French rider tests positive for TWELVE different drugs!

[BumbleBeeDave]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/french-rider-positive-for-12-substances

Good Lord! How was there any room left for blood in his veins?

BBD

[pitcrew]

If only he lived in Spain ;)

[Joachim]

Some of them are metabolites from the parent drug.. Still a lot, around 7 different drugs but not 12.

[Polyglot]

If only he lived in Spain ;)

Or in the USA :cool:

[rustychisel]

Quotes you'd like to read: "Always revising their data, the French Cycling Federation now claim they race in a twelve speed peloton."

Because 2, or 11, was never good enough

[54ny77]

It's the Flinstones chewables that tipped the authorities off to suspected doping.

[Steve in SLO]

Kermesse racing seems to have a particularly strong history of doping.

[jpw]

I've read somewhere before that drug abuse is endemic in that age range. I think it was an article about Cancellara's early years, when his talent was spotted by a pro team manager at the age of 18 or 19 and he was immediately taken out of that environment and attached to a pro team's training group to avoid the culture of drug taking in the junior ranks. Not to say that the pro scene was clean a decade ago (or now), but the temptation to take a boost to improve performance at the late teens stage to secure that prized first pro contract was and still is enormous.

[Joachim]

Kermesse racing seems to have a particularly strong history of doping.

This was in France and I can only speak for Belgium (kermiskoersen), but testing is not very prevalent in these races. If they do test, it's usually the local (state) testing authority (Vlaamse Gemeenschap in Flemish speaking Flanders) and, let's just say, not much of a surprise. Quite a few (amateur) riders actually make quite good money only racing kermesses as you can pick from a number of races, everyday in close proximity.

For younger guys, especially foreigners, it's a way to get noticed and get a ride on a team that rides U23 classics (Liege-Bastogne-Liege U23, Tour of Flanders U23, Paris-Roubaix U23 etc) or interclubs. One or two wins in those and a pro contract is coming your way. Of course it's also a lot more competitive and in addition into getting on a team that is selected to ride these races, the rider also has to be selected for that day. My old team had around 20 riders and only 6-7 got to start in the big races. Testing is more prevalent in the classics (since that is UCI races) and the interclubs.

For some doping in the kermesse races is for the money/fame and for some it's getting results/fame to get a start in the big races.

[AngryScientist]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/french-rider-positive-for-12-substances

Good Lord! How was there any room left for blood in his veins?

BBD

listen dave - any serious cyclist knows that if you're going to do something, you go all the way. all-out. full-on. no pansying around with one or two PEDs, go for the motherload.

:banana:

[avalonracing]

If only he lived in Spain ;)

Or played for the NFL.

[darkadious]

i came into this thread hoping it was someone who just liked to party hard.


not as fun.

[fourflys]

Kermesse racing seems to have a particularly strong history of doping.


Bob Roll's book has some pretty interesting stuff regarding this... Maybe Joe Parkin's as well, I can't remember...

[tiretrax]

The hardest thing for me to reconcile with athletes taking PED's is that they ely on their body to make a living but pollute it with drugs giving little thought to long term consequences. Especially, NFL players, wrestlers, bodybuilders, and other monsters.

[Idris Icabod]

I've read somewhere before that drug abuse is endemic in that age range. I think it was an article about Cancellara's early years, when his talent was spotted by a pro team manager at the age of 18 or 19 and he was immediately taken out of that environment and attached to a pro team's training group to avoid the culture of drug taking in the junior ranks. Not to say that the pro scene was clean a decade ago (or now), but the temptation to take a boost to improve performance at the late teens stage to secure that prized first pro contract was and still is enormous.

I just finished David Millar's book and he suggests quite the opposite. There was less pressure to dope as an amateur but it happened, but when he signed for Cofidis he was eventually pressured in to it and it was actually arranged for him to go stay in Italy and be taught how to administer EPO by a more experienced pro. Great book by the way.

