495 A Deadly Strike (2/2)
”Downplay this problem. Great. That's great.” Frey heaved a great sigh of relief.
However, Williams wasn't optimistic. He added, ”It will reduce the amount of negative press we get. Our athletes and coaches are still going to face consequences though. Suspension is the best case scenario for many of them, but the Olympics is fast approaching.”
Williams picked up a paper on the table and handed it to Frey. ”Take a look. This is the list of athletes who have been using illicit drugs. The list has not been published yet. I got it through personal relations. The athletes on the list are definitely not going to attend the Olympic Games.”
Frey took the paper. His expression became grim as he looked at every name on the list. When he'd finished, he looked absolutely wretched.
”None of them can attend this Olympic Games?The IOC can't bend any rules? Every year we give them so much money. Don't we get special treatment?” asked Frey.
”I'm afraid not. This time is totally different. The evidence is overwhelming. If the IOC gives us the green light, other countries will be upset. If it looks like they're giving us a pass they will lose some of their authority. If they lose their authority then no one will want to host the Olympics anymore,” said Williams.
”I remember some of those athletes had falsified medical records so as to use drugs properly. Will they get higher penalties? We can announce to the public that they didn't falsify medical records,” Frey asked.
Williams shook his head and said, ”It'd be feasible if we were the only ones involved, but FBI and American Medical Association are in this now too and the media has been watching.. Those doctors who prescribed fake prescriptions will eventually confess. Then, we'd get a lot of backlash from the press and we could be sued.”
”But so many athletes are on this list. There are 73 athletes from the national team. If they can't attend the Olympic Games, we'll only have half a team,” said Frey.
”Therefore, we have to let other athletes take their spots in accordance with the qualifying rules,” Williams said. ”According to the rules, the top three performers at qualifiers are qualified to attend the Olympic Games. If someone can't attend, the fourth athlete takes his spot. If the fourth athlete also can't attend, the fifth one takes his spot and so on. There are so many track and field athletes in America. Surely we can find enough.”
”I'm not so optimistic. Take the women's 100-meter dash as an example: two of the top three athletes are on the list as well as the fourth, the sixth and the seventh-place athletes. We might be in similar trouble with other events.” Frey sighed.
”We have no choice now. We're also going to have a hard time finding a good coach. You should see the list of coaches who are involved. It is more serious than the athletes. All the coaches recruited by the national team are all on the list!” Williams said worriedly.
Looking at the list of namest, Frey said, ”How ironic! As the most powerful national team of track and field sports and the biggest delegation of Olympic track and field events, the United States has no suitable coach! All right, the whole world is waiting to laugh at us.”
”We will not become the laughing stock of the whole world. We can never allow it to happen. In addition to athletes, we must recruit coaches immediately,” said Williams decisively.
”It will be more difficult than selecting athletes. All the coaches who attended the interview for the head coach of the national team are on the list!”
”So those coaches are dirtier than athletes! Sports coaches in recent years have been involved in many scandals.They provided illicit drugs for athletes, took bribes and even sexually assaulted athletes...” Williams snorted, ”But we really have no choice now. We have to find a coach as clean as possible!”
...
Sebastian hadn't expected Warton to admit to using drugs but the athlete shifted the responsibility to him.
It was brilliant for Warton to strike first. Sebastian even had no time to react, and the media came to him at once. Sebastian still refused to admit it.
”That's slander. A rumor! I definitely didn't give Warton any illicit drugs!”
”Warton lied. He was slandering me!”
”Why did he lie? Because he wants to pass the buck! He wants to pass the buck to me, so he can get away with it!”
”If Warton thought what he said was true, he should provide enough evidence to prove that I gave him those drugs.”
”Warton has no evidence at all. He's talking nonsense! I'll hire a lawyer to investigate his legal liability!”
Sebastian's acting was really good. His solemn and strict expression even made many journalists feel that Sebastian really had been wronged.
Two middle-aged men in suits elbowed their way into the crowd.
”Stand aside please.” The two middle-aged men walked through the crowd of journalists and to Sebastian.
”Are you Mr. Sebastian? I'm Agent Smith with the FBI.” One of them took out his credentials as he spoke.
”Yes, I am. What's the matter?” Sebastian became nervous suddenly.
Agent Smith said, ”When we investigated the Franklin Lab, we found a document which indicates that during the last five years they have provided you with 73 types of steroid derivative reagents. 341 times in total. These reagents probably can be used as performance-enhancing drugs for athletes. So please come with us and assist in our investigation.”
”Oh... oh...”
The journalists seemed surprised as they all turned to Sebastian.
He had just been insisting that he had nothing to do with those drugs, and these journalists had believed him.
However, these two FBI agents revealing this information about a document connecting him to Franklin Labs and the illegal drugs. This really was a fatal blow to Sebastian..
Sebastian became so irritated that he fainted. He knew all of his excuses were meaningless now.