RO! EXCLUSIVE - Disgraced athlete Zane Robertson shares his story | Runners Only! wth Dom Harvey
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- EP63 Runners Only! with Dom Harvey & Zane Robertson
Disgraced athlete, Zane Robertson has spoken exclusively to Runner's Only! podcaster, Dom Harvey about being caught for doping.
On Tuesday March 22, it was announced that NZ distance runner, Zane Robertson had received a seven-year ban for failing a drug test.
Four years was for taking the banned substance EPO, an additional three years was for trying to cover up his failed test.
At the age of 33, this likely spells the end of his professional career.
Zane and I connected to have this conversation the morning after, Thursday March 23.
In this podcast, a tired and understandably emotional Zane talked openly and frankly about the announcement and the events leading up to it.
The interview was done early this morning (23/03/23) NZ time with Robertson live from Kenya.
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![[VIDEO] Zane Robertson: Doping Violation](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iz4xRrI85Fg/mqdefault.jpg)
Can't believe nobody else here is crediting the interviewer for being so damn good. He was very empathetic and treated Zane like a friend, was supportive and never accused Zane or his close acquaintances of anything else. Kudos mate and I just hope Zane is doing alright 🙌
High performance NZ needs to get onto this super quick and offer some help to Zane. Feels like this could go very badly.
@@stevefox7469 100% he defo just needs some genuine support. As he hinted, he's a person before he's an athlete so it's important that he's in a good mental state before anyone comes out judging him and sending him horrible messages etc. Unfortunately I don't think everyone sees it that way :/
@@stevefox7469 yeah I’m gutted I forgot to ask him about duty of care from hpsnz. They have been excellent towards him and deserve credit for their handling 🙌
I really hope he’s not alone. He needs to be around someone right now
I really hope so too buddy - this screams of someone that needs help.
I really hope he sorts his mental health out. Granted he did this but in the end, HE paid the big price. Let's not forget he lived running since school, That's a massive loss to him. He just fucked up and he will live for this a long time. If you're reading this Zane go get some help from the bottom of my heart I think you really need it at the moment.
😢 boo hoo
Thank you Dom from Canada. Zane is a human being after all and a fall from grace in the entertainment world (and that is what sport is) should never take a life. Thank you Zane for your courage and honesty.
If anyone was going to ask him the tough questions, I'm happy to see it was you, Dom. Great job. You could see your interview came from a place of care, concern, and support. Which is clearly what he needs right now. Running can unintentionally heal a lot of things. Hopefully, Zane will remember that.
I'd love to see part 2 of the more positive time of his career.
Right now. His mental health is important. I hope he has a support group around him.
He went after a dream and it turned into a nightmare! We are all human and make mistakes!
Hope he is successful in his next venture in life as a run coach.
Love how Dom cracked the shell by the end and got a smile out of Zane :)
It's definitely understandable. Wish Zane a bright future. Time heals...
I do understand your why bro. It was almost out of desperation. I do feel for you as I know the point you reached and the decision you made. If you were in a better state of mind you would of made a better decision. Look after yourself bro. There is life after sport! The world is a better place with you in it and you have achieved great things!
W comment 🫡
Takes a lot to man up and admit to the world your mistakes. Praying for him..this can’t be easy at all.
He admitted just a little bit. Do you really believe he only doped once? You would not get a contract or consistent good performance from just taking EPO once.
@@AndriusVegan he did say there were no problems with his other samples. Which to me, is very different than saying you only did it once.
Although I am not a professional athlete, never have taken EPO, this real and somehow relatable. Most compelling you tube video I’ve seen in a long time.
Will be following and supporting him in the future.
It’s hopefully all upward from here.
A genuinely fantastic interview, thank you Dom. I think it's really important to remember that the mistake doesn't make the person. A lot of the anger online appears to be surrounding the excuse he used to WADA - whilst that's understandable, it's really important we remember that the incentive for an athlete facing a ban is absolutely to try and get out of it, so a bad excuse is probably better than no excuse. A lot of love for Zane being open here, this stuff is really tough, here we see a guy who's really struggling and it's times like these we are all better remembering that nobody is perfect, and we all make mistakes.
Hang in there Zane… you have gifts to share through your journey… focus on you and the people that care… you can turn the dark into the light mate!!
