drug taking in sport

[CL]

Just been reading the comments about missing drugs tests on another thread.Its My opinion that the sport of athletics is dead at an international level.Drugs are rife in all events, and I see no solution to the problem, apart from advances in testing technology.

Athletes in Britain cannot compete in some events, because many foreigners are not subject to the same testing protocol.

I really believe that athletes who reach national level(here),should seriously consider whether competing on the world scene, is actually to their interests.

To really throw the spanner in the works, it's also my opinion that all current world records were set with drugs.Think i'm exaggerating then consider this:With the advent of EPO in the 1990s mens and womens distance records took a massive dive.

I also think that promoters of events, should exempt certain athletes and countries, from their events(and rewards) until they're subject to the same testing procedures as ours.

Any views?

[dominion]

Have a look at my comment about the cost of drug tests relative to the wealth of the countries.

[Wheeze]

All international athletes should be made to go into strict isolation 3 months before the Olympics which is the only championship that can set records. They can only eat/drink what they are given by the IOC. All waste is to be tested. They must eschew all contact with their coaching team and must be subject to 24 hour monitoring.

All other events such as world cup etc can be run as usual i.e. a drug infested free-for-all but performances would not count as records. Would be interesting to see what difference in times would be found.

[Chris]

Have a look at my comment about the cost of drug tests relative to the wealth of the countries.

Where's that?

[dominion]

Where's that?

http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?t=3097

I can't believe you don't read every post on this forum!

[Joliver Jim]

He is so not committed.

I can't believe you don't read every post on this forum!

[Luv Shack]

Well said Chris L.....
And, I really like the Wheeze approach too...
Something does have to be done... it's a complete mockery.

[daz h]

its impossible to regulate drugs in cycling
simple as

[CL]

I think your right Daz H.Cycling is in a real mess and has just lost another major sponser(Telekom).Cycling does seem to be making more of an effort to clean up than athletics.Hence more people being caught.

One test they could include for athletes is the haematocrit.In well trained natural athletes this is approxamately 45%, with a haemoglobin of 15.8.For testing purposes a cutoff of say 46% and 16.2.Athletes with levels above these would suffer a suspension, until below the limits.

Cycling introduced the '50%' rule around 10 years ago.All that happened was athletes with a natural level of around 43%, took enough EPO(a red cell stimulator)to bring their cell count to 49%, and receive a huge boost in performance.

This test is not ideal.For instance blood doping(the removal and later the reintroduction of blood)wouldn't be revealed in such a test, unless just the red cells were removed.Additionally athletes may naturally be just above the cutoffs.Saying that the fittest Man I've ever seen on the fells(John Brown of Salford)had a haemoglobin level of 15.8, before the Hercules contest in 2003.He also returned a V02 of around 83ml/per kg.So the suggested cutoffs are reasonable.

This test alone would only help with blood boosting drugs(anabolic steroids,EPO etc).It wouldn't assist with others outside this group.

Thanks to the formites who've responded to my thread particulary my neighbour Luv Shack!

[daz h]

christopher its a very complex issue
drugs in cycling is a topic ive followed for 20 years and i think ive got a good insight to it
basically it cannot be regulated because the public dont want it to be
all this talk aout a clean tour and a clean giro is bullshit
there has to be drugs in cycling
its paramount to the sport , the sport cannot exist without it .
anyone who believes it can is either very stupid or very ill informed
if you need me to explain i will but its very complex