Cindy Olivarri

I stumbled across this photo of Cindy Olivarri, whose removal from the 1984 US Olympic Cycling Team for a positive doping control was initially covered-up by my former-mentor Mike Fraysse. The former USCF Vice President and Olympic team manager sought to confuse the press and the public by disseminating a fabricated story that Olivarri was out of the Olympics because of a case of mono.

Photographer Philip Turner recounts:

"Cindy mysteriously contracted Mononucleosis in March of 1984 just twelve weeks before the Summer Olympics Games which would commence. The real story as It turns out, was that Cindy had tested positive for banned substances (steroids) and the Olympic Committee was actually allowing her a safe-out after testing positive for illegal drugs. However, the IOC later banned her from Olympic competition after her public revelation in print (SF Chronicle) revealed her illegal steroid and blood doping actions. She had decided to go public with her actions in order to prevent other young athletes from making the same mistakes she had and also because of the severe impact she had experienced with her own health.

The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) later expunged her records and medal placings from the World Championships where she had medaled in the 1500 and 3000 meter pursuits (one and two mile track cycling events)..."

More Turner cycling photos can be seen here. A screencap of Fraysse's wikipedia entry is below: