Last season, the triathlon community was shaken by the abrupt suspension of American professional triathlete Collin Chartier due to an anti-doping violation.
Chartier’s positive test for EPO not only had repercussions within the sport but also deeply affected those around him, including his former training partner Lionel Sanders, who released a heartfelt statement in response.
When questioned about his approach to the possibility of other athletes still doping and evading detection, Sanders addressed the issue frankly in one of his characteristic YouTube videos.
“Don’t worry about it,” Sanders bluntly stated.
Reflecting on the challenging ordeal following Chartier’s doping scandal, Sanders emphasized that he has learned to focus solely on his own journey.
“You can’t dwell on those rumors about other athletes doping. I’ve been through it all myself; my actual training partner, who was living with me, got caught doping. So, yes, I’ve experienced doubt and skepticism,” Sanders explained.
“After that incident, I was incredibly skeptical and went through a lot of emotional turmoil, questioning why I continue in this sport if it’s not a fair playing field. But you know how you deal with that? You don’t worry about it. It’s not your concern because you can’t control other people,” he added.
“Instead, beat them anyway,” Sanders asserted.
Taking responsibility for his own training and performance, Sanders, a native of Windsor, stressed the importance of training harder than anyone else, trusting in the anti-doping measures in place, and staying true to his path.
“You have to trust that the authorities are doing their job and then beat them anyway. Beat them regardless, and that’s it, problem solved,” Sanders stated.
“If you’re not naturally the most gifted, how do you win? You outwork them. That’s what I believed from the start, and that’s how I’ve trained. I can outwork anyone; I firmly believe that, and that’s how I succeed,” he continued.
“One day, I’ll compete in an IRONMAN event again, better than ever. That’s the dream. It’s about transcending oneself, and I’m fully committed to achieving it,” Sanders concluded with determination.
