Adverse Analytical Finding – in-competition test

man...i ride my bike because i love the outdoors, being with mates and have good coffee. I do race some of the popular races to keep the mojo going, if I am sick or not feeling well I will take the medicine needed to get me healthy again so that I can ride (not race) my bike again ASAP.

Why the hell must I go and check every single supplement/medicine/drink I take? Do not care if I finish in bunch or not.

@andrew how do they know ?

It's like gambling, they have to test, but they also want to show they are doing their job properly and are cleaning up the sport.

The real dopers are clever, Mr. Average like most people on this hub slips all sorts of vitamins and supplements in to their mouths without even thinking about being tested, call then a soft target, and if I was a gambling man, that's the nie I would go for to increase my odds.

Do CSA advise them on who they should be testing?

Would so many mid packers really test positive? I (as a seasoned nobody) only take Centrum, Slowmag and the odd Berocca - are most guys really popping the miracle pills like smarties?

@andrew how do they know ?

It's like gambling, they have to test, but they also want to show they are doing their job properly and are cleaning up the sport.

The real dopers are clever, Mr. Average like most people on this hub slips all sorts of vitamins and supplements in to their mouths without even thinking about being tested, call then a soft target, and if I was a gambling man, that's the nie I would go for to increase my odds.

Perhaps you are over dramatising this.

How about a fat guy decides to lose weight because he has big hills to ride, g

whos the fatty?

born 1974.....chap in the middle?

http://www.anderson.co.za/images/RTMS_2013.jpg

edit....its amazing what you can find on the internets...

Is he the owner of the team?

whos the fatty?

 

born 1974.....chap in the middle?

 

http://www.anderson.co.za/images/RTMS_2013.jpg

 

edit....its amazing what you can find on the internets...

Every cyclist with a body fat percentage over 9 % will call themselves fat.

 

 

Every cyclist with a body fat percentage over 9 % will call themselves fat.

Say whaaaat?

Every cyclist with a body fat percentage over 9 % will call themselves fat.

lol

hello....my name is stretch...and I am fat

@andrew how do they know ?

It's like gambling, they have to test, but they also want to show they are doing their job properly and are cleaning up the sport.

The real dopers are clever, Mr. Average like most people on this hub slips all sorts of vitamins and supplements in to their mouths without even thinking about being tested, call then a soft target, and if I was a gambling man, that's the nie I would go for to increase my odds.

Mr Earp....I hear you and I am of the same opinion that a lot of "Fun riders" out there dope intentionally.

I am just wondering.........What now? They caught a guy at the back of the bunch. He won't be able to ride the Argus for 2 years. Other than that?

Nothing.

Is testing ANYTHING else other than a Pro rider (Someone doing it as a profession) worth the money? Aside from the publicity side......Whoohoooo....we caught someone....

I don't know.

The guys that DO dope dont get caught cause only random one and two in Elite gets tested and CSA/Anti Doping spend that R3000-R5000 for the test on a fun rider because they need the publicity to get funding.

Rather a sad state of affair.

I would have soooooo much more confidence in our sport's "cleanlyness" if they use the funds appropriatly like getting a bio pasport of every Elite rider and skip this silly testing of the back markers.

A Vet/Master/fun rider has NOTHING to gain except ego boost if they dope. The Elites do it for the money/pro contract.

So to take away the ego from the Vet/Master/Funrider is futile but to take away the $$/contract from the pro and then they'll start cleaning up the sport.

What this country still don't see clear is that there is a difference between competing for the win and participation.

Shame really.

Mr Earp....I hear you and I am of the same opinion that a lot of "Fun riders" out there dope intentionally.

 

I am just wondering.........What now? They caught a guy at the back of the bunch. He won't be able to ride the Argus for 2 years. Other than that?

Nothing.

Is testing ANYTHING else other than a Pro rider (Someone doing it as a profession) worth the money? Aside from the publicity side......Whoohoooo....we caught someone....

 

I don't know.

The guys that DO dope dont get caught cause only random one and two in Elite gets tested and CSA/Anti Doping spend that R3000-R5000 for the test on a fun rider because they need the publicity to get funding.

 

Rather a sad state of affair.

 

I would have soooooo much more confidence in our sport's "cleanlyness" if they use the funds appropriatly like getting a bio pasport of every Elite rider and skip this silly testing of the back markers.

A Vet/Master/fun rider has NOTHING to gain except ego boost if they dope. The Elites do it for the money/pro contract.

So to take away the ego from the Vet/Master/Funrider is futile but to take away the $$/contract from the pro and then they'll start cleaning up the sport.

 

What this country still don't see clear is that there is a difference between competing for the win and participation.

 

Shame really.

Agree spinnekop...a negative pro test result means 100 times more than a positive joe soap result.

Agree spinnekop...a negative pro test result means 100 times more than a positive joe soap result.

Sure? A negative test means the rider is smart. A negative test does not mean the rider is clean.

Sure? A negative test means the rider is smart. A negative test does not mean the rider is clean.

Agree, but at least with consistent testing it will keep them on their toes....IE one slip up(glowing / not exact dosing) its tickets.

Mr Earp....I hear you and I am of the same opinion that a lot of "Fun riders" out there dope intentionally.

 

I am just wondering.........What now? They caught a guy at the back of the bunch. He won't be able to ride the Argus for 2 years. Other than that?

Nothing.

