Morgan’s good

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It was something of the mountain/molehill hubbub. Morgan Hamm had a cortisone shot May 2, then failed a drug test not because a cortisone shot is a banned substance but because no one in Morgan’s camp remembered to fill out required paperwork stating the shot was for therapeutic purposes.

Wednesday the USA Gymnastics federation and the United States Olympic Committee reaffirmed the obvious -- Morgan would receive no more punishment than the warning he had already received from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Morgan remains a member of the U.S.men’s Olympic team.

Since the announcement of the failed test came a couple of weeks ago there had been speculation that Morgan’s results from U.S. nationals, where the failed test turned up, would be negated and jeopardize his selection to the team. Others wrote that whether or not Morgan and Coach Miles Avery made an honest mistake, they had broken a rule in a stupid way that was unforgivable.

Sometimes a crime isn’t really a crime. Sometimes it is neglected paper work. Morgan’s indiscretion was passed to the USADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the international gymnastics federation (FIG). None of those organizations is prone to giving the U.S. the benefit of the doubt so it seems that Hamm and Avery were telling the truth. Morgan’s ankle hurt, his doctor said take some cortisone, it’s what I’d give any patient. Morgan agreed but didn’t sign on the dotted line.

USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny said the men’s selection committee reran the numbers, taking out Hamm’s results on the day he failed the doping test.

‘They absolutely went back and reviewed this,’ Penny said. ‘There were two questions. One, would he have advanced to the trials? The answer was yes. And two, would he still have been selected to the Olympic team? And the answer again was yes.’

Here’s a link to Paul and Morgan’s blog about their journey to making the Olympic team, which includes Paul’s return to working some apparatus for the first time since he broke a bone in his hand last May at nationals as well as Morgan’s explanation of how and why he had the cortisone shot.

Paul will be in Colorado Springs this weekend trying to prove to the selection committee that he is making adequate progress from his injury and will be able to compete at the Olympics. Morgan will remain on the team where his floor routine, pommel horse work and difficult vaults are needed for the U.S. team score. If his achy ankle needs another cortisone shot before Beijing, Morgan says he’ll take one. And then sign the papers.

-- Diane Pucin