[fiamme red]

Or played for the NFL.Or MLB:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/sports/baseball/braun-to-accept-mvp-award-in-wake-of-positive-drug-test.html

[oldpotatoe]

The hardest thing for me to reconcile with athletes taking PED's is that they ely on their body to make a living but pollute it with drugs giving little thought to long term consequences. Especially, NFL players, wrestlers, bodybuilders, and other monsters.

For 'professional athletes', why it's all about the MONEY, of course.

Didn't somebody do a survey at the Olympic Training CTR..asked if they would take something that 'may' hurt them but they would be guaranteed a 7 figure contract...almost 100% said they would.

[laupsi]

what about the doping that took place in the U.S., junior level, and promoted by the USCF? much is written about this as well, no?

[BumbleBeeDave]

For 'professional athletes', why it's all about the MONEY, of course.

Didn't somebody do a survey at the Olympic Training CTR..asked if they would take something that 'may' hurt them but they would be guaranteed a 7 figure contract...almost 100% said they would.

. . . whether they would take drugs that would take 20 years off their life if it would guarantee they'd win a gold medal, and a scary large percentage said "yes."

Yes, pretty frightening! :eek:

BBD

[Joachim]

And I bet if you ask scientists if they would give 20 years of their life in trade for a Noble prize they would say yes too. Academic doping is also not new. Students and professors taking modafinil, the racetams etc. Ritalin to stay up and study. It is everywhere.

[Germany_chris]

The issue is most people that driven will trade quality (Success) of quantity. I'm not sure being a decrepit old guy is worth sacrificing for either

[djg]

The hardest thing for me to reconcile with athletes taking PED's is that they ely on their body to make a living but pollute it with drugs giving little thought to long term consequences. Especially, NFL players, wrestlers, bodybuilders, and other monsters.

"long term"?

[veloduffer]

. . . whether they would take drugs that would take 20 years off their life if it would guarantee they'd win a gold medal, and a scary large percentage said "yes."

Yes, pretty frightening! :eek:

BBD

High level athletes are driven. Years ago, Ivan Lendl (former #1 tennis player) said that the desire to succeed would have led him to do something as drastic as cutting off a finger, if it ensured him greater athletic prowess. When he became a seasoned pro, he realized how ridiculous that drive could be.

This leads to an interesting debate about allowing athletes with prosthetics to compete in events. I'm sure in the future, we may be able to produce prosthetics that are better than our own anatomy, which leads us to a very scary/twisted possibilities.

[laupsi]

High level athletes are driven. Years ago, Ivan Lendl (former #1 tennis player) said that the desire to succeed would have led him to do something as drastic as cutting off a finger, if it ensured him greater athletic prowess. When he became a seasoned pro, he realized how ridiculous that drive could be.

This leads to an interesting debate about allowing athletes with prosthetics to compete in events. I'm sure in the future, we may be able to produce prosthetics that are better than our own anatomy, which leads us to a very scary/twisted possibilities.

can't remember the name, but I read about an Italain cyclist who many moons ago was so bent on saving weight for difficult climbs he cut off a toe(s) to lighten the load

[Charles M]

....High level athletes are driven....


People are driven...

Like Joachim said on th last page about doping to study.


This is just human nature.

If there was a pill that most of us could take to get the next order, get the next contract, make the next deal... Hell, look at some of the great Jaz guys of the past.


Not everyone is asked to perform in a fashion that PED's substantially enhance their reward.

Thats very simply why most people in most professions are not in the same boat as Athletes.

[Bob Loblaw]

Depends on which 20 years. If it's shortening from 113 to 93, I'd do it...just lopping off those last years of having your diaper changed in between trying to remember who is president. If it's shortening from 70 to 50, however... :beer:

. . . whether they would take drugs that would take 20 years off their life if it would guarantee they'd win a gold medal, and a scary large percentage said "yes."

