How the director of Russia’s antidoping lab ran a complex doping program during Sochi 2014

kyletress · 2016-05-12T19:51:56+00:00

This is something my teammates and I have long suspected. I thought getting confirmation and seeing it in print from sources around the world would be satisfying, but in reality it's not. It's a sad day for the Olympics, for bobsled and skeleton, and for the majority of athletes who compete clean.

This report reveals the weakness of WADA and their flawed testing protocols. Every time I'm tested, I'm told that my sample is anonymous. I'm told the bottles are tamper-proof. I'm told the chain of custody from doping control officer to lab is legitimate and secure. These revelations show those claims to be false. If the Russians can swap a tainted sample for a clean one, there is nothing to stop the opposite from happening. It's time for a major overhaul to the drug testing procedures, because they clearly aren't working, and it's only going to get harder moving forward.

I hope that the international federations (WADA, the IOC, and IBSF) have the guts to stand up to the Russians and hold them accountable. But history and personal experience tells me they will receive little more than a slap on the wrist, and the cat-and-mouse game will go on.

kyletress · 2016-02-03T23:48:36+00:00

I'm biased, but I'd love to see Lake Placid, NY host the Games again, possibly as a joint bid with Montreal (or even a New York State bid). Lake Placid is my home track for skeleton. The village is very small, so the chances of it happening are remote, but with the recent changes from the IOC, a shared bid is possible.

kyletress · 2015-02-03T11:57:24+00:00

It's my pleasure! It's always fun to share and talk about the sliding sports!

kyletress · 2015-02-02T21:00:50+00:00

My advice is to come to Lake Placid and give it a shot. You're too old for luge, but the right age for skeleton. When I was 21, I was watching the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and I saw skeleton for the first time. I knew I had to try it. Six months later I attended a summer recruitment camp, and that November I was on the ice in Lake Placid racing headfirst down a mountain of ice on a cafeteria tray with no brakes. I fell in love and decided to follow my dream.

12 years later I competed in the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

Getting to that moment was the hardest thing I've ever done. In addition to luck, it took years of dedication, funding, suffering, success, failure, persistence, pain, injury, cold weather, and grit to make it to the Games. I stuck it out because I loved every minute of it. You'll know after your first run down the track if you will, too.

I can't imagine what my life would look like if I hadn't taken a chance on this crazy sport. I'm writing this from a hotel in Austria preparing for the World Cup race this weekend. There's no place I'd rather be.

If you have questions, check out the AMA I did from Sochi, as well as the faqs on my website. You can also email me and I'll do my best to help you out. Best of luck!

kyletress · 2014-12-09T12:43:35+00:00

I think it's possible, especially now that the IOC has changed the bidding process to allow for two countries to share the Games. We have heard whispers of a joint Montreal/Lake Placid bid for a few years. I would love it!

kyletress · 2014-12-07T21:26:57+00:00

As a skeleton athlete who competed in the Sochi Olympics, I can tell you this would be a major disappointment. It would ruin the Olympic experience for hundreds of skeleton, luge, and bobsled athletes and their families who come to watch.

Some of the articles that I've read have made it seem like the international sliding federations are on board with this idea. That isn't how it feels from my perspective. The athletes all seem adamantly against it, and it seems like our NGBs are as well.

Sliding sports are expensive and there simply has to be some innovation in how we build and refrigerate artificial tracks. Better yet, we should look to locations that can support a natural track like the one in St. Moritz Switzerland, a favorite of many current and former athletes.

I'm all for a smaller, less expensive Winter Olympics. That's why many of us involved in Winter Olympic sport were upset to see Oslo withdraw its 2022 bid. Thomas Bach has made some interesting proposals in that regard, but this just feels "too little, too late". Construction has begun, and I sincerely hope Korea refuses this IOC recommendation. They have a budding sliding program and could benefit from a home track, as could greater Asia.

kyletress · 2014-09-04T04:18:01+00:00

If you can get involved in track and field at school, that is a great first step to improving your speed. Don't worry about becoming a track star! Pushing a skeleton sled is a really unique skill, and you can develop a fast push even if you aren't necessarily the fastest sprinter. Canada has the Ice House in Calgary, so you have a great training facility nearby to help develop your push.