Kudos man. This needs to be spoken out for more. Much respect from the UK 👍
World class interview explorative and empathetic at the time. Changed my narrow mindedness and could really understand his struggles. Inspiring message at the end wish him peace and happiness in the future 🙏
loved watching him run and he looked exactly like my brother who passed away. I hope he rally’s back and moves on…he’ll bounce just needs to stay healthy and find some good friends. ❤
Yes hope he has support ☺️ as an ex runner, there definitely is life after running. He could write a book and he'd do well from it 🥰 new beginnings, resetting goals, starting fresh. Thanks for sharing with us and all the Best 🙏💖
First time on this channel, what a beautiful interview, great job Don ❤
He really needs positive people around, people that make him see that life is not over and has so many things to look forward to. Yeah he fucked up but we all do, recover and move on to new things that excite you 🙏🏻
Very insightful and empathic interview. I do not support what he has done but it’s a great interview to understand the reasons and pressure that top level athletes face and also the uncertainty when your career is not going to plan. I just hope he gets the help he needs to get through this right now.
I have no hard feelings for Zane. Yes, he did wrong, but he owns it. Respect!
Dom, you were so gentle with Zane and extremely empathetic. Wishing nothing but the best for Zanes future and hoping he can find his way
Great questions. Great interview.
Oh man my heart goes out to the guy! We are all human and we all suck!!!! People try cheat at life in every aspect that they can, don’t be so hard on yourself! Your life isn’t over!!!!!!!!
One step at a time and keep it positive, listen to positive people and get some inspiration to start a new journey.
Many people crash and burn at life, I’ve got a friend who hasn’t left his house for nearly 4 years. We just gotta live and love man.
Trail walking or running, get away from the world for a bit. Anything!!! Try new stuff, you are now free from something that was breaking your spirit.
It might not feel it, but there’s a positive future for you out there!!!!
Kia Kaha, you are still a hero, your story isn’t done.
I've always admired the brothers. Following them through the years has been a highlight of the pro-running scene. With time I learned I admired them not only as runners but as humans even more so; even this interview confirms how honest and connecting Zane is. He is paying the price already for the choices he made (I wish it was otherwise), but for me, again, Zane is beyond the sport. For many what I'm saying won't make sense, but that's ok. I just wanted to put this out to show that there're probably many like myself who support you, Zane, sending your way all strength and courage to face the next chapter in your life. You know how to do it. You've done it many times!! Take care, brother!!
❤
Please pass on my message of support to Zane. I saw him on the Iten dirt track when I was out there in 2019. He made a mistake but has done many, many more good things in his life and he has so much more to give all of us runners - just in a different way. Keep going young man.........!
We love you Jake and Zane.... You both followed your dreams, went to Kenya on your own as 17 year olds and it has been amazing to watch you race... It doesn't matter to me ... none of it.....Just know we want to see you back in Boston April 19th... whatever year you chose to return. You'll always be a champion in my mind.
Everyone has a story. I have no right to judge because I’ve never been in your shoes. Any nasty or negative comments are coming from people in denial about their perfect life.
I really hope Zane has good people around him right now. No one has lived his life and been through what he’s been through. I’m not condoning doping but there are many people who make bad decisions in sport and his health is more important than anything.❤️
Great interview ... 👍
poor fella, hope he gets the help he needs!
He does not sound in a safe place at all.
These feelings are real and they ALSO WILL PASS!!!
This is so sad 😭 I’m sorry 😢 you feel this way Zane hope you get well best wishes. I will miss you competing
He seems a decent guy, I can understand why he did what he did. Lots of similarities with Tyler Hamilton and his reasons for cheating. Hamilton was faced with a choice; either leave Europe and go back home to the US as a failure or do what virtually every other top pro cyclist in Europe was doing and cheat. Not all cheats are inherently bad people but, as a sport, we have to come down hard on these cheats or accept a sport in which anyone can take whatever substances they like. (Several serious people have suggested this as the sport's only long term future.)
At the beginning of the post Zane suggests that EPO usage is widespread. Was he referencing Kenya (where we know it is easily available and widely used) or the sport in general? This is the curse of drug taking in sport; inevitably any athlete who breaks a record, wins a medal, sets a meaningful PR comes under suspicion.
On a personal level, I hope he sorts things out. My advice? For what it's worth, go for a run! There must have been a period in your life when you ran because you just loved to run. Get back to that basic love of running and alot of the other stuff will fall into place. Good luck.
❤
Great interview Dom - hope Zane has a good support network around him, can't be easy
Great interview Dom - empathetic but asking the questions that needed to be asked. There is no condoning what he’s done (and doubt he was caught after a single instance) I really hope he has the support he needs and sees theres a life beyond all he’s ever known.
