The doping program joke of the ITF!!!

O TEMPORA O MORES!!!!!

"Is it time to allow doping in sport?"

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/23/opinion/cashmore-time-to-allow-doping-in-sport/index.html

Yes.

In a culture that encourages the constant search for the limits of human achievement, we, the fans, the consumers of popular sports entertainment, revel in record-breaking, gravity-defying, barely believable feats on the field of play. Promoters, leagues, sponsors, advertisers and a miscellany of other interested parties dangle incentives.


Doping did not start yesterday. There is documented use of strychnine in OG in early 1900s.

http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/ISS/ISS2401/ISS2401e.pdf


Thomas Hicks, the winner of the marathon in the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games, was administered strychnine and brandy several times during the race. Dr. Charles Lucas, a physician who attended to Hicks, commented that 'the Marathon race, from a medical standpoint, demonstrated that drugs are of much benefit to athletes' (Dyreson, 1998: 89). Likewise, the 'winner' of the 1908 Olympic marathon was suspected of taking strychnine, although he was later disqualified because spectators assisted him the last few feet of the race (Donohoe & Johnson, 1986). Wilhelm Knoll, a Swiss physician, administered a stimulant, Coramin, to skiers at the St. Moritz Olympic Games in 1928 (Hoberman, 1992b).

Should an analgesic be considered doping as well?

Amritia3ee wrote:Yes.

THat's says a lot! about you and ultimately what you really think about Nadal.

I think it should only be allowed for Spaniards though.

laverfan wrote:Should an analgesic be considered doping as well?

In theory yes as it is physically enhancing.

I woudl like to see athlete run on orange juice, carbo, and proteines. Nothing else. Like we do.

we, the fans, the consumers of popular sports entertainment, revel in record-breaking, gravity-defying, barely believable feats

I think we have circuses for those kind of things. Sport should be about health, it's quite the opposite now.

Amritia3ee wrote:I think it should only be allowed for Spaniards though.

Too late to turn it into humour or irony.

It makes sense. ALlowing doping would allow you to enjoy Nadal's success fully without having this constant fear that like LA he might get caught.

I think top athletes should start 'Say no to doping' campaigns.

Oh wait a sec, some already have...

Amritia3ee wrote:I think top athletes should start 'Say no to doping' campaigns.

Oh wait a sec, some already have...

Yes just like LA all these years was against doping. He in fact did far better than Nadal or most athletes, he donated 1000s of dollars to UCI to buy modern testing equipment thereby helping the cause of anti-doping. This was in fact used by the LA lawyers to defend LA's case.

How is it that you fall for such campaigns whose real purpose is totally different?

What good will such campaigns do anyway? You think an athlete who is doping will stop just because Nadal said so in a campaign video? Or someone who is is inclined to take short-cuts in sports using drugs will see the divine light and stop??

Are you so naive? I can't believe an adult will talk so silly like you have been doing? This is the 3rd time you have posted something related to that Nadal's video. Look what price you have been paying for being a blind Nadal fan? You have to become a dodo just in order to enjoy Nadal's game and success and to support him.

What good does such campaigns do for the world of sport? Kindly answer. Off late dodging questions looks like your easier option.

I can't quite figure out what's funnier; me being a blind Nadal worshipper or your failure to understand when I'm being serious.

You've missed the boat ROTLA, see Tenez @ 2.28, apparently it's too late in the day anyway

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:You think an athlete who is doping will stop just because Nadal said so in a campaign video? Or someone who is is inclined to take short-cuts in sports using drugs will see the divine light and stop??

This line was the funniest I've read in a while.

The image of a potential doper about to take EPO, and then suddenly stopping when they see the campaign made me crack up.

Amritia3ee wrote:

I can't quite figure out what's funnier; me being a blind Nadal worshipper or your failure to understand when I'm being serious.

You've missed the boat ROTLA, see Tenez @ 2.28, apparently it's too late in the day anyway

Amri,
unfortunately, you are not know for your sense of humour around here ...

I was being ironic, en fait.

