Athletics: Return of Hunter-Galvan angers Crumpton

Shireen Crumpton is angry that disgraced marathon runner Liza Hunter-Galvan will make her comeback from a two-year drug ban in Christchurch on Sunday.

"I'm in shock. It's unbelievable that she should front up in New Zealand after her two-year suspension for using EPO," Crumpton said yesterday.

Hunter-Galvan was suspended by the New Zealand Sports Tribunal on August 28, 2009 after she tested positive for the blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO).

She failed an out-of-competition test conducted at her home in San Antonio, Texas, on March 23 and later admitted to taking EPO three times.

The drug promotes the growth of red blood cells to improve endurance.

"It is brazen of her to turn up for her first race after the ban in New Zealand," Crumpton said.

"She took Athletics New Zealand to the Sports Tribunal twice to get to the Olympics."

Crumpton (40), a Dunedin nurse, has Achilles tendon problems and is not racing at Christchurch.

"But if I had entered I would have pulled out of the race on principle. I would definitely not race against her.

"It's unbelievable that the race director would pay for her to race. She can't be stopped from running, but to actually enable her to run and pay her way is not on."

Crumpton has been in touch with other New Zealand female long-distance runners such as Gabrielle O'Rourke of Wellington and they are all unhappy about Hunter-Galvan being allowed to race at Christchurch.

"We are disappointed. She should have retired gracefully," Crumpton said.

The other New Zealand female runners backed Hunter-Galvan in her bid to get to the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

"We helped her with the appeal then and felt let down and disappointed by her drug-taking," Crumpton said.

Athletics New Zealand chief executive Scott Newman and race director Chris Cox both said they were comfortable with Hunter-Galvan (41) returning to racing in New Zealand.

"She's fine. She has served her time and served her punishment so like any member of the public she is free to run," Newman said.

"I'm very comfortable she can do as she pleases now that she has has served her punishment." Hunter-Galvan won the event in 1999 and her appearance will add to the public interest in the race.

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Liza Hunter-Galvan
Age: 41.
Home town: Antonio, Texas, USA.
Sport: Athletics.
Record: Olympic Games: 51st, Athens Olympics, 2004; 35th, Beijing Olympics 2008.
Personal best: 2hr 29min 37sec, San Antonio, 2008.
Drug ban: Two-year ban for using EPO, 2009.