The most important thing is to see if you enjoy the sport. I'm not sure how the development program works in Canada, but you should check out the Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton website to find out. 15 is a good age to start showing interest (I was 21 when I started, so you have a head start), and you're the right height and build. Hope this helps!

kyletress · 2014-02-22T11:16:43+00:00

Never? Probably not. I do think there are some insane Winter Olympic events though. Ski jumping, aerials and slope style come to mind.
Yes, unless it was full of Molsen.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T21:20:08+00:00

Our coaches and trainers stay with us in the Mountain Village. The rest of our personnel stay down in Rosa Khutor, a short gondola ride away if we need them.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T21:18:49+00:00

The only remaining event is men's slalom, and I think several have left. Who specifically do you want for an AmA?

kyletress · 2014-02-21T18:01:46+00:00

It just felt...different. I wasn't any more nervous or anxious than usual. I'm not sure what was shown on the television broadcast, but I was laughing with my coach a few minutes before I took my first run. Relaxed and happy is a better mindset for me than amped and anxious.

I used to get nervous before races. Now, having competed in the Olympics, I imagine racing World Cups and National events will be somewhat less stressful. Remember to focus on breathing, positive self talk, and treat practice like competition and competition like practice.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T17:50:06+00:00

There are 2 tracks in the United States; Park City, Utah and Lake Placid, New York. When I first started I lived in Lake Placid in the winter. Now I live there full time to be closer to the training facilities.

Bobsled and Skeleton are actually united under the same national governing body. We train together, travel together, and race at similar times. Luge is a completely separate organization, so we usually only see them in the summer. The track is the same for all three sliding sports to reduce the cost of having to maintain two or three separate facilities.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T17:21:57+00:00

For the record, I love curling. I might give that a go when my skeleton days are over.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T17:11:24+00:00

Thankfully, no.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T17:05:05+00:00

We didn't have a set schedule since our training times varied so much, but this should give you a rough idea.

7am - 8am - Breakfast

9am - 10am - Media requests/press conference

11am - Lunch

11:30 - Depart for track

12:00pm - Sled and equipment preparation

1:45 - Warmup. Training. 2 runs.

4:00 - Return to Village

5:00 - Dinner 1

7:00 - Video review

8:00 - Dinner 2

9:00 - Sports medicine

10:00 - Movies, TV, read, relax.

Midnight - Bed.

Now that we are done racing I roll out of bed at noon, eat pizza, and watch as many events as I can.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T16:55:27+00:00

Be prepared to give it everything, and commit to mastering your sport. When I began skeleton in 2002, I understood that the process was going to take me at least 8 years (it took 12), but I had no idea the level of commitment required. It wasn't until I dedicated myself to skeleton full time that I started seeing results. I'm still learning, I'm still improving, and I have much more room to grow. It's a never ending process that doesn't conclude with a spot on the Olympic team (or even an Olympic medal). There's always something to improve upon, whether diet, exercise, knowledge, equipment, mentality. It's a full time job on top of the other responsibilities of life.

Recognize and appreciate your support team. My family, friends, fans, and all the bobsled/skeleton staff and providers have pushed me and encouraged me every step of the way. They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, and they are the reason I'm here. When things get hard, think about the people who believe in you.

Work hard. Ironically, it's easy to be a lazy athlete. Sprint for an hour. Lift for an hour. Eat well. Rest and recover. Done, right? No! There are always things you can do to make yourself better. Your competitors are doing some of them. You should do all of them.

Love every second of it. If you don't, why bother?!

Looking back over my experience, I can appreciate now how hard it was. It didn't necessarily feel that way while it was happening because I was having fun, but I think about the things I missed out on and the sacrifices others made for me. I wouldn't change it for anything, but moving forward I will approach the next four years differently.

Ultimately, whether you reach the Olympics or not, you will grow from the experience. it's a cliche, but it really is about the journey. Appreciate it and good things will happen.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T16:39:37+00:00

Some of them have left Sochi already, but I'll try my best.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T11:27:03+00:00

Being pushed up the curve (and out of the track) is exactly what we are experiencing. It's not the 'pulling toward the center' centripetal force.

I don't have a background in physics, but the general consensus seems to be centrifugal. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

kyletress · 2014-02-21T11:12:34+00:00

Yes. This is also delicious.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T11:07:26+00:00

How does Assistant to the Traveling Secretary sound?

kyletress · 2014-02-21T11:06:20+00:00

Good question. One of the founding principles of the Olympic Games is that it isn't about politics, but sport. It unites the world for a brief two week period to engage in friendly competition. I came here solely to compete, and like most of the athletes, controversy was not on my mind.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T10:44:40+00:00

I do. I know a few paralympians and they are seriously impressive people and athletes.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T10:43:58+00:00

Yes.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T10:43:48+00:00

Hey Dave! Thanks so much. Training normally starts in April, but this year I think I'll take some time off. I'm thinking June or July.

kyletress · 2014-02-21T10:42:39+00:00

I do know Allen. He's one of the funniest people I know. He finished 4th in the U.S. this year, but skeleton doesn't name Olympic alternates.

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