Luckily ROTLA's misinterpretation provided enough comedy for the night

I can proudly announce that the woman who blew whistle on Lance Armstrong is of Serbian origin

"Other cyclists’ wives have been accused of being complicit in the drugs
culture: Tyler Hamilton claimed his former wife, Haven, would tip him off
when the drug-testers had arrived; Armstrong’s ex-wife Kristin is said to
have babysat the EPO in their fridge, calling it “butter”, but Betsy was one
of the few people on the inside who expressed opposition to doping. “I was
that nagging wife: I kept nagging Frankie 'you better not do that s---, it
is so stupid’.”

Betsy is a sparky woman, the daughter of a Serbian jeweller and a Slovakian
librarian. She grew up in Michigan and met Frankie in April 1994 over a
pizza. He was a lanky cyclist with a sweet smile living in Como, Italy. She
was preparing to open an Italian-themed coffee shop.


Two months later Frankie introduced her to Armstrong. “I thought this guy is
the epitome of a Texan: loud, brash and really fun,” Betsy Andreu told Telegraph
Sport this week.


Frankie was best friends with Lance, and Betsy became close to him, too. Then
came the hospital admission that would change their lives. She remembers it
clearly – and what she said to Frankie. “I told him I am not f------
marrying you if you are doing that s---.


“It boggles my mind he has been able to get away with this huge con job. It
was common sense to me that drugs cause cancers. But Frankie said to me, 'I
will prove to you I am not doing all that stuff’. He tried to reassure me
but I was hesitant to believe everything. It was a very big fight.”


Betsy and Frankie married two months later. “I married him even though I felt
some doubt. I thought it might be just Lance. He’s big, loud and brash.
Frankie is different and even Frankie’s grandma had told me Frankie hasn’t
that desire to win at all costs. I just thought, 'OK that’s Lance’s thing,
that’s what he’s doing. What he did in 1996, hopefully that was isolated’.”


But in 1999, she found a Thermos of EPO in Frankie’s fridge. She would later
recount: “I thought it was best for him to get off Lance’s team. Frankie
promised me he would not use EPO anymore. Frankie then refused to go on the
extensive doping programme written for most of his team-mates by [disgraced
doctor] Michele Ferrari. Indeed Frankie’s refusal to follow Ferrari’s
methods meant he was cast off the team in 2000.”


The relationship with Armstrong became even more bitter as he sought to
persuade her to sign a false statement, denying the hospital confession had
taken place.


“The more dismissed I got, the more Frankie got dismissed in cycling and when
it affects Frankie, it affects me,’’ Betsy said. “Frankie didn’t try and
stifle me, he respected me to be the vocal person. You have to do the right
thing, imagine if I had lied, how would my reputation be now?”


Prompted by his wife, Frankie admitted doping. That was when the harassment
and attempted intimidation by Armstrong ramped up. In an email, Armstrong
warned Frankie he should keep Betsy quiet: “By helping to bring me down is
not going to help y’alls situation at all. There is a direct link to all of
our success here. I suggest you remind her of that,” Armstrong wrote.


Armstrong ridiculed Betsy at every opportunity. "The worst day was in
2006 when my deposition [about the hospital evidence] was leaked and Frankie
had left that day to go to France so I was left here alone,” she said. “I
was being described by Lance as fat and ugly. That doesn’t matter, but the
crux of the matter is people believed him that I was crazy and unhinged and
they just bumped me.


“But it didn’t put pressure on our marriage. The pressure was on Frankie and
on his jobs drying up. It wasn’t going to break us, in fact it made us
stronger.


“We had to make a decision as a family whether to be on the Lance Armstrong
financial gravy train or tighten our belts and have peace of mind within.
Frankie is a fabulous saver, he is quite frugal and Lance would chide him
for being cheap. We just cut back on everything, we couldn’t spend.’’


Now Andreu can enjoy the afterglow of having been right, news which has even
reached her children’s school playground.


