usurping the place of a younger and equally worthy athlete. Jamaican 400m Olympian and championship medallist Gregory Haughton lead the notorious "Games Village" protests to oust Ottey, which made international headlines. The protest ended when The International Olympic Committee (IOC) threatened to throw the Jamaicans out of the Games if the team managers were not able to control their charges. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/AllWoman/html/20040822T220000-0500_64978_OBS_MERLENE_OTTEY___NO_LONGER_GOING_FOR_GOLD__.asp.

Related Topics:
Trials - 4 x 100 m relay - Peta-Gaye Dowdie - Olympian - Gregory Haughton - International Olympic Committee

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A the 2000 Olympics, Ottey finished fourth in the 100 m she had fought to parttake in, beaten from a medal by fellow Jamaica sprinter Tayna Lawrence. The race was won by Marion Jones who registered 10.75 seconds, who was followed by Ekatreni Thanou of Greece in 11:12 seconds. Lawrence posted 11.18 seconds to Ottey 11.19 seconds. In the 4×1 relay the Jamaican team, comprised of bronze medallist Lawrence, teenager and newcomer Veronica Campbell and Beverly MacDonald, was anchored to a silver medal. This medal gave Ottey her eight medal, the most ever for a female athlete.

Related Topics:
Marion Jones - Greece - Veronica Campbell

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Due to the controvery, Ottey decided that "after Sydney I said I wasn't going to run another race for Jamaica ... because I felt like the Jamaicans were trying to push me out of the sport and I really needed to prove my point, that I might be 40 but I can still run." http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/aug/13oly-ath.htm

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