Doping in other sports

[Crackle]

Some of you may have read this today

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/aug/05/west-germany-doping-athletes-report

alleged involvement of the West German Govt of the time in a doping program for West German athletes in the 70's. The online version has been changed from the printed version which was more certain about the governments involvement.

I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised by this report but I find I still am.

 

[resal]

Crackle - I am exactly with you. I chastised myself - why has it taken so long for the penny to drop in my brain - of course they would run a matching program.

Had Moores book out from the library over the holiday - the dirtiest race in history. It makes me wonder why I ever thought well about these people. A little mention is made in it of of Alan Wells in 1980. I always thought his victory in the 100m was most under-rated. That tale is duplicated by Moore. I thought that right until I discovered that Angus Fraser, the soigneur who worked with Doyle and others had quite a business supplying out of Meadowbank. Cyclists were only a few of his clients. Apparently he bragged about the sprint athletes he supplied. He was the guy who was CONVICTED in the USA of injecting juniors on the USA program with a cocktail of steroids without informing the cyclists what they were. Court case won by victims, 16 years later in 2006. His program manager was one Chris Carmichael, who elected to settle out of court. Fraser was also soigneur for Shane Sutton on the ANC Halfords team around this time. That same Shane Sutton who is whiter than white on the Sky program. Lance popped through the same Junior program with Carmichael at the helm 12 months after the lads who were in court all those years later.

 

[brodiej]

Was this posted elsewhere ? Serb tennis player banned.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...spended-for-doping-violation/article13437398/

Indeed. Troicki was reaching the end of his career.

However Marin Cilic has just been accused

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...after-claims-of-failed-drug-test-8744506.html

He is a top player and only 24. Lost to Murray in this year's Queens final.
Interestingly one of the many who dropped out of Wimbledon citing injury in the 1st few days.
Makes you wonder...
He blames high glucose levels!!

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Baseball..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23578738

 

[Shadow]

Baseball..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23578738

Again, no real surprise here. Major League Baseball (MLB) is so behind cycling and other sports regarding testing in spite of what the suits tell the media.
Also, the punishments are so, so lenient, they do not act as a deterrent. (first offence = 50 game ban; regular season = 162 games!!).
The good news appears to be that the clean and/or younger players want the cheats out of the sport and are not providing much support to those suspended.

 

[J1780]

Some of you may have read this today

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/aug/05/west-germany-doping-athletes-report

alleged involvement of the West German Govt of the time in a doping program for West German athletes in the 70's. The online version has been changed from the printed version which was more certain about the governments involvement.

I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised by this report but I find I still am.

Its not surprising at all. Doping is a real problem in too many professional and even amateur sports. The worst of all is the fact that due to privacy laws the judge in the puerto case would not release the blood bags to be tested. Some number of athletes/sports people relieved there.

 

[just jim]

"report a shocking wake up call" http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/23605334
"...instead of WADA being recognised "as the leader in the fight against doping in sport and supported by the stakeholders, it is viewed as an irritant"

 

[J1780]

"report a shocking wake up call"
"...instead of WADA being recognised "as the leader in the fight against doping in sport and supported by the stakeholders, it is viewed as an irritant"

Exactly, thanks for the link and sadly too many sports don't really want to know about drug testing at all. They are afraid of loosing 'fans'

 

[oldroadman]

Summary. Cycling cleans up very publicly, names convicted dopers, carries on testing. Governing bodies and fans in other sports are nuch relieved, and point fingers at "ditry cyclists". The same NGBs and fans who are ready to believe outstanding performances from previously mediocre performers, and who don't need to test because there is no problem. Simple. Fans retained, performances stellar, money rolls in...
This sort of stuff makes the IOC and UCI look almost well run!

 

[beastie]

Athletics is moving to a four year ban in 2015, whether WADA does or not. UCI should follow suit.

 

[Hont]

No out of competition tests for Jamaican athletes in the three months prior to London Olympics and only 1 in the five months prior...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mo...ng-in-jamaican-track-and-field/?sct=mr_t11_a2

 

[Noodley]

Athletics is moving to a four year ban in 2015, whether WADA does or not. UCI should follow suit.

They can move to whatever they like given the p7ss poor testing of athletes.

 

[johnr]

Some of you may have read this today

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/aug/05/west-germany-doping-athletes-report

alleged involvement of the West German Govt of the time in a doping program for West German athletes in the 70's. The online version has been changed from the printed version which was more certain about the governments involvement.

I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised by this report but I find I still am.

This kind of rewrites the popular version of the history of doping - evil Soviet bloc dopers vs. plucky western individuals.

 

[beastie]

They can move to whatever they like given the p7ss poor testing of athletes.

Testing is improving in athletics, but I agree with your sentiment.

 

[oldroadman]

Testing is improving in athletics, but I agree with your sentiment.

Yes it is, but far too slowly. When they test in the same percentage and proportion of non-notice out of competition tests as cycling, then we can believe they are attempting a clean up.
Anyone fancy a nice off-season trip to the Caribbean?
Resal mentioned the book "The dirtiest race in history". Completely agree, it's a brilliant read and makes you wonder about a lot of others who were not in that race but still did very nicely in their sport, multiple gold winners and the like. The USA really does not come out of it too well, along with the "usual suspects" from those days.
Then of course after tennis comes footy, rugby, and the American sports (where respect for the rules seems to be an option).
Glad I was/am only a jobbing/retired/pottering bike rider. It's nice to be able to answer your kids honestly when they ask the question.