“A girl in my son’s class was wearing a yellow bracelet and another boy said
to her, 'Do you know what a cheat that guy is?’ and she took it off
voluntarily. My message is that if you give in to peer pressure you can
still redeem yourself. If you do wrong, you can then make a choice to do
right. My story is that you can stand up to a bully. Don’t let the bully
win, never let the bully win.’’




Well done, Betsy


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/drugsinsport/9632129/Lance-Armstrong-is-a-bully.-I-could-not-let-him-win-says-whistle-blower-Betsy-Andreu.html#

Interesting comment from Mark Cavendish:

He believes this is an issue with society rather than cycling: "It's not just in cycling; it's every walk of life. There's cheats in entertainment, journalists cheat, every single sport has cheats. If you put the effort into catching them and you have a structure that does things properly, you're going to catch a cheat. It doesn't happen in other sports not because they are clean but because it's not got the structure cycling has. In my eyes, cycling is the cleanest sport.''

The problems with the enforcement of doping regulations and the continous doubt as to who is and isn't doping and the cycle of witch hunt and scandal in my mind has to stop. I am leaning more and more towards a regulation model as opposed to prohibition. Maybe through testing players can be given performance enhancing meds that are less harmful to the body and we can see a guy who long jumps 40 feet or runs an 8 second 100 meters. The fact is that drugs are part of modern society and people think there is a clear line between good drugs and bad drugs but every strong medication has strong side effects. Regularly people take performance enhancing medications of various kinds all the time. Liquor gets ladies in the mood, Viagra helps grandpa get it up, and coffee gets Joe sick pack through the morning hang over. Steroids are very useful treatments for a variety of diseases and medical conditions and pretty safe under the care of doctor with regular testing to monitor various side effect issues.

 

I can't say I have my mind made up one way or the other, but right now the system isn't working. And to make it work we have to create an inquisition level of intrusion into the lives of people and destroy maybe hundreds of athletes and ruin the rep of sports in general. I think we need to start thinking of regulation model and not prohibition. Although frankly I find all of the options distasteful and would not necessarily favor anything or everything being legalized, the product would like other meds have to be tested and show that the side effects are not out of whack with what other medical treatements would be.

 

 

 

 

I don't want to see a bearded lady win Wimbledon

Murray calls for more blood tests, Serena Williams and Sharapova protest!

"Andy Murray says that he favors more blood testing to catch doping cheats in tennis. Murray was blood tested when he arrived in France for the Paris-Bercy Masters on Saturday.

"We're not used to doing that many blood tests in tennis," he said. "I've probably had four or five blood tests this year, but a lot more
urine tests, so it's something that's obviously necessary. When you hear things like Lance Armstrong it's a shame for their sport but how they managed to get away with it is incredible, for that long."

In 2011, only 21 blood tests were conducted in the off-season by the International Tennis Federation and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"We get tested throughout the whole year from a lot of the tournaments I think the out-of-competition stuff could get better. When we're in December, when people are training and setting their bases I think it would be good to try and do more around that time."

However, last week both Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova said that anti-doping rules and testing in tennis is stringent enough.

"Considering I landed from New York after the U.S. Open and my first day back at home I got a wake?up call at 6:00 a.m., I think that's
enough,” Sharapova said with a laugh. “Yep, knocking on my door. I was like, ‘Thank you. Welcome home.’ "

According to 2011 ITF statistics released by the UTF, Sharapova was tested a minimum of four times and maximum of six times in competition,and a minimum of one time and maximum of three times outside of competition.

In 2011, Williams was tested a minimum of one time and a maximum of three times in competition, but she was not tested not out of
competition. However, Williams missed the first five-and-a-half months of 2011 due to illness and injury. The 15-time Grand Slam champion says she feels the current anti-doping program is strong enough.

"Stringent enough is putting it mildly," Williams said. "People show upat my house at 5:00 in the morning trying to test me. You never know when they come. I get tested a lot. I don't know about the other players, but for me it's a pretty intense system, and I know a lot of the players feel the same way."

The ITF subjects all the Top 50 players to the Whereabouts Rule, where they have to inform the federation where they will be every day of the year and be available at least one hour a day for testing. While Sharapova says that the rule is irritating, she does support it.

