Remember Gonzalo Calisto. The guy who finished 5th at UTMB, then recorded a positive test for EPO, and is serving a WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) imposed ban until May 2018. Despite the ban, somehow, even in his own country (Ecuador), Calisto was allowed to enter and take part in the Adventure Racing World Series Huairasinchi race. His Life Adventure Team (pictured) finished third in the event. Fortunately common sense eventually prevailed when a member of the Czech team Fenix Multisport protested, and the team were disqualified on the basis of breaching rules around the use of prohibited substances, and acting with deceit. Gonzalo continues to deny having ever used a prohibited substances to improve his performance. How very Floyd Landis of him. Apparently the case was controversial. |
Life Adventure Team. Official Press Release.
(English translation)
Sourced via Life Adventure Team Facebook Page.
Quito, 17 May 2017.
Life is an adventure team adventure team consisting of friends our whole lives, sportsmen since forever and adventurers of heart. The intention of our team is bringing a healthy lifestyle in nature, using our sporting passion to create experiences that bring us closer to happiness. We don't have business goals or we can live adventure Sports, but with our work we subsidize the time to train, compete and achieve our dreams.
In December we must have a dream that I had been delayed for a long time, run together the huairasinchi 2017. This was a great goal, a sports challenge, forcing us to work as a team, and consolidate a good physical preparation and technique, so we started Train, explore stopped, mountains, lakes, we add a lot of miles, to achieve to be physically and mentally ready for an event that without a doubt is high difficulty in all its variables, 400 kms nonstop, day and night, Biking, kayaking, jog and walk, carrying all the required material and with a map would lead us to fight for a dream or faint in the attempt.
To achieve to enter this competition requires form a mixed team of 4 people, pay a registration fee of $ 1.700,00 per team, fill out a registration form and submit the whole team equipment required. Life adventure team passed all checks of materials, surrender your registration form and it was credited to compete with number #15.
The members that were credited to compete entered the pre recorded of the race two (2) months before the day of registration and official accreditation. Gonzalo Calisto, Victoria Calero, Juan José Calisto And Francisco Pinto were accepted and accredited by the enterprise project adventure, as representatives of the franchise Arws (Adventure Racing World Series), those who give the endorsement of adventure racing at the international level, To compete in the elite category.
As you all know, and it is common knowledge to national and international level, Gonzalo Callisto has a penalty emitted by the iaaf (International Association of athletics federations), agent regulator of athletics at the global level. This case was very controversial, as it was the first case of a penalty to amateur athlete in the modality trail running, in which was not respected her right to defence between other inconsistencies.
Within this process, Gonzalo I never accept having used prohibited substances to improve their performance and rejected the processes inconsistent with those who made such a penalty.
To be a form of athletics, the sanction prohibits gonzalo compete in races where the iaaf athletics has jurisdiction.
Knowing this background, accepted organizers team registration to the race huairasinchi since 2017, adventure racing federated are not under any entity and also in their rules of both as arws huairasinchi, is not provided any where clause It is determined that an athlete punished in another sport can't participate in any of its powers, so the record of life adventure team was legitimate and performed by fulfilling all parameters established by the organization.
After more than 65 hours of race, we can overcome extreme conditions, cold, starvation, dehydration, dream, a broken bike and muscle aches all over his body. All the teamwork, the long hours of training, the willpower and the strategy worked, making us to finish and achieve a dream that we fought for, second place in the huairasinchi 2017, a dream come true.
On Wednesday, three (3) of may 2017 the award of the race, after some words of the organizers and the teams, and after I get the award for second place in the huairasinchi 2017 Excited to go out, enjoy, anecdotes and feel proud to have endured the difficulties with courage, bravery and love between us, because life adventure team is more than a team, we're brothers forged by the adventure and by their emotions.
Day Four (4) May 2017, we realize that a member of the Phoenix Multisport Team of Czech Republic, who won the fourth location in the race, presented a complaint directly to the arws in their social networks on The participation of Gonzalo Callisto in competition, complaint which spread to the organization of huairasinchi, and his time came to our team life adventure team. Both the organization of the race as the team life adventure team, explained to the director, Craig Bycroft Arws, the sanction of gonzalo was issued by the iaaf, and that therefore there was no reason why the team couldn't participate In Huairasinchi, adventure racing where this type of penalty does not apply under any circumstances, for the iaaf has no jurisdiction or any relation to the arws.
On the night of the fourteen (14) May 2017, the team life adventure team through an email sent by Craig Bycroft Arws, Director, was notified that the panel of judges of the arws had decided that the Gonzalo's participation in the 2017 huarasinchi had contravened sections 9 AND 8 of the rules of arws, related to the use of banned substances, and smear by committing to sport, respectively. In this sense, we were informed the panel unanimously decided that the team was left disqualified from the race, and that day the arws would make public its official release. For more needless to say said email, two paragraphs, was the only information we receive regarding the sanction of the object which we are, even though we have not had the chance to defend ourselves and expose our arguments.
