Krakow, Poland
Ashe Milliveau and Stanley Knox, the duo that shattered the world record in the 100m freestyle 3-legged race two days ago, were stripped of their medals and disqualified yesterday by OIC and NTLRA board members. According to officials, Ashe Milliveau had tested positive for amputation, a performance enhancing operation which has been banned from international competition for over a decade.
The 3-legged-racing community was stunned by the news.
"These were guys I trained with every day." said Craig Bryce, also a member of the National 3-legged-racing team, "Honest hard working guys who lived and breathed this sport two, sometimes three hours a month. We all wanted the gold and the prestige, but cutting off your own leg is dishonest. And let's face it, it's just plain dangerous! I just can't imagine them doing something like this. I can't!"
Craig later added, "I mean, geeze. Wouldn't that hurt or something?"
Friends and family of Ashe and Stanley were also shocked at the news.
"He looked a little pale when he came home to dinner one night after training, but I didn't notice anything wrong." his mother, Tamara Milliveau, informed reporters. "He wasn't his usual happy-go-lucky self for about a week after that, and he was always scratching his right leg. Once when he had finished seconds of dinner, and I asked if he had a hollow leg that he had put all that food into, and he suddenly looked pale and angry. I didn't really understand why at the time, we thought it was just pre-race jitters. I should have seen the signs for what they were."
Experts who performed testing on the athletes say that there is often nothing family members can do to help loved ones who choose to undergo performance enhancing operations for athletic competition.
"I don't think that you should beat yourself up over it if you are friends or members of the family of someone who has tested positive for something like this. Mood swings are usually the only real sign. Well, that and they tend to wear long pants all the time. Oh, and they limp. Definitely look for limping." said Dr. Nicholas Price, an expert in the field of Amputeedetectoroscomy.
Leon Kabrinski and Petr Salzost of Lithuania have been announced as the new winners of the 100m 3-legged race. The medal ceremony is scheduled to begin today at 2:00 pm in the Krakow Memorial Garden. Rumor has it that the pair plan on wearing shorts to the award presentation, and analysts speculate that this decision is meant to taunt the American team. Neither athlete could be reached for comment.