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.