84 Olympic blood doping

[LegendRider]

Most cycling fans know the general story of US blood doping at the Los Angeles games, but here's a good report from Sports Illustrated.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1119061/1/index.htm

[ClutchCargo]

Very interesting, from several perspectives.
The venerable Eddy B. comes off none too well.

[xjoex]

Someone will figure out a way to pin this on Lance. I blame time travel, nike and the usps.

-Joe

[esldude]

Dr. Falsetti "When I talk to a rider I tell him, first, I never do anything that is risky, unethical or illegal," said Falsetti last week. "And, second, I will never tell anybody about this."

Yeah, so ethical and legal he would never tell anyone about it.

Van Haute said, "I didn't think it was wrong at the time, because you can't detect it." Beckman contends, "If anybody did do any blood boosting, it's their own business."

Nothing wrong at all with anything as long as you can't detect it?:rolleyes:

What Clarke and Dardik seem to be declaring is the need for a return to traditional values; issues should be judged on the basis of right or wrong, not legality or illegality.

But Burke remains defiant. "You know where we were in the dark ages," he says. "You know where we are now. Nobody says we wear white gloves."


WOW! Some sense of honor and integrity in these guys.

Says good things about Connie Carpenter and those who turned it down. Wish the article had listed all those who refused it.

[pbarry]

Great article. What a fast and slippery slope from [bad] idea to implementation.

[carpediemracing]

Did anyone read Steve Tilford's recent blog post on friending Eddy B on FB? and Inga Thompson's response?

[pbarry]

Did anyone read Steve Tilford's recent blog post on friending Eddy B on FB? and Inga Thompson's response?

Can't find her response. Here's ST's blog post:
http://stevetilford.com/?p=24415

Hope PEZ is ok with me posting this interview with ST. It's well worth the read.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=8781

[Ti Designs]

Wish the article had listed all those who refused it.

Not that you would know most of them...

[wasfast]

Les Earnest posted his look at this on cyclops some years ago:

http://www.stanford.edu/~learnest/cyclops/dopes.htm

It seems interesting that this has been resurrected again. Perhaps just because of a certain Texan.

I wasn't at the 84 Olympics but I rode with for many years, and knew personally, John Beckman and Carl Leusenkamp. I've not asked John about the "event" as I've not stayed in touch but then again, I doubt I'd bother. That Olympics was nearly 30 years ago and while an ethical issue, it wasn't against the rules either. You could certainly argue the amateur medical methods were rather scary.

It doesn't surprise me that Carl would have looked for any edge possible. Unfortunately, he died in his 40's from liver cancer.

[esldude]

Not that you would know most of them...

I likely would have heard of some of them. And whether or not I know them isn't really the point. The point is when people do the right thing I prefer it be recognized. If more of those who did the right thing had been noted they might be more recognizable.

Obviously 29 year old news, isn't new. My thought was it would have been nice at the time for the article to mention them, just as it would be if such a situation were to occur today.

[carpediemracing]

Inga is maybe the 4th response to SF's post.

She came in to replace Olavarri who had taken so much steroids that she couldn't ride at even an easy level, getting dropped while motorpacing at 40 kph or something. Then Olavarri tested positive. Apparently her joints deteriorated significantly due to her steroid use.

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Compelling-voice-against-steroids-3328278.php

[Gummee]

That Olympics was nearly 30 years ago and while an ethical issue, it wasn't against the rules either.
This

I have a buddy that was a pro that used to blood dope. While he was doing it, it wasn't illegal. Unethical? Probably.

From what he was saying, it allowed you to dig deeper, but it didn't replace training. Do I want to try it? Nope. I'm OK being mediocre as long as its ME being as the best me I can be.

M

[Ti Designs]

I likely would have heard of some of them. And whether or not I know them isn't really the point. The point is when people do the right thing I prefer it be recognized. If more of those who did the right thing had been noted they might be more recognizable.

There's an old saying, "nobody remembers who came in second". The kids who were willing to do whatever it took, including their blood boosting program, were the ones you've heard of. They didn't note that in the results, the system simply spit out the kids who weren't willing to cross that line. I trained 20+ hours/week to make junior national team selection, only to get turned away because there were things I wasn't willing to do. It wasn't just the blood boosting program, that's just the part you know about. Anything they could use to get around the rules - anything. They served horse meat at the OTC that cured poison ivy, does that sound right to you? The racers you know are the ones who were also willing to do anything.

To recognize who did the right thing is also to understand who got cheated in all of this. A lot of fans feel cheated when they find out their sports heros cheated, but what to they really have invested in it? I have friends who traveled to France to see Lance race in the tour - they should feel cheated. The kids who didn't make the team 'cause they refused to be part of the program poured their whole lives into getting to that point. Most people have never sacrificed so much to be so good at something, I can't even begin to explain the effort it takes. To get that far and then make the decision not to cheat is the hardest thing. There are plenty of books out now by racers who got to that point but couldn't say no - those are the books that sell. The kids who made the right decision should be recognized, but it's not going to happen.

[oldpotatoe]

This

I have a buddy that was a pro that used to blood dope. While he was doing it, it wasn't illegal. Unethical? Probably.

From what he was saying, it allowed you to dig deeper, but it didn't replace training. Do I want to try it? Nope. I'm OK being mediocre as long as its ME being as the best me I can be.

M

Is using an altitude tent unethical?

(BTW-I think it is, using an artificial means to boost any natural hematocrit).

[saab2000]

Is using an altitude tent unethical?

(BTW-I think it is, using an artificial means to boost any natural hematocrit).

How would that be any different than living in, say, Aspen or St. Moritz? Both high altitude locales and then racing at lower altitude?

[oldpotatoe]

How would that be any different than living in, say, Aspen or St. Moritz? Both high altitude locales and then racing at lower altitude?

Because the 'coaches' say to sleep at high altitude, train at low altitude, which you can't do by just living at altitude. Unless you have the jet to use.

[saab2000]

Because the 'coaches' say to sleep at high altitude, train at low altitude, which you can't do by just living at altitude. Unless you have the jet to use.

Believe it or not, in St. Moritz you can do exactly that. Low altitude is a bike ride away. Switzerland is a small place.

But I don't believe the 'training' camps held there in the 1990s and beyond were completely natural. But it is roughly a mile high and riding down into the valleys gets you down to 1000' MSL.

[oldpotatoe]

Believe it or not, in St. Moritz you can do exactly that. Low altitude is a bike ride away. Switzerland is a small place.

But I don't believe the 'training' camps held there in the 1990s and beyond were completely natural. But it is roughly a mile high and riding down into the valleys gets you down to 1000' MSL.

I've gone from rocky mountain high to sea level to ride and for about 3-4 rides, you feel like Eddy himself..then you kill those red blood cells off and feel like my normal, weak self. I have also done the other, from sea level to 7000 feet to ride...look at all the pretty lights!!