FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Twin Cities In Motion Voluntarily Increases Drug Testing at 2010 Events
USA Track & Field to test championship events, Twin Cities In Motion funds
testing for women's open marathon field
Minneapolis- (September 28, 2010) Twin Cities In Motion will support the
USA Track & Field (USATF) "Zero Tolerance" anti-doping policy by
voluntarily increasing the number of elite athletes tested to include the
women's open marathon field, on Sunday, October 3.
USATF selected the Medtronic TC 10 Mile and the Medtronic Twin Cities
Marathon to host the USA Women's 10 Mile Championship and the USA Men's
Marathon Championship, respectively. Athletes tested at championship events
are selected randomly by U.S. Anti-doping Agency (USADA), and funding for
this testing is supported by USADA and the U.S. Olympic Committee. The
average cost to test athletes ranges between $500 and $750 per athlete.
In addition to testing athletes competing in the U.S. championship division
of the races, Twin Cities In Motion will also test elite athletes from any
country competing in the open division of the marathon. Twin Cities In
Motion will cover the cost of the additional tests.
"Twin Cities In Motion, like USA Track & Field, believes in doing
everything we can to ensure a clean sport," said Virginia Brophy Achman,
Executive Director of Twin Cities In Motion. "Despite the cost that these
additional tests incur, we believe it is part of the responsibility in
operating a successful, respected event. We also feel drug testing goes
hand-in-hand with our support of post-collegiate athletes, who benefit from
a level playing field."
USATF announced the "Zero Tolerance" anti-doping plan in 2003 with a focus
on increasing education, identifying athletes using performance enhancing
drugs and increasing punishments and fines for cheating athletes and their
coaches.
The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is also host to the 2010 USA Men's and
Women's Masters Marathon Championships.
Twin Cities In Motion (formerly Twin Cities Marathon, Inc.) is the
non-profit organization that organizes running events throughout the year,
including the Valentine's Day TC 5K, 100% Irish For A Day TC 5K & TC 10
Mile, Medtronic TC 1 Mile, Twins Territory 4K, Red, White & Boom! TC Half
Marathon, the TC 5K, TC 10K & Medtronic TC Family Events, Medtronic Twin
Cities Marathon, Medtronic TC 10 Mile, all related events and Medtronic TC
Kids Marathon program, as a community service for the Minneapolis/St. Paul
area. Visit mtcmarathon.org for more information.
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