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Tygart speaks about use of performance enhancing drugs in sports

Travis Tygart prosecutes Olympic athletes accused of using drugs to win, but he also wants to give them a second chance.

Tygart, CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, said he believes athletes should be held accountable when they cheat, but that they should also find redemption.

“Nobody is perfect,” he said. “We understand that elite competitive athletes are not axe murderers when they cheat — they just want to win.”

Tygart spoke to students Thursday in Carroll Hall about his work eradicating performance enhancing drugs in sports.

The speech was the inaugural event of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Student Leadership Series.

Susan King, dean of the school, created the series to help students network and meet leaders in various media fields.

“Students who are interested will be able to hear from leaders who might not be in their specific area,” she said.

King said faculty members nominated about 125 students to participate in the series.

These students can attend the events on a first-come, first-served basis.

About 20 students from the list can attend each event, King said.

“Students have a chance to have an intimate relationship with this leader or news maker,” she said.

The nine students who attended the event asked Tygart questions about his work and how he handles the stress of prosecuting high-profile athletes.

Tygart, a UNC alumnus, said the USADA investigates Olympic athletes alleged of doping to improve their performance.

“I feel for athletes who think they have to cheat to rise in their sport,” he said.

“We have a win-at-all-cost culture, a very hyper-competitive culture.”

He said he doesn’t want athletes to succumb to that culture, and works to educate them about the consequences.

Tygart also said it is hard to prosecute sports heroes, such as Lance Armstrong and Marion Jones, but it is the right thing to do.

“It’s absolutely bittersweet,” he said. “But you pull any personal aspects out of it.”

“It’s not personal, it is a duty,” Tygart said.

He said he wished athletes would come to the USADA and ask for help before breaking the rules.

“At the end of the day, we’re driven to do the right thing even when it’s tough.”

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Junior Justine Berger said she attended the event because her teacher nominated her for the series.

“I thought it was in my best interest to come to the first presentation,” she said.

“I heard about the Lance Armstrong thing, and I wanted to find out more.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.