"I know it seems difficult to have to give one hour every single day, but I usually have my hour somewhere in the middle of the night because I'm not going to be anywhere but in my bed," the Russian said. "If they come get me up they can wait and I can wait until I have to go to the bathroom. It's the most awkward thing when they knock on your door at 6:00 in the morning in you're walking around in your robe and your dog is going, ‘What is going on? Who are these strangers?’ It's just a really bizarre situation."


Serena dear, don't you know the one about a lady that protestheth too much

Very sensible comments from Murray. Least he is acknowledging more can be done still even though he seems to confirm he tested regularly. The off-season period is an interesting suggestion and one which I think will get the backs up of other players

The annual Lewes firework night last night had an effigy of none other Lance Armstrong!!!

Thought some would've enjoyed the sentiment

That's quite funny.

We have a cycling fanatic in the office and he was none to impressed, though I told him that was light compared in other sports like in football if a manager or player joins a local rival, they don't wait until bonfire night to burn effigies!!

The was a cheat and it was good to see he won the vote as effigies are voted for. So there is some good in the general public that despise cheats.

Indeed. The problem is they all are. It was obvious when Contador was disqualified, Andy Schleck felt guilty to get the trophy instead.

However the main culprits are those who make doping an art (a science rather) and leave little doubt about their prowess forcing the rest of the field to dope to catch up. In that respect Lance was more guilty than others.

Well Lance must've really got under a lot of people's skin as the effigy for last 2 years has been David Cameron!

I think the wording the USDA used in terms of "The most sophisticated program in sport" they had seen. I think the reluctance and sheer arrogance not the come clean and admit it makes him even more repugnant person.

Got to hope this will start a domino effect with other athletes being caught.

Yes, I think as they all dope, it most likely his contant threatening and bullying of racers that got him at the end. Some must have been really bitter of his arrogance and threats and just decided to give him in in a concerted effort.

I however do not believe the sport will be clean from now contrary to what some try to make us believe. They'll just try to cheat smarter next time.

They shoudl have chopped the heads of UCI to start with, at least a new clean boss woudl have been more enclined to chase the cheats.

There was a story about a company was suing the UCI for damaging the image of the sport?!?

ye company called skins or something, over 1.5m apaz.

Seems things are slowly beginning to happen...or at least talked about happening


"PARIS -- The International Tennis Federation might copy blood-testing measures used by cycling to weed out drug cheats.
ITF anti-doping manager Stuart Miller told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the federation is working toward more blood and out-of-competition drug testing on players.

Roger Federer and Andy Murray have called for more out-of-competition and blood testing after Lance Armstrong's fall. Murray said the Armstrong example was "pretty shocking."

Miller said the ITF is "looking very, very carefully" at introducing an athlete biological passport program in tennis.Cycling and track and field monitor athletes' blood values, looking for telltale indications of doping."

mikeyM1000 wrote:I don't want to see a bearded lady win Wimbledon

If bearded then they may shriek less, it would not be so bad

noleisthebest wrote:
Miller said the ITF is "looking very, very carefully" at introducing an athlete biological passport program in tennis.Cycling and track and field monitor athletes' blood values, looking for telltale indications of doping."

It;s a joke! WADA and ITF have been talking about this passport program for the last 4 years and now they say they are going to introduce it???? THat's a proof they did not want to do it earlier to protect some players.

I must say it's looking interesting.
there has been a momentum building for a year now, and with this Armstrong case blown up, some people must be starting to feel uncomofortable and trying to do be seen to be doing something in case someone blows the whistle in tennis world.

This Fuentes case could be a foot in the door, but I am not expecting much.
One or two token semi-anonymous scape goats at best.

Yes but they said they were introducing this passport program 4 years ago. WADA was even running a clip about it...and there we go 4 years on and they are still considering it?

They worked hard not to catch anyone and were embarassed when the customs, police and USADA brought some cheaters up. They dd not know what to do with an Odesnik, Agassi or an Armstrong. SO they burried their cases....yep a joke.

thats the problem with these governing bodies, UCI are the worst of the bunch.
In light of LA the response has been fueled by public reaction, there has been absolutely no pro activeness!
I wonder if any players bought off the ITF as LA did with the UCI

Where there is a will there is a way.
The key question is: is there will?

