Saturday, April 20, 2013

AFTER DOPING ?

  " Blood Passport " is supposedly the way to stop " Doping "? Whether it is or not , depends on the " Sports Scientists " developing the CORRECT PARAMETERS !  Currently there are so many reports surfacing that  there are rampant abuses of this protocol , that we , the Cycling Public , are left wondering what VALUE the money being spent on " Anti Doping " is to ANY Sport ?

Recently i started a Cycling News Clinic  Thread on a New Medical  Product that is in the process of being developed . It is reported that " GSK " are discussing their product with WADA ? Whether the Japanese Company , Astellas , follows , remains to be reported . The article link :

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/19/us-anaemia-pill-idUSBRE93I0GH20130419


Astellas, GSK vie to make "high altitude" anemia pill



The link to the thread :

    http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?p=1204588#post1204588

Will there be those who will utilise this New Product , to ATTEMPT to defeat " Anti Doping Authorities "?

COUNT ON IT !

Meanwhile the following items caught my attention . Seems there are some out there , even writing Anonymously that have identified " Damage " to their Health !

Here are a couple of excerpts :

  "  When I see cyclists like Danielson, Leipheimer, Hincapie, and others who said they doped with EPO and stopped it at some time, and continued to ride as pro racers, I am quite surprised that many people either

a) believe them they stopped taking EPO or
b) believe they go on with EPO, but

everyone just tries to make himself a picture of the whole thing under ethical aspects: "Are there serious regrets by the rider, has he found back to a honest attitude towards cycling and therefore became clean again?".

Then, there are people with opinion

c) who think haven taken EPO in 2005 just helps you to ride faster in 2013.

I, from personal experience with PEDs/hormones years ago (see my posts in hypothyreodism thread), miss a much more important question, which is hardly ever raised; I´ll mention it as a claim, and I would not write it down if I wasn´t serious and really sure about it:

d) A healthy person who once in his life injects hormones (being healthy!), and stops taking this hormones, isn´t that healthy afterwards as he was before, and will never be again!
He gets from 0 to 5 during the period of misuse, and after finishing this period, slowly gets down to 0 again, then falls to -3, then the body reacts, tries to reach the starting level again, and reaches -1, with which the person now has to go on living.

The more hormones this healthy person injected/misused, and the longer the periods of misuse were, the bigger is the damage to the endocrinologic system concerning the special hormone. There is a thyroid system, a testosterone system, a cortisol system, a GH system, a "blood cell producing" system, to name some important and doping relevant endocrine hormone system within the body. Damaging one of these systems can ONLY be treated by life long continued injecting of the hormone that was misused, if you want to regain the "0" level I mentioned before.

So, finally, every Danielson or whoever has (he admitted it) damaged one (here: red blood cell) system, and has a (more or less seriously) damaged system now, for the rest of his life.

The results to expect from someone like that are weaker or (at the maximum) (almost) equal to the results he showed before the first hormone injection."




  "  Can you comment on the mental aspect of when you stopped PEDs and resumed to your normal (or even sub normal) self? Was that difficult to take at first? "


  " I first have to say that I doped just to improve optical shape and having the physique for photo shoots and appearances, just like bodybuilders do. I didn´t have a 100.000 EUR per year paycheck motivation.

But, yes, it´s mostly mentally disturbing afterwards, for different reasons:

- You feel sh*t, caused by the pure lack of hormone (weak, tired, powerless)
- You feel sh*t because you loved the shape you had when being on high hormone levels, and had to say goodbye to this shape
- You feel sh*t because you can never know exactly how your endocrine systems will recover, and how the mid- and long term endocrine levels will look like
- You feel sh*t because from now on, you need replacement therapy just to get to your natural base level, you have to be honest about the issue towards your treating doctor, have to admit having misused hormones, and know that hormone replacement will be part of all your future life, you´ll dependent on prescriptions several times a year, blood checks and all this stuff
- You feel sh*t because you´re not willing to consider yourself as suffering now from a chronic hormone desease, but officialy, you are

Nevertheless, no regrets. I would regret it if I had taken heroine or other illegal drugs once in my life.
Taking thyroid hormone, which isn´t illegal in Germany, I don´t regret, though I made the experience above.
It´s hardcore, but no reason to become hypocrite and say "It´s all great, there are no dark sides about it."