I understand why this happens..hang in there..alot of us are not haters and we realise life is complicated ,not black and white..things will get better zane
I actually took EPO under medical supervision because I had a very invasive total hip replacement. I also donated a couple of litres of my own blood to help replace the blood I lost during surgery. EPO is probably the best way to increase performance without altering your hormone levels. The danger with EPO is watching your blood pressure- hoping it doesn’t get too high.
I’ll take issue with its effectiveness; it lasts about a month depending on your metabolism and work load. Bottom line, EPO works very well.
Poor Zane I hope he can pull through this and find peace again. To big a penalty for a mistake he made at a low point in his life.
This is very sad. He made a big mistake but he needs people around him now. Hope he gets help.
He says the drug is extremely hard to find in a test and yet he used it once and got caught the first time. Wow what a coincidence.
If it's done "right" it's hard to detect. The documentary Icarus (best doco Oscar in 2018) outlines how it can be done with EPO.
That was tough to listen to. I hope Zane finds a way through this.
“All my past performances are fine because I never failed a test”
Later
“It is very difficult to detect EPO, doctors will always be ahead”
Boom 🤷🏾♂️
Yup. He was always on. He only got caught once
Yeah, it is a joke, he didn't dope just once. Imagine how unlucky he was , doped once and got caught. So basically he was lying again. and the interviewer should have challenged him on it. He only admitted a bit bc he was caught.
I wish him al the best! with all the running records going nuts after covid, it would be hard to keep putting in the work and leave it to blind faith that noone else is doing anything. Especially when you put your life on the line to be there, you would want to ensure that its not another persons ethics that stand between you and the result you deserve. Its a weird ambigous situation to be in.
Hope he focuses on trying to live a happy life now best of luck to him
Bro I need a coach for when I move to Kenya. I will break all the records ! You should training with me and we can go to the masters athletics. You are still a legend in my opinion
ZANE....DO NOT LET THIS DEFINE YOUR WHOLE LIFE!!!
Zane please take care ❤
This too will pass Zane and you'll be fine. Hang in there.
YOUR ARE A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BEING ❤
Got the ban he deserved. Hope he learns a lot in 8 years
Divorce, "dark place" etc is no excuse for this
pray for zane. he needs it
_Elvis has left the building_
Thing is - if he doped, and it worked, and he won races, and he wasn't caught, then he would be rejoicing -
feel bad for him he mad a bad choice everybody should get a 2nd go.
Business are Business , to get glory everyone take the change to be top level athlete!
I understand and know he's getting all this criticism from everyone cause he doped and is a famous and respected figure but I would never say he deserved this treatment especially in this sport when doping is so out of control . If you think otherwise well if ykyk but have some remorse for this man , I have spoken to Jake before not Zane but they are passionate people and honestly they have exceeded alot where others haven't. He cheated right but so many do but 8 years is a long underserved ban for first timer seems ridiculous his way in life is this and he feels he could still do better and to strive to be the best with enhancement or not is always done. He needs to provide and he wants to keep his dream alive to back down after years of this would feel wasteful (a feeling none of you think about ) Zane should have just kept his head down and moved on its hard but sadly we hate drug cheats but the country's and athletes who have money and access are aware and can dope effectively and safely while individuals trying for success are more likely to get popped
The one time I took it FFS . It's the same BS every time when ppl get caught. Give him time he might tell the truth . I mean Lance A was tested x amount of times, every other drug cheat was until the one time they were caught.
I get he's hurting, but he's messed up of course he will be. I suppose the only saving grace is he's admitted he took it. The next part is to cut the crap and tell the truth.
What does he mean he can’t move back home?? Running for prize money is not the only way to make money?
I think he got to a point in his, ( ok but average) career where he realised that he had plateaued ,age and time were against him and he figured that why not give it a go.
It's possible but more likely he was always on it. His peak performances were much better than when he supposedly started EPO. A massive performance enhancement
@@jamesd5241 You could be right , Kenya was a hot bed of dodgy testing up until very recently. A second point I would raise is, if he is on artificial enhancers, what chance is there that his brother knows and / or partakes?
Imagine he wasn’t caught and win major marathon 🙃
Blamed it on his ex wife 😂
who is also serving a ban for doping before this come out...
Providing false documentation is an absolute disgrace.
Yeah. He fully knows that Butt Sniffa ❤
@@dominicharvey-fo5pb typical kiwi behaviour. Always have been cheats
Must be so hard to basically throw away your running career, which he’s obviously worked his whole life to establish. Life can be seriously cruel sometimes, but I think if you know the risks then you should be be prepared for the consequences. I think he deserves the ban obviously, but I can empathise with him.
