Jan Frodeno has unleashed a furious blast at Collin Chartier after the 2022 PTO US Open winner was suspended from triathlon for three years after testing positive for EPO.
The American revealed his positive test last week, leading to a huge backlash from a number of his fellow stars. Frodeno was one of them as he posted an eloquent powerful message on his Instagram.
On Friday though the German three-time IRONMAN World Champion was unscripted and raw as he spoke with feeling and venom on the issue during a PTO Face Off with Olympic Champion Kristian Blummenfelt ahead of Saturday’s PTO European Open in Ibiza. He had little time for Chartier’s explanation or apology – as you can see in the video below.
Frodeno blasts Chartier apology
The 41-year-old said: “It’s the first time I’m filmed reacting to this and it makes my blood boil. I lost my s***. Not only because of the fact that he took EPO, but the statement is such a blatant bull*** lie, where I’m like there is nothing congruent about the statement.
“There’s nothing that’s got any sense of backbone to this, the apology is completely without any consequence, there is no genuine process to this and, whereas I feel he might not be ready to do this, I have no patience for it at all.
“I rallied for a law along with some of my other professional athletes in Germany that for this kind of thing we would go to jail. So if you come out and publicly state that you have been doping, you go to jail, it’s a criminal offence.
“And he just comes along and he says on day one ‘I’m sorry, I did it in November so I’m ready for off-season and I’m ready to move on’. Oh man, it makes my blood boil, it really does.”
Frodo calls for stiffer punishments
Frodeno doubled down on his desire for much stiffer punishments for doping offences, arguing: “I just believe there has to be a genuine consequence. For him to walk away for three years and go about his every day. It actually hurts because we’re the ones who have to clean up the mess that he’s left behind.
“I’ve been on a registered testing pool for 15 years, providing 365 days of presence where I have to present a one-hour slot every single day. I can’t go on holiday anywhere without presenting an anti-doping slot.
“This guy just walks away. I do believe it’s a crime, it’s a fraud, and you have to face the consequences. Yes you can say it’s only sport, but it’s professional sport – it’s not a hobby.”