BTW: Jan Ullrich also used T3 and T4, which I learned later. Ulle knew what works ;-) And certainly also his his replacement therapy now, every morning, for several hormones. But be sure, he´ll never speak about that...


THERE are many more " Retired Racers " out there , WHO , could contribute their views on this subject ! As stated in the previous Post " Junior Racers " need to be aware of where their " Unwitting Actions " will lead !


WHILST the Boston Marathon Event was disrupted this week , and the perpetrators seem to have been removed from public , WHO , in their right mind , will believe that this is not the first of many " COPYCAT Incidents "?

It took a member of the Public to sight BLOOD on his property and alert the Policing Authorities , to
capture the remaining KNOWN Suspect . Had the Policing Authorities been on these grounds , is the question that requiries answering ?

Could it be that the " Manhunt " was not as thorough and systematic as first reported ?

With the London Marathon and the Hamburg Marathon taking place this weekend , WHAT are the ramifications ? What ADDITIONAL Protective Measures will be implemented by the Event Organisers ?

My concerns already centre on the Giro d 'Italia , which is a WORLD RENOWNED Event , that i will be attending  , in May . The Giro del Trentino departures and Arrival areas , did not seem to be as populous as previous years , could be that with Eurosport and RAI TV being involved for only the second year , some people decided that watching from the home was more comfortable ?

Would Those that Attend the Grand Tours be aware that there are Criminals operating in their vicinity ? At London Olympics , bikes were parked and when the owners returned , they found components stripped , wheels , STI Levers , etc . At " Le Tour " bikes get taken , people even " Upgrade " , by leaving their wreck and riding off on a " Top of the Line Carbon Model "!  Baggage is left in a variety of places , people , put their bag down by the barriers , to reserve " their standing point ". Who is to say they will return ?

Good natured banter amongst " Strangers " could NOW become overlayered with an " Air of Suspicion " ? I would think that where before , someone who asked for their neighbour to watch their bag whilst they go for a " drink , beer , sandwich " , will be told , " NO , take it with you "!

This is an area where there will be concern regarding " Personal Safety "!

Many times i have warned people to put their bikes in front of them , rather than leaving it behind , hoping it is SAFE , as it is nearby  . Now there are going to be suspicions if people walk away from their bags ! I recall standing in Sydney Airport , with People waiting for departure . Bags on the ground , essentially within view of the group , and yet a guy snatched a Handbag . Running through a busy Concourse , down escallators resulted in the bag , containing Passport , etc , being jettisoned . One of us captured the Bag and the other raised enough noise the theif was caught a further 100m down the building . No Passport , no flight, luckily , the outcome was good for ALL travellers !

Here is an area that the Authorities can relax :


VIGILENCE during the days of the IRA Threat , was the Watchword , Policing Authorities preached .

NOW it will be a required " State of Mind " for those in furure " High Profile Events "!









Wednesday, April 3, 2013

GROOMING ! Seeking the NEXT LANCE ?


With the trial of " Dr Fuentes " , coming to an end this week , BBC World News , has seemably just discovered , that there are more Sports , that have Athletes that " Doped " , using Dr Fuentes advice and facilities !
They are speculating that Dr Fuentes will be cooperating with Spanish & WADA Authorities once the trial ends  , to reveal , what MANY People already knew , that , he was not selective about WHO he treated ! 200+ " Coded blood bags " were found , when Spanish Authorities raided his premises in 2006 .

