Justin Gatlin failed drug tests....faces lifetime ban

With a heavy heart, I regret to inform my fellow Armchair alums that we can add Justin Gatlin to the list of athletes with failed drug tests. He was informed by the U.S Anti Doping Agency that he failed a drug test on April 22nd. His attorney acknowledged that he also failed a drug test in July due to a high level of testosterone.

And this was the "B" Sample. The same test that the sports world is waiting with bated breath from Floyd Landis.

Justin Gatlin was the franchise of US Track and Field. He was supposed to be the role model for the future of U.S Track and Field as a clean sport.

Now he faces a lifetime ban from track and field. Let's not forget he shares the world record with Asafa Powell.

First Floyd Landis and now Justin Gatlin.

If Floyd Landis fails his "B" sample and gets stripped of the Tour De France, it will extinguish the already very limited fan base in this country.

Gatlin's failed drug test is a knockout blow to track and field. The days of Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens and Jackie Joyner Kersee are long gone.

Just like baseball and now the Tour De France, every home run, stage victory and 100 m victory will now have this question attached to it:

Was it legitimate?

In a world that is damn near close to losing its purity, sports and athletic competition are supposed to fill the void. This is why I have so much passion about sports and about Armchairgm.com.

Now the sports world is quickly losing its purity as well. You have to wonder if athletes like Justin Gatlin truly understand that they are role models by example and not by choice.

Boxing is against the ropes and the Tour de France is on life support pending the results of Landis's "B" Sample.

Now track and field is down for the count.

1 2 3..........10.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/story?id=2533757