The rules of the arws, provides in article 9 that: "not allowed the use of prohibited substances as specified in the world anti-doping code 2013 ( Forbidden List 2013 )". and in Article 8, related to the conduct of the teams during the competition, stipulates that: " the athletes must behave in a respectful manner at all times, without deceit, abusive behavior, profanity, or violence."
In regulation, it clearly states that in case there are any formal complaint by participating teams, the captain of the team must submit it no later than three (3) hours prior to the awards (article 11.2), The Jury must be formed a referee arws representative, the race director and an accredited referee (article 11.3.2), that the jury's decision is final and not subject to appeal (article 11.3.5), end of positions The race will be delivered, and the awards will take place after the decision of the jury (article 11.4), and that the positions announced during the award are subject to the results of tests of banned substances (article 11.5).
In the present case, the formal complaint was filed and twenty four (24) hours after done the awards, the jury was not conformed by the director of the race, as the decision was taken in Australia, long after The Director of the race out of Ecuador; the decision was notified ten (10) days after the awards, and at no time were medical examinations performed to determine that gonzalo or any of the members of team life adventure team had consumed Prohibited substances or research was carried out to ascertain that behaved so disrespectful, deceitful, abusive or violent. All this shows that the decision taken by the violent arws their own regulations and any national or international rule regarding the right to defense and due process.
It is unheard of that a decision arws away from everything established in its own rules. It is extraordinary that the arws wants to impose a penalty established by the iaaf, when they are two completely different entities, one as a regulator of the careers of athletics that enjoy its endorsement arws, and being a private entity that is not regulated by any International Sports Agency, since the adventure races are not an Olympic Sport. It's strange that it has been established a sanction for "using banned substances" to the team, when any of its members was subjected to medical examination whatsoever. It is outrageous that the penalty emitted by the arws, even when it's completely arbitrary, disrespects his own rules, and ignores the universal principles of law due process or the right to self defense, is applied.
The moment life adventure team had held several meetings with people and brands who support us. Moreover, we met with the lawyers who have advised gonzalo calisto since its enactment in the iaaf, as well as a law firm that represented the team forward both nationally and internationally, and we are exploring all options that we have to carry our claim To Judicial Sports not only civilians, but also because the injustice that we are victims to the moment is not only a demerit sporty, but a stain on our behalf and all sporting achievements harvested for so many years.
We want to thank all the brands and people who deposited and place their trust in us, to all our friends and family that with words of encouragement they give us strength to keep going. Thank you for believing in our projects, and our talent as athletes. We know that along with your support we will know weather this and many other difficulties that skills and life put us ahead. Thank you for believing in us.
Sincerely,
Life Adventure Team
(English translation)
Sourced via Life Adventure Team Facebook Page.
Quito, 17 May 2017.
Life is an adventure team adventure team consisting of friends our whole lives, sportsmen since forever and adventurers of heart. The intention of our team is bringing a healthy lifestyle in nature, using our sporting passion to create experiences that bring us closer to happiness. We don't have business goals or we can live adventure Sports, but with our work we subsidize the time to train, compete and achieve our dreams.
In December we must have a dream that I had been delayed for a long time, run together the huairasinchi 2017. This was a great goal, a sports challenge, forcing us to work as a team, and consolidate a good physical preparation and technique, so we started Train, explore stopped, mountains, lakes, we add a lot of miles, to achieve to be physically and mentally ready for an event that without a doubt is high difficulty in all its variables, 400 kms nonstop, day and night, Biking, kayaking, jog and walk, carrying all the required material and with a map would lead us to fight for a dream or faint in the attempt.
To achieve to enter this competition requires form a mixed team of 4 people, pay a registration fee of $ 1.700,00 per team, fill out a registration form and submit the whole team equipment required. Life adventure team passed all checks of materials, surrender your registration form and it was credited to compete with number #15.
The members that were credited to compete entered the pre recorded of the race two (2) months before the day of registration and official accreditation. Gonzalo Calisto, Victoria Calero, Juan José Calisto And Francisco Pinto were accepted and accredited by the enterprise project adventure, as representatives of the franchise Arws (Adventure Racing World Series), those who give the endorsement of adventure racing at the international level, To compete in the elite category.
As you all know, and it is common knowledge to national and international level, Gonzalo Callisto has a penalty emitted by the iaaf (International Association of athletics federations), agent regulator of athletics at the global level. This case was very controversial, as it was the first case of a penalty to amateur athlete in the modality trail running, in which was not respected her right to defence between other inconsistencies.
Within this process, Gonzalo I never accept having used prohibited substances to improve their performance and rejected the processes inconsistent with those who made such a penalty.
To be a form of athletics, the sanction prohibits gonzalo compete in races where the iaaf athletics has jurisdiction.