Some quotes from a news source :

http://blogs.channel4.com/keme-nzerem-on-sport/spains-dr-fuentes-doping-scandal-more-surprises-in-store/722

  "  By Fuentes’ own admission footballers were on his client list. And the whistleblower whose evidence led to the biggest doping investigation in the history of sport told us he saw players at the clinic so famous, there will be very red faces indeed should the Spanish authorities come good on their threats to order the blood bags be handed over to the “anti doping community” for investigation and analysis.
Spain herself is busy bidding for the 2020 Olympics – and in a rather desperate rearguard effort to regain some credibility, is tightening its once non-existent anti doping legislation.
The new political administration wants, apparently, to show the past a clean pair of heels.
And so scared were the outgoing mob that – so I’m told – not a single file pertaining to Operacion Puerto remained in the Ministry of Sport when the new officials took their seats in 2011."


Cycling Authorities were quicker to react , compared to other Sporting Federations . A.S.O. , owners of the " Le Tour " , banned many Racers from participation in the 2006 Tour de France , based on information and speculation , supplied to them . Seems that they were correct , in most cases , although they did not prevent the winner , Flandis , from indulging in his own " Doping programme ", during this Edition of " Le Tour! Most other Sporting Federations are still sitting back , hoping that the many " Blood Bags " , not yet identified , are not from members of their Sport ?

Dr Fuentes has been around the Cycling Industry since the mid 1990s , so there are untold numbers of Athletes , past and present , who will be wondering about their future , should it reach the point where , Dr Fuentes , " Full Cooperation " becomes reality ! Doubtful that he will reveal current Athletes , but will test the " waters " by " Naming " those who are no longer actively competing  in Sport . Seems to me that he will be seeking to " plea bargain " when the Spanish Authorities decide he is Guilty of the Charges posed . Serving Jail Time is not part of his future plans . Those charged with him include Cycling Team Owner , Manuel Saiz , who ran the hugely successful " ONCE Cycling Team ", many of whose former members have since served " Doping sanctions " , whilst riding with a variety of other Cycling Teams .

Meanwhile , elsewhere , there are those who wish to create a new BOOM in Cycle Racing !  Life must go on , the " Sausage Machine " of progress must be filled , so that Team owners can profit from those that have dreams of sporting success , bought for them by their parents .

 Found this gem on the Cycling News Forum Clinic :

  "  And for only $900 you too can pay to be "identified"!

http://www.usacycling.org/registrati...t-id-camps.htm

More money in the pockets of Weisel's cronies. "

Remember " Weisel " , money manager , from the days of US Postal & Lance ? Seems that as a Racer in the US Masters scene , he is taking an active interest in filling the " Sausage Machine ",  that will produce the next Generation of US Cycle Racers !

Long before the 2006 " Puerto " case was revealed , the following article was published :

  "  Something posted in Cycling News in 2001 and still true:

US cycling is not immune to the lure of Euro-style influences. It is, like in Europe, not confined to the pro ranks. Having ridden among many of the Americans, Canadians and European transplants who've raced in our region; it is clear that they "improve their genetic potential" when they hit the Continent. I must add that, not having had the opportunity to race on the biggest stage; we should not judge those that assume the level of pain and dedication it takes to race at that level. Every rider makes choices daily that begin to shade their own view of necessity for performance. When you have an extra caffeinated beverage, take questionable vitamin supplements, etc., you as a rider are crossing that line in small increments. Who knows what choice you'd make if you were a big fish in your region and found yourself constantly off the back in the bigger venues. What would you do if your family's financial stability relied on your continued employment?

Having said all of that, the influence of drugs starts at the junior ranks with coaches that recommend steroid inhalers to the younger riders on the basis of "exercise induced asthma". The actual scene witnessed at a major junior race: 6 riders on wind trainers, warming up and sucking on their inhalers prior to the race; their coach proudly looking on at the 14 to 16 year old drug cheats. The influence extends to national level coaches who advise their team members they can "regrettably" only offer some caffeine to them while their Euro counterparts travel with a full time physician. The final scene: pros with a laundry list of allergies and injuries requiring supplementation. Remember: the UCI monitors "levels" of drugs in the systems. It is within the rules to top off your levels and not be considered in violation of the rules. Therein lies the defence of the USPS team. What we really could use is honest disclosure. What are the actual haematocrit levels of the competitors? How does a rider with a early season blood level of 44 attain a level of 48 to 49.9 after two weeks of racing the Tour?

