Lance Armstrong vs. USADA

[johnxjsc1985]

pablo said:

The WADA website has all the drugs tests undertaken, in and out of competition by year. Rugby I believe has the highest percentage of positive tests though I gather a lot of it is supplements and things that are more akin to bodubuilding, I guess there is a naivety about things like that in some sports, there are all sorts of things available off the shelf in Holland and Barratt etc so some people assume they are safe/legal and take them without thinking.

20 years ago I sent away for a list of banned substances.
It was easier to say what isn't banned you really needed a Doctor to prescribe the simplest of Cold remedies.if you have to ask the question don't take it.
Now its so much more difficult and the rewards in Sport are huge these days

[DJRC]

FredClogs said:

DJRC said:

Given the current climate around head injuries, the law suits in the US with the NFL boys, then I think a drugs context is lower down the rugby priority list than protecting against concussion. This is where rugby will feel some spotlight attention over the next few years.

The real issue with the NFL and the NHL and TBIs is down to the helmets ironically. And they start wearing them from a very early age. Obviously concussions and TBIs occur in rugby but they're less of a concern than people breaking their backs/necks in collapsing scrums. And if you're up against a guy who's pumped full of HGH and testosterone then your odds of a broken spine go up considerably - and this for me is the difference between cheating in MMA/Boxing/Rugby than say cycling and running, you actually put other peoples lives on the line by doping and not just your own.

Although to an old school forward like me, the de-powering of the scrums was initially a bad thing, I have to admit I think the pre-emptive work done over the last 5 yrs or so by the game authorities has been a much needed thing to preserve the health of the front fives.

They got it wrong a cpl of times in messing with the Laws, but they have done some good. With the power and body masses up front now, esp. as they incorporating the American "explosive" power training then something needed to be done to protect necks.

[prand]

DJRC said:

Although to an old school forward like me, the de-powering of the scrums was initially a bad thing, I have to admit I think the pre-emptive work done over the last 5 yrs or so by the game authorities has been a much needed thing to preserve the health of the front fives.

They got it wrong a cpl of times in messing with the Laws, but they have done some good. With the power and body masses up front now, esp. as they incorporating the American "explosive" power training then something needed to be done to protect necks.

I quite like the scrum engagement procedure now, interesting though that the hooker seems under so much strain he daren't move his leg to hook, and we see the ball, when fed straight, sitting in the middle while the two sides have a pushing competition to get it on their side and win it. I quite like that.

I'm not sure the RFU want a drains up expose on drug use in the sport this close to the World Cup being held in England next year, so they will be doing what they can to keep a lid on any speculation. However I'm sure someone is storing up some hard evidence to release the night before the competition to create maximum impact and exposure, and perhaps to destabilise or discredit specific teams.

[Derek Chevalier]

mcelliott said:

The changes in physique in rugby league/union players in the last 10 years or so has been remarkable. 15-16 stone blokes, some of them with single digit body fat measurements - wouldn't look out of place in a bodybuilding contest. Does anyone know how stringent the drug testing regime is? Particularly off season.

I have always wondered what caused the facial changes in some players - could it be protein shakes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acromegaly

"Facial aspect of a patient with acromegaly. The cheekbones are pronounced, the forehead bulges, the jaw is enlarged and facial lines prominent"

[Gruffy]

Yeah, protein shakes. Definitely not massive quantities of HGH.

[anonymous-user]

Cookson's first chance to make a stand today but 99% sure he will bottle it and AStana will get their UCI World Tour licence for 2015.....

[Gruffy]

I don't know the mechanics of the UCI and the license commission well enough to comment, but this article suggests that it's quite independent and outside of Cookson's influence.
http://inrng.com/2014/12/friday-shorts-10/

[Gruffy]

I agree they should be denied a license though.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

Derek Chevalier said:

mcelliott said:

The changes in physique in rugby league/union players in the last 10 years or so has been remarkable. 15-16 stone blokes, some of them with single digit body fat measurements - wouldn't look out of place in a bodybuilding contest. Does anyone know how stringent the drug testing regime is? Particularly off season.

I have always wondered what caused the facial changes in some players - could it be protein shakes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acromegaly

"Facial aspect of a patient with acromegaly. The cheekbones are pronounced, the forehead bulges, the jaw is enlarged and facial lines prominent"

I am sure it is only coincidence.

[anonymous-user]

Gruffy said:

I don't know the mechanics of the UCI and the license commission well enough to comment, but this article suggests that it's quite independent and outside of Cookson's influence.
http://inrng.com/2014/12/friday-shorts-10/

interesting!, i wrongly assume the UCI licensing committee woudld be at elast in part, accoutnable to the UCI!....

[JuniorD]

Oh dear...17 Astana riders have links with Dr. Ferrari according to Padova inquiry

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-accused-of-...

[FredClogs]

JuniorD said:

Oh dear...17 Astana riders have links with Dr. Ferrari according to Padova inquiry

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-accused-of-...

I think it's a fair assumption that Nibali was at least aware of this and has been involved in the tacit cover up of it... So where the feck does cycling stand now, in this new era of clean professionalism? How many more blanks do we need in the record books before the whole sport becomes an irrelevance?

[mcelliott]

FredClogs said:

JuniorD said:

Oh dear...17 Astana riders have links with Dr. Ferrari according to Padova inquiry

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/astana-accused-of-...

I think it's a fair assumption that Nibali was at least aware of this and has been involved in the tacit cover up of it... So where the feck does cycling stand now, in this new era of clean professionalism? How many more blanks do we need in the record books before the whole sport becomes an irrelevance?

Hugh scandals every 10 years - Festina followed by Armstrong now Astana, with a new 'clean' era in between every time. Rinse and repeat.

[JuniorD]

Cycling will never change in that the scourge of dopers will never go away. There will always be a handful at least. I will just continue to invest my faith in guys like Dan Martin who can do the business when the planets line up every now and again.

[johnxjsc1985]

JuniorD said:

Cycling will never change in that the scourge of dopers will never go away. There will always be a handful at least. I will just continue to invest my faith in guys like Dan Martin who can do the business when the planets line up every now and again.

Its people like Dan Martin I feel sorry for because he will know the guys who dope just by their performances its 2014 not 1954 why do these people still get away with it

[Grandfondo]

You want rid of dopers?

Then ban them from the sport for life so they can't infect youg riders when they are In charge!

Leopards and spots and all that!

[GravelBen]

johnxjsc1985 said:

its 2014 not 1954 why do these people still get away with it

Probably because its 2014 not 1954!

I have a friend who works as a performance analyst with the NZ track cycling team (among others), her comment on the general drug issue in cycling was that technology-wise the dopers are probably 2 years ahead of the people trying to catch them. I guess there is more money available on that side?

Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 10th December 20:17

[johnxjsc1985]

Grandfondo said:

You want rid of dopers?

Then ban them from the sport for life so they can't infect youg riders when they are In charge!

Leopards and spots and all that!

Isn't it sporting fraud so stick them in jail

[DJRC]

GravelBen said:

johnxjsc1985 said:

its 2014 not 1954 why do these people still get away with it

Probably because its 2014 not 1954!

I have a friend who works as a performance analyst with the NZ track cycling team (among others), her comment on the general drug issue in cycling was that technology-wise the dopers are probably 2 years ahead of the people trying to catch them. I guess there is more money available on that side?

Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 10th December 20:17

There is always more money available on that side of the fence.

[mcelliott]

So the UCI have granted Astana their world Tour licence and Cookson's remit was to come in and clean up cycling. This sport is an utter piss take.