Doping Charges Still Dog U.S. Bobsledder U.S. Could Win Gold Medal, But Price Is High For Shimer

The hands of Brian Shimer, in which rest America’s best hope for ending a 42-year Olympic medal shutout in bobsled, shook.

Like his voice, which cracked. Like his chin, which quivered.

He had prepared a statement, an explanation of his exoneration by his sport’s international governing body over the abnormally high ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone found in his urine at a World Cup race last November in Calgary, Canada.

Shimer knew - with the report of that exoneration surfacing over the weekend - that he would be asked for that explanation upon his arrival Wednesday at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. And he thought he was ready to give it.

Clearly he was not.

Oh, he got through the specifics of the 6-1 T/E ratio.

He seemed fine as he noted, “Over the last 12 years during my career in bobsledding I’ve probably been tested more than any Olympic athlete, or as much as any Olympic athlete.”

But there, for the first time, emotion grabbed his vocal chords. He paused. He sniffed. He continued.

“… and I have never tested positive for any performance-enhancing drugs. I’ve never taken steroids. I’ve never engaged in illegal or prohibited drug methods. I have never cheated in competition.”

Momentarily, the chin thrust out, daring anyone in the room full of the world’s sporting media, to take their best shot.

“Medical experts have examined my previous drug testing, my subsequent drug testing, my body, my endocrinology, my medical history, my eating and mating habits, my internal and external organs, and just about all aspects of my physical being,” this 35-year-old Floridian anguished.

“There is not a shred of legitimate medical evidence to support an accusation that I have cheated, because I have not done so.”

And the Federation Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing had said as much, clearing Shimer last Saturday after “consultation with qualified independent experts,” after a second test of the same urine sample showed normal T/E ratio levels.

Perhaps for most athletes, that would have been that. But Shimer was the driver of the U.S. bobsled that was disqualified for hot runners at the last Winter Olympics, four years ago in Norway. He has spent his competitive life trying to pull the often-cocky-but-seemingly-cockeyed American sliding program out of a steady slide away from the medal stand since the 1956 Winter Games.

“The public rumors and media speculation has been very damaging to me, my reputation, my family,” Shimer said, at that point gathering himself with a halting sigh.

“… and friends

“… and most particularly my teammates.

“Now a medical,” and he had to pause again, “process has been completed, I have been found exonerated and found innocent.

“But I know,” and Shimer’s voice simply gave way, “this will not repair the hurt and embarrassment …”

At that point, Shimer simply had to quit talking altogether.

As some reporters, and some of Shimer’s teammates, visibly squirmed, Shimer finished reading his statement.

“I will answer no further questions on this subject,” he said, “for it is closed. I now must focus on competition.”

That is the major question that remains.

Certainly, Shimer has time to gather himself, to refashion a game face that deserted him on Wednesday in Nagano. Two-man bobsledding will be held Feb. 14-15. The four-man competition runs Feb. 20-21 on the Spiral at Nozawa Onsen.

“There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to have the fastest start here on this track,” said Chip Minton, one of the men on Shimer’s four-man Bo-Dyn sled. “With the equipment that we have and Brian’s driving skills, nobody’s going to catch us at the bottom. I feel we will walk away with the gold medal.”

Shimer did his best to concur. And to do it without some body part betraying the alphabet of emotions that seemed to spell panic.

Shimer vowed, rather softly, that he had a grasp on himself.

“I’ve spoken my piece,” he said.

“I can move on,” he said.

But he acknowledged something else, something deep down.

“Hopefully people don’t look at me like a black cloud is hanging over my head,” Shimer said. “Unfortunately, and I wish I wasn’t like this, I care what people think. Maybe it is a little bit harder for me to put it behind me than others.”

Finally, as some of the media moved on to Shimer’s teammates, or to other stories, Brian Shimer seemed to settle. He wants something for his country. He wants something for himself.

“Eventually the last hurdle is going to come up and there’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”

And as he said that, a peace finally seemed to come over him.