Doping in other sports

[smutchin]

it's by no means rare that the top seeds all go out

For the record, my quip about Rafa Nadal was a joke, albeit one based on actual rumours (which are, of course, nothing more than rumours), and my suspicions around doping in tennis are nothing to do with the number of top seeds dropping out. You always get one or two top seeds going out early - ok, it's unusual when it's this many, this early, but I see no real reason to put that down to anything more than coincidence for the moment - although the numbers thom mentions are interesting.

how do you think Virginia Wade won it?

 

[smutchin]

Good old Lance...

After a lengthy court case concerning Operación Puerto, the Spanish judge decided to have the blood bags which were retrieved from the lab of Dr Fuentes destroyed. “I am sure several football clubs influenced that decision. In any case, it’s still only cycling that serves as a scapegoat.”

I'm actually in danger of starting to warm to him for the first time in my life.

 

[Buddfox]

I like the comments about McQuaid... you never know, as more comes out this could continue to be interesting for some time to come.

 

[oldroadman]

International tennis might be a niche for a former UCI president, there's obviously nothing going on and no use of PEDS, it's a game of skill which goes on for hours and stamina requirements are overcome by said skills - and whacking a ball at speeds in excess of 150kph. So that's all OK then, no need to test for PEDS, or check injuries, treatments, preparation. It's all very clean.

 

[thom]

Uefa step up blood testing in Champions & Europa league competitions.

 

[Shadow]

Oh dear. We are surely not surprised.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...hips-as-dozens-of-athletes-test-positive.html

 

[rich p]

Oh dear. We are surely not surprised.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...hips-as-dozens-of-athletes-test-positive.html

No, you're right, not a surprise and indeed a few of their athletes were fingered in the Olympics by the normally circumspect BBC commentators.

 

[smutchin]

Wonder if Sayar is on the list.

 

[Crackle]

Wonder if Sayar is on the list.

He's on my list.

 

[rich p]

This is only athletes though, innit?

 

[smutchin]

Ah. I was interpreting "athletes" more broadly, but it seems to be only track & field. It does seem to hint at a possible DDR-style state-sponsored doping programme, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were at it in other sports too.

 

[rich p]

Wonder if Sayar is on the list.

I see from the results of the 3rd stage at the Tour of Qinghai that your mate Sayar has DNFed after losing 21 minutes on stage 2. He must have gone of the boil
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-qinghai-lake-2013/stage-2/results

 

[smutchin]

Hot on the heels of the news that Tyson Gay has tested positive...

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/latest/article.php?id=46469#.UeLLHPUL_6k.twitter

 

[laurence]

oh what a surprise.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

And Asafa Powell tested positive last month. Looks like Usain Bolt is losing his competition rapidly...