Yes, pretty frightening! :eek:

BBD

[Louis]

NYT article link (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/sports/baseball/tests-on-dustin-richardson-found-5-banned-substances.html)

Tests on Pitcher Found Five Banned Substances
By ANDREW KEH

Since major league baseball introduced drug-testing a decade ago, first in the minors and then in the majors, the great majority of those who have tested positive for performance-enhancers have been relatively obscure, or completely unknown, players whose suspensions barely created a stir.

But one drug suspension this week, once again involving a player few fans are familiar with, was startling because of the number of substances found in his test sample.

The player, Dustin Richardson, is a 26-year-old left-handed relief pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox in 2009 and 2010 before spending all of 2011 in Class AAA with farm teams of the Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves.

Richardson received a 50-game suspension this week after testing positive. Generally, players who test positive are linked to one banned substance. Richardson tested positive for five.

“I’ve never seen a case like this, and we’re talking about 30 years I’ve been doing this kind of work,” said Don Catlin, an antidoping expert and former director of the U.C.L.A. Olympic Analytical Laboratory.

“I’ve had doublets and triplets, but to have five, and have it cover three different subclasses of drugs, is unique, as far as I can tell.”

To start, Richardson tested positive for three anabolic steroids — Methandienone, Methenelone and Trenbolone — that are fairly common on their own, according to doping experts, but unusual in tandem.

On top of those, he tested positive for Letrozole, a drug that blocks the enzyme responsible for the production of estrogen, a process that commonly occurs as a byproduct of anabolic steroid use and is linked to several undesirable side effects.

Finally, Richardson also tested positive for amphetamines, which have been banned in baseball since 2006. Prescription medications like Adderall and Ritalin, which are used to treat attention deficit disorder, can cause a positive test for amphetamines, although it is not clear what drug Richardson had in his system.

Dozens of players in baseball have therapeutic use exemptions so they can use medications like Adderall and Ritalin. Richardson does not.

Major League Baseball, through a spokesman, acknowledged that it was “unusual in our testing program for a player to test positive for so many prohibited substances.”

[fiamme red]

NYT article link (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/sports/baseball/tests-on-dustin-richardson-found-5-banned-substances.html)50-game suspension? What a joke.

Meanwhile...

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/iteam/2012/01/former-wada-president-rips-nflpa-for-dragging-feet-on-hgh-testing

Former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound, writing in WADA’s official publication, rips the NFL Players Association for dragging its feet on human growth hormone testing.

The union lawyers who say they want more information about the testing for the performance-enhancing drug “flock to the pseudo-science like ants to a picnic,” Pound wrote in “Play True.”

The NFLPA agreed to a provision in the collective-bargaining agreement that ended the NFL lockout in August that called for HGH testing, but not until the NFLPA gave its approval. The test was shelved this season because union officials said they need more information.

Pound, a member of the International Olympic Committee, said the “there is known and suspected use of HGH” by NFL players and the union is simply dragging its feet.

"Even more resourceful off the field than on it, the players, acting through their union, the NFLPA, have turned to their ubiquitous lawyers to throw as much sand as money can buy into the gears of an effective testing program," Pound wrote in his op-ed. "So, the lawyers, in a feat of self-generated alchemy, have turned themselves into scientists and now spout supposedly principled concerns about the reliability of scientific tests for HGH."

WADA approved the HGH test in 2004.

“The knowledgeable scientific community is satisfied with the reliability of the HGH tests,” Pound wrote. “WADA does not approve anti-doping tests until there is consensus among experts in the particular field that the tests are scientifically reliable and replicable. No one wants any athlete to be sanctioned on the basis of a false positive test.”

[miguel]

i came into this thread hoping it was someone who just liked to party hard.
not as fun.
this guy gets me

[54ny77]

http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/julia-child.png

"Fiiiirrrrrsssst, you add the 6B-HydroxyMethandienone, give it a good stiiirrrr with a whissssk, then simmer for 3-5 minutes on meeeedium heat...."