Press Release - Grandma's Marathon - 5/1/07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                         Contact: Scott Keenan
                                                  Executive director
                                                  (218) 727-0947

              Grandma's Marathon Institutes Drug Policy 
                   Drug Testing to Return in 2007

(Duluth, Minn.) Grandma's Marathon - Duluth Inc., today announced the 
organization has adopted an elite runner drug policy effective immediately. 
The Grandma's Marathon board of directors voted unanimously to approve the 
measure, designed to supplement USA Track & Field's (USATF) Zero Tolerance 
Action Plan to catch and punish athletes who use performance-enhancing 
drugs.

Elements of the new Grandma's Marathon policy include:

* The disqualification of any athlete testing positive for a banned 
substance at any Grandma's Marathon event. 

* Grandma's Marathon will not recruit, subsidize or otherwise assist any 
athlete who has previously been suspended for using a banned substance. 

* Grandma's Marathon organizers will cease relationships with the coach 
and/or agent of any athlete suspended for banned drug use. 

* Elite athletes competing in Grandma's Marathon or the Garry Bjorklund 
Half Marathon are required to sign an affidavit acknowledging awareness of 
the Grandma's Marathon drug policy and stating that they are not using 
performance-enhancing drugs.

"It is extremely important for our sport's future to make it loud and clear 
that cheating will not be tolerated," says Scott Keenan, executive director 
of Grandma's Marathon. "This policy will help us continue to do our part to 
inform and educate runners about the consequences and negative impacts of 
drug use."

The 2006 women's champion of Grandma's Marathon's, Halina Karnatsevich of 
Belarus, received a two-year ban from national and international 
competition after she tested positive for a banned substance following last 
year's race. Upon receiving the test results, Grandma's Marathon officials 
immediately disqualified Karnatsevich and declared Ukraine's Svetlana 
Nekhorosh the official women's champion.

In addition, race officials have received confirmation from USATF that drug 
testing will be administered at the 2007 Grandma's Marathon on June 16. 
This is the fifth time drug testing will be conducted at Grandma's Marathon 
— the other years being 1987, 1990, 1994 and 2006.

"We are very fortunate to have drug testing returning to Grandma's Marathon 
in back-to-back years. It is our goal to do everything we can to ensure 
that the sport of long-distance running is clean," adds Keenan.

The 31st annual Grandma's Marathon weekend is June 14-16. Registration is 
closed for the three races held during this year's Grandma's Marathon 
weekend — Grandma's Marathon, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the 
William A. Irvin 5K. For more information, visit www.grandmasmarathon.com.


 
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