You guys are so quick to judge, this straightens everything out :roll eyes:
Statement written by Tony Byatt as a translation service for Roger Hernandez of Miami, Florida, as to reasons for refusal to submit to a post race, in competition drug test:
I was confused as a result of a very long day of competition and just losing a second race to a talented competitor. Passion and temper were both running high.
After thirty years as a competitor in the sport, I always thought that it was the winner that was to be tested. Had I won, I would have gladly submitted but as a second place finisher, I felt that there was some ulterior motive to the test.
It was explained to me that the test was random. However, the transparency to this randomness was non existent. No presentation was made to the riders as to what number or what finisher was to be tested. Once, again, I felt that I was being singled out for undisclosed reasons.
I was concerned that my image could be damaged by a urine test whose testing procedures and laboratory affiliations were unknown to me. In light of all of the recent high profile allegations about drug tests being manipulated in one way or another, I was not sure that a fair test was possible.
I also felt that I had been unjustly selected as the only Hispanic person on the podium. There was a general strangeness to how all of the events passed.
After returning to the hotel and calming down, some of the procedures were explained to me in my own language that I might better understand. Once I understood that the bottles are sealed by me, that I could request split labs or additional samples for independent lab testing, I returned to the velodrome the following morning to present myself for testing. The USADA officials called to see if it would be allowed and the determination was made that I would not be allowed to test, having previously refused. It should be noted that I arrived within 12 hours of the original test request and, to my knowledge, there exists no method of sanitizing a sample in so short a period. For this reason, Janet Bailey, of the USADA asked that I prepare a statement as to my reasons for refusal at the first request. Between the language barrier and my unfamiliarity with the procedures, the culmination of a long, hard day of competition, and a second place performance, I was in no way prepared to submit myself to what I felt was a personal attack.
Respectfully Submitted