Knowing this background, accepted organizers team registration to the race huairasinchi since 2017, adventure racing federated are not under any entity and also in their rules of both as arws huairasinchi, is not provided any where clause It is determined that an athlete punished in another sport can't participate in any of its powers, so the record of life adventure team was legitimate and performed by fulfilling all parameters established by the organization.
After more than 65 hours of race, we can overcome extreme conditions, cold, starvation, dehydration, dream, a broken bike and muscle aches all over his body. All the teamwork, the long hours of training, the willpower and the strategy worked, making us to finish and achieve a dream that we fought for, second place in the huairasinchi 2017, a dream come true.
On Wednesday, three (3) of may 2017 the award of the race, after some words of the organizers and the teams, and after I get the award for second place in the huairasinchi 2017 Excited to go out, enjoy, anecdotes and feel proud to have endured the difficulties with courage, bravery and love between us, because life adventure team is more than a team, we're brothers forged by the adventure and by their emotions.
Day Four (4) May 2017, we realize that a member of the Phoenix Multisport Team of Czech Republic, who won the fourth location in the race, presented a complaint directly to the arws in their social networks on The participation of Gonzalo Callisto in competition, complaint which spread to the organization of huairasinchi, and his time came to our team life adventure team. Both the organization of the race as the team life adventure team, explained to the director, Craig Bycroft Arws, the sanction of gonzalo was issued by the iaaf, and that therefore there was no reason why the team couldn't participate In Huairasinchi, adventure racing where this type of penalty does not apply under any circumstances, for the iaaf has no jurisdiction or any relation to the arws.
On the night of the fourteen (14) May 2017, the team life adventure team through an email sent by Craig Bycroft Arws, Director, was notified that the panel of judges of the arws had decided that the Gonzalo's participation in the 2017 huarasinchi had contravened sections 9 AND 8 of the rules of arws, related to the use of banned substances, and smear by committing to sport, respectively. In this sense, we were informed the panel unanimously decided that the team was left disqualified from the race, and that day the arws would make public its official release. For more needless to say said email, two paragraphs, was the only information we receive regarding the sanction of the object which we are, even though we have not had the chance to defend ourselves and expose our arguments.
The rules of the arws, provides in article 9 that: "not allowed the use of prohibited substances as specified in the world anti-doping code 2013 ( Forbidden List 2013 )". and in Article 8, related to the conduct of the teams during the competition, stipulates that: " the athletes must behave in a respectful manner at all times, without deceit, abusive behavior, profanity, or violence."
In regulation, it clearly states that in case there are any formal complaint by participating teams, the captain of the team must submit it no later than three (3) hours prior to the awards (article 11.2), The Jury must be formed a referee arws representative, the race director and an accredited referee (article 11.3.2), that the jury's decision is final and not subject to appeal (article 11.3.5), end of positions The race will be delivered, and the awards will take place after the decision of the jury (article 11.4), and that the positions announced during the award are subject to the results of tests of banned substances (article 11.5).
In the present case, the formal complaint was filed and twenty four (24) hours after done the awards, the jury was not conformed by the director of the race, as the decision was taken in Australia, long after The Director of the race out of Ecuador; the decision was notified ten (10) days after the awards, and at no time were medical examinations performed to determine that gonzalo or any of the members of team life adventure team had consumed Prohibited substances or research was carried out to ascertain that behaved so disrespectful, deceitful, abusive or violent. All this shows that the decision taken by the violent arws their own regulations and any national or international rule regarding the right to defense and due process.
It is unheard of that a decision arws away from everything established in its own rules. It is extraordinary that the arws wants to impose a penalty established by the iaaf, when they are two completely different entities, one as a regulator of the careers of athletics that enjoy its endorsement arws, and being a private entity that is not regulated by any International Sports Agency, since the adventure races are not an Olympic Sport. It's strange that it has been established a sanction for "using banned substances" to the team, when any of its members was subjected to medical examination whatsoever. It is outrageous that the penalty emitted by the arws, even when it's completely arbitrary, disrespects his own rules, and ignores the universal principles of law due process or the right to self defense, is applied.
The moment life adventure team had held several meetings with people and brands who support us. Moreover, we met with the lawyers who have advised gonzalo calisto since its enactment in the iaaf, as well as a law firm that represented the team forward both nationally and internationally, and we are exploring all options that we have to carry our claim To Judicial Sports not only civilians, but also because the injustice that we are victims to the moment is not only a demerit sporty, but a stain on our behalf and all sporting achievements harvested for so many years.
We want to thank all the brands and people who deposited and place their trust in us, to all our friends and family that with words of encouragement they give us strength to keep going. Thank you for believing in our projects, and our talent as athletes. We know that along with your support we will know weather this and many other difficulties that skills and life put us ahead. Thank you for believing in us.
Sincerely,
Life Adventure Team