Diana Taurasi’s positive drug test may mean U.S. Olympic team only wins gold medal by 40 instead of 60
Dec 24, 2010, 4:56 PM EDT
Diana Taruasi, the consensus best professional women’s basketball player in the world at least until Maya Moore decides to escape from Geno Auriemma’s orb of control, has found herself in another bout of trouble after she was found to have failed a drug test while playing basketball in Turkey during the WNBA offseason. The drug she tested positive for, modafinil, carries a two year Olympic ban that’ll take her right out of the 2012 summer games. If my knowledge of the WNBA is to be trusted, looks like Lisa Leslie’s going to have to win that medal all alone now. From the Associated Press:
The Turkish basketball federation said Friday that Taurasi had tested positive for a stimulant that was identified as modafinil, a drug that enhances wakefulness and vigilance and is designed to treat narcolepsy, sleep apnea and sleep disorders related to shift work. It is also used off-label to combat jet lag and attention deficit disorder, and is used recreationally to enhance alertness. The stimulant does not cause the anxiety and jitteriness associated with amphetamines.
Taurasi’s case could still be declared a false positive and dismissed. But even if it were determined that Taurasi took the stimulant inadvertently, and a two-year ban were reduced, she could still face the loss of Olympic eligibility.
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WNBA star Diana Taurasi tests positive for banned substance [USA Today]
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- womensbbfan - Dec 25, 2010 at 12:45 PM
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I don’t trust your knowledge of the WNBA or of Olympic women’s basketball.
If you knew anything, you’d know Lisa Leslie is retired and has been for a couple years.
If you knew anything, you’d know the Aussies, Russians, Czechs, and Brazilians are all competition for the US, especially the Aussies. They’re led by Lauren Jackson (who many believe is the best women’s player, not Taurasi or Moore) and Penny Taylor, both who are formidable players. Plus, there’s WNBA and Olympic vets Belinda Snell and Kristi Harrower, who are solid role players. They also have a core of young, skilled players in Liz Cambage (who will likely be a top-3 pick in the WNBA draft), Marianna Tolo, Jenna O’Hea, and Abby Bishop (who already plays in the WNBA).
So to say Team USA will win by 40 is even a stretch. But if you really knew anything about women’s basketball, you’d know that.
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- ThatGuy - Dec 27, 2010 at 10:18 AM
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If you knew anything about this blog you would realize the thick sarcasim in that statement. He is admitting he knows nothing about Womens basketball.
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- womensbbfan - Dec 27, 2010 at 11:54 AM
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So…you’re saying he’s another guy reporter who knows nothing of women’s basketball, which means he therefore feels “qualified” to write about it in his blog (even sarcastically).
He’s now also another reporter who’s opinion (and bad sarcasm) is not worth my time to read.
Thanks for clearing that up.