It's an ugly system that traumatizes these athletes. Few people are caught because that would tarnish the sports, shoe companies, and nations, but an occasional sacrifice is made to give the appearance of clean sport. Athletes are allowed to miss 2 random tests per year, and WADA recommends an average of at least 3. There are newer and much better methods for detecting EPO now called PAGE, especially the SDS urine, published in 2020 by Laurent Martin et al. This is probably why Zane got caught. However, WADA allows some nations to use the older LC-MS method. ABP is confounded by moderate altitude, and atypical finding requires all 3 experts to agree on likely doping or else nothing happens. So it's a dog and pony show. I think they should just put a limit on hematocrit like 50%, and however athletes reach that limit is their business. No bans for being a little over, they just draw blood to get below or miss 1 race.
Probably no University degree eh? :( If he didn't get caught probably sill could have got a free College
xxoo
i’m sorry but, i’m simply just not buying it
wow what a coincidence! those two kenyan "doctors" also signed my Absa bank statement saying there was a million dollars in an abandoned account for me! small world I guess!
HAHAHAHAHAHA
What a bummer. Only used it once…and got caught 🙄
Indeed Jared!
Only did it once well there’s the next Tui ad
Did it once lol they all say that. Marion Jones flat out denied it all together at first as did Armstrong, jarrell miller in boxing etc.... The fact that he's gone to great lengths to lie and cover it all up when he was caught makes me believe he's probably still lying. And using the financial pressure of living in NZ? Please that's an insult to everyday kiwis living in poverty! We're all in the same boat you're not special infact you probably weren't winning because you weren't good enough that's sport ffs someone wins and someone loses.
No sympathy for sports cheats, when thousands more athletes pound the pavement with no unfair advantage in their veins, just dreams and hard work...
My BS meter was overheating
Woe is Zane
The truth is out there….
I understand his 'Why' . Having ones face all over global media in this way + the 8 year ban, is punishment enough. It's pretty low in the grand scheme of things. I am of the opinion that every olympic/commonwealth track and field event has ATLEAST a few dopers in it, and I still enjoy watching the events. Not excusing this behaviour at all, just saying that the only ones he hurt were the athletes, not the spectators who sometimes get all righteous from their arm chair. My 2 cents. Feel free to disagree with me.
he needs whanau around him
Iam sorry for this happen to you but the reason we divorce was coz u were unfaithful to our marriage and sleep around and when u say nasty divorce he threw me out without 1 dollar after all this years. So Please don't use our marriage an excuse. I have been on the street and not afford to leave a normal life and not affording even to have 3meals a day and thanks to my friends for supporting me for the last almost 3years. Everyone know. We have been separated for the last 3years. Leave me out of this Please. I had enough been nice. And trust me u are paying for it for putting me in this shit. Please enough is enough
Frustrating that he’s gone on a podcast with a bloke that clearly knows nothing about elite distance running. To actually interview someone after they’ve been caught is a massive story and something that has barely ever happened
What do you mean man. He did a great sympathetic interviewer. He has to ask simple questions because it’s a big interview, people need to understand basic ideas.
Fair call Luke. Oprah interviewed Lance and she isn’t an elite cyclist. I’m definitely no Oprah when it comes to interviewing….but I’d kick her ass in a marathon haha
This comment section (at least the few I’ve read) give me hope for society. People often get very toxic at times like this. But this bloke is paying a heavy price for his mistake. We as humans now should offer a little empathy or if you can’t do that then just shut it and be silent. Sinking the boot in serves no purpose. I wish this bloke all the best in the future and I hope he finds purpose away from running. 🫡
I understand and know he's getting all this criticism from everyone cause he doped and is a famous and respected figure but I would never say he deserved this treatment especially in this sport when doping is so out of control . If you think otherwise well if ykyk but have some remorse for this man , I have spoken to Jake before not Zane but they are passionate people and honestly they have exceeded alot where others haven't. He cheated right but so many do but 8 years is a long underserved ban for first timer seems ridiculous his way in life is this and he feels he could still do better and to strive to be the best with enhancement or not is always done. He needs to provide and he wants to keep his dream alive to back down after years of this would feel wasteful (a feeling none of you think about ) Zane should have just kept his head down and moved on its hard but sadly we hate drug cheats but the country's and athletes who have money and access are aware and can dope effectively and safely while individuals trying for success are more likely to get popped.