lstroman@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

In December, CMU ended its relationship with former cycling coach Rick Crawford after learning new information about his past involvement with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). According to Director of Media Relations Dana Nunn, Crawford had coached at CMU since February of 2012, and no longer worked for CMU effective Monday, Dec. 17. He agreed to work 500 hours of community service during the next five years in anti-doping education for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or any other organization.

“I deeply regret my involvement with the use of PEDs and am willing to accept the consequences of my actions,” Crawford said in a press release on Dec. 18. “I want to help the sport and am happy to have the opportunity to talk to hundreds of young people and influence them away from the temptations of doping in cycling.”

According to Nunn, Crawford voluntarily disclosed his use of performance enhancing drugs by two cyclists in 1999-2001 to USADA. However, CMU recently received news of an additional drug-related instance while he was in Durango.

Scott Mercier, former professional cyclist and CMU’s cycling director, was disappointed to hear of this news.

“We remain committed to running a clean program and to becoming a leader in endurance athletics, particularly cycling,” Mercier said in a press release on Dec. 5.

Mercier left professional cycling because of his strong opposition to performance enhancing drugs.

CMU senior and cycling team member Brittany Markert supports a clean athletics program at CMU.

“Our program is teaching us to work our way up to greatness instead of cheating the system,” Markert said. “We want someone who will teach us to work at excelling in cycling. You have to work just like anybody else no matter what your abilities are.”

Nunn emphasized that CMU is committed to supporting its student-athletes and clean athletic programs.

“I anticipate CMU becoming a leader in endurance athletics, particularly cycling,” Mercier said. “We believe that education can be a strong deterrent in the fight against doping and that student-athletes with degrees have more options both professionally and personally.”