The latest... Signor Ricci hits back!

"ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti hits back at Roger Federer and Andy
Murray for criticizing the organization’s anti-doping program.

Federer recently said that he is being tested less now than he was six
or seven years ago, and Murray pointed out that tennis could increase
its number of blood tests.

"You know the players, they like to talk. A few years ago, the same
players were complaining because they were being tested," Ricci Bitti
told DPA.

Ricci Bitti says Federer might be tested less now since testing is
allocated by drawing lots but adds: “I don't think they are right. But
it's a bit strange. They change their minds a lot."

Ricci Bitti says the ITF is evaluating whether it should increase the
number of out-of-competition doping tests, but concedes he’s not sure
where the funding will come from to do so.

"I think we are a little bit exposed in terms of quantity," he said. "I
am not as pretentious as to think that we can catch all cheats. But I
am confident that tennis is a clean sport.”

noleisthebest wrote:"I think we are a little bit exposed in terms of quantity," he said. "I
am not as pretentious as to think that we can catch all cheats. But I
am confident that tennis is a clean sport.”

Caugh! caugh! How many times have heard that?

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:"I think we are a little bit exposed in terms of quantity," he said. "I
am not as pretentious as to think that we can catch all cheats. But I
am confident that tennis is a clean sport.”

Caugh! caugh! How many times have heard that?

He must think it's because players wear white that the sport is clean

noleisthebest wrote:"I think we are a little bit exposed in terms of quantity," he said. "I
am not as pretentious as to think that we can catch all cheats. But I
am confident that tennis is a clean sport.”

I wish I could have asked him that if he is so confident that tennis is a clean sport why have absolutely any kind of anti doping program at all. See in Chess, I don't think they have any anti-doping program.

this is a must watch !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxQI2geiskk

luvsports! wrote:this is a must watch !!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxQI2geiskk

thanks, LS, not sure whether to laugh or cry... I have just found out I am a serious doper:

5 espressos a day....DOUBLE ONES!!!!!

does this stuff make you feel a bit down?

i hate this kind of thing, its depressing!
everyone on drugs? :'(

Very funny guy this Durian Luv. He really made me laugh...he is clearly himself on cocaine.

....but sadly he is right. What some of us had been saying for years.

luvsports! wrote:does this stuff make you feel a bit down?

i hate this kind of thing, its depressing!
everyone on drugs? :'(

Yep Luv.....This is "professional" sport. It's a question of $millions or nothing....the answer is clear. What would you let the best doper take all the money?

Who is this guy btw?

i just stumbled across him for my dissertation, been going through so many of his videos.
I'm trying to lose more weight and looking at other diets. I'm underweight already but i wanna lose more and get lean, looks good.

luvsports! wrote:i just stumbled across him for my dissertation, been going through so many of his videos.
I'm trying to lose more weight and looking at other diets. I'm underweight already but i wanna lose more and get lean, looks good.

why on earth do you want to lose weight if you are underweight???
btw, if you want to look like Wiggo, do what Wiggo does. On yer bike and off to France...My spinning instructors went there for a holiday a few months ago, just for a week, both slim before, both got back a pair of beanpoles....

well its more about getting in shape, im just thin but not lean.
its hard coming back from injuries, takes longer

luvsports! wrote:well its more about getting in shape, im just thin but not lean.
its hard coming back from injuries, takes longer

You mean you are a pasty stick insect and want to get all tanned & toned...he,he...again, get on the bike and go to France and stay there for a whole month

im 10 3/4 stone and 6ft, hardly a stick insect.
work comes first in final year at uni

luvsports! wrote:i just stumbled across him for my dissertation, been going through so many of his videos.
I'm trying to lose more weight and looking at other diets. I'm underweight already but i wanna lose more and get lean, looks good.

Let me know if it works...I need to as well.....after Xmas...