I don't care about the paid professionals making these choices. It also used to be the unspoken regimen that younger pros would not be doped until they reached their potential and amateurs relying on drugs to ride at a top level probably would not get a contract as they'd already reached their performance peak. The danger is now that young riders with no real pro opportunities are destroying their health for the rest of their life. That is what will kill our sport. "

The person bringing the article to light , once again , added the following comment :

  "  While this is somewhat premonitional to current day it was forseeable for all riders coming out of the US program. Parents today that aren't paying attention run the risk of raising the "next Lance"."

As well as the possibilities that " New Comers " to the sport , will be influenced to try their " Luck " with "Suppliments " there is also the aspect of " Over Training "?

The following comments reflect concerns , that many have in respect of younger Athletes , neglecting their Education , in the " Hope " of acheiving " Sporting Success ". Over Training , to the extent of monthly totals of 1000+ miles produced this item .


  "  A coach emphasizing this much on milage for juniors shouldn't be a coach in the first place, clearly doesn't understand training.

Parent's are to blame primarily, lacking common sense
There are those exceptional quick-maturing kids that, at 17+ yrs old may benefit from added miles. If you want a competitive National level rider they'll need to put in miles with senior riders. The influence that comes from USAC is responding to the need to field Internationally competitive riders on a limited budget and with a small athlete population compared to other US sports. The temptation to take short cuts is there. The checkered "coaching" history bears this out and it is no surprise that almost every pro rider from those programs has been busted for PEDs.
Every parent wants to believe that their genetic gift can, with discipline and lots of training; can be what they never were. "

Someone with a contrary view expressed this view :


  "  I'm not being funny but 1000 miles a month, even as a junior, is not that much. It's a big load but even I was capable of maintaining that as a junior road racing and there were guys doing a lot more than me (several of whom have gone on to turn pro). Obviously it's very dependent on what that 1000 miles is made up of but sweeping statements like "1000 miles just isnt healthy for a junior athlete" are wide of the mark IMO."


Seemingly " Suppliments " are not ALL they are supposed to be , in fact MANY , contain ingredients that are contrary to the WADA Code :

  "  Their team and their sponsor instruct them to talk up these products. The products themselves are FDA regulated. They're just over-priced caffeine, proteins and vitamins with a brand image targeted to body-builders. Posting on social media: it's part of the marketing strategy. I agree that forcing juniors you're supposedly "developing" to market your products is ****ty, in fact I think that encouraging juniors or u23 riders to ride bikes instead of building character through volunteering, working real jobs, studying, or joining debate club is rather a disservice. But I don't see how this is even related to doping. By posting in this forum you're intentionally trying to create associations which in reality don't exist. Are you also going to flip out if they instagram a picture of a jamba juice with a protein additive in it? "

Other comments that came to light :

  "  this story, and the associated products, might be entirely innocuous, but it's a funny coincidence that one mri's more notable riders is mr ink himself, kayle leogrande. "

  "  interesting that wiesel races for the specialized masters team, i know a few of the juniors, i would hate to think that any of them had been shown shortcuts. "

For those that are interested in seeing " Juniors " progress in THEIR SPORTING AMBITIONS , the following applies to ALL coming under the WADA Code :



  “  Using any form of dietary supplement may result in a positive test for prohibited substances leading to a suspension and/or other penalties. Vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids and other dietary substances may contain prohibited or illegal substances that may or may not be listed on the label. Any athlete who takes a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid or other dietary supplement does so at his or her own risk of committing a doping violation.”

  Do " Juniors " have any idea what is in these " Suppliment Products ". They take whatever they are given , because their sponsor provides it to them , even if the products are not supposed to be taken by anyone under 18. They post on social media that these are magical wonders and are very important in their daily training and racing.

My View on this subject :

  " If you care about their well-being, reach out to them directly, don't try to stir up accusations and rumor on a web forum that's powerless to do anything."