Slaney Maintains Her Innocence

Mary Slaney says the nightmare of being suspected of using a performance-enhancing substance is the most painful thing she has ever endured in her injury-plagued running career.

“This is an attack on my integrity,” Slaney told the RegisterGuard. “It is an attack on everything that I believe to be good in the sport.

“I feel like this whole thing is going to taint everything I’ve ever done athletically.”

She said she feels betrayed after giving so much to the sport for so many years.

“I don’t feel like giving anything in the sport right now,” Slaney said. “If someone were to ask me how I feel about USA Track & Field right now, I would say I hope it burns in hell.”

In a tearful interview aired by CBS during the network’s telecast of Sunday’s Prefontaine Classic, Slaney repeated her denial that she had taken performance-enhancing substances.

“I have never taken anything that’s banned,” she said. “That’s absurd. I haven’t done what I’ve been accused of doing.”

The emotional comments came days after word leaked that Slaney, 38, had tested positively for excessive levels of the male sex hormone testosterone at last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

There also have been reports that 400-meter hurdler Sandra Farmer-Patrick tested positive for excessive testosterone.

Slaney told CBS that there is scientific evidence that shows the levels of testosterone in her body can be explained.

“We have research and science to support this. The IAAF has it, too,” she said.