Is testing ANYTHING else other than a Pro rider (Someone doing it as a profession) worth the money? Aside from the publicity side......Whoohoooo....we caught someone....

 

I don't know.

The guys that DO dope dont get caught cause only random one and two in Elite gets tested and CSA/Anti Doping spend that R3000-R5000 for the test on a fun rider because they need the publicity to get funding.

 

Rather a sad state of affair.

 

I would have soooooo much more confidence in our sport's "cleanlyness" if they use the funds appropriatly like getting a bio pasport of every Elite rider and skip this silly testing of the back markers.

A Vet/Master/fun rider has NOTHING to gain except ego boost if they dope. The Elites do it for the money/pro contract.

So to take away the ego from the Vet/Master/Funrider is futile but to take away the $$/contract from the pro and then they'll start cleaning up the sport.

 

What this country still don't see clear is that there is a difference between competing for the win and participation.

 

Shame really.

How do we get this message to SAIDS/CSA etc?

At a minimum the back marker testing needs to stop, it's an absolute joke!

Every cyclist with a body fat percentage over 9 % will call themselves fat.

Amen

Ok puzzled then, I would see it as follow.

 

Junior sees dad popping a pill before a race:

 

Junior: "Why are you taking those pills daddy?"

 

Dad: "Ag, just for that extra oomph son"

 

Junior gets dropped on the race and is miffed because daddy does so good.

 

Next race junior recons he should also maybe try daddy's pills to help him and junior wins the race.

 

Two outcomes; junior dies at young age or gets busted for doping at Elite level.

ALSO what a lot of people forget, drug testing is not only about trying to catch people who are trying to cheat, it's about (trying to) preventing people taking stuff that could do them harm in the long run. A lot of these fancy weight loss pilletjies are ok if you just a normal person whose only exercise is walking to the garage to get into the car...combine it with real strenuous endurance exercise and it could be harmful.

ALSO what a lot of people forget, drug testing is not only about trying to catch people who are trying to cheat, it's about (trying to) preventing people taking stuff that could do them harm in the long run. A lot of these fancy weight loss pilletjies are ok if you just a normal person whose only exercise is walking to the garage to get into the car...combine it with real strenuous endurance exercise and it could be harmful.

ALSO what a lot of people forget, drug testing is not only about trying to catch people who are trying to cheat, it's about (trying to) preventing people taking stuff that could do them harm in the long run. A lot of these fancy weight loss pilletjies are ok if you just a normal person whose only exercise is walking to the garage to get into the car...combine it with real strenuous endurance exercise and it could be harmful.

I can't see that being their function swiss....they are there to catch the cheaters, not to tell johnny to stop pumping winnie in his veins.

They should focus their resources better if this is indeed the case

Different license categories should be implemented.

Day license (amateur) - person riding the argust as their only yearly event, not eligible for any prize money. Normally these persons will not be tested, as they are not eligible to win. Testing any of these riders will be futile, as they arew not in contention for prize money.

Racing license (pro rider - I use the term pro loosely, as there are numerous eligible racers that is not being paid, or sponsored) - person owning this license has intent to compete for position and prize money, thus they are subject to being tested.

This however leaves the door open for amateur riders to work their way up the ranks for a season, and then going off the juice before obtaining a racing license and competing.

Perhaps an aspiring rider wishing to obtain a racing license should compete for a year, and be subject to frequent testing to ensure no illegal substances are used.

I can't see that being their function swiss....they are there to catch the cheaters, not to tell johnny to stop pumping winnie in his veins.

 

They should focus their resources better if this is indeed the case

All the cheaters? Or just 'the guys at the front' that cheats? And, what's the difference? Cheating is cheating, no?

All the cheaters? Or just 'the guys at the front' that cheats? And, what's the difference? Cheating is cheating, no?

Sure cheating is cheating but considering the resources and budget where should they focus their efforts...on johnny or on the pro.

Ideally I would want anyone who is racing for a prize or national title etc to be tested - it's not fair on clean riders to miss out on their goals because someone else is taking shortcuts. That said, the Pro's have to be priority number one. If they don't have the budget to do the whole lot, then 150 test spread over the top 30 riders would be the better option - like you said, they are making the money, winning the races, getting the contracts. It would be nice to say with some modicum of hope that what we are admiring is actually real!

 

How do we get this message to SAIDS/CSA etc?

At a minimum the back marker testing needs to stop, it's an absolute joke!

But they are testing the pro's, much more than the fun riders....I've never heard of a fun rider having to account 24/7 for his whereabouts for testing purposes or get tested at home. Problem might just be that the pro's are also pro's at not getting caught. IMO any rider who applies for a racing license should not complain if they get tested at an event, no matter if its benoni champs or cape epic

I can't see that being their function swiss....they are there to catch the cheaters, not to tell johnny to stop pumping winnie in his veins.

 

They should focus their resources better if this is indeed the case

I dunno...I recall reading somewhere sometime long ago.... that ONE of the purposes of drug testing was to protect and ensure the good health of athletes... the performance enhancing ideal has overshadowed the healthy ideal

Sure cheating is cheating but considering the resources and budget where should they focus their efforts...on johnny or on the pro.

Possibly at the point of greatest return? Ie where they are more likely to catch a cheater ... so, it would make sense to test in the pack - or as Dangle once put it "37 year old C-batch riders"

But they are testing the pro's, much more than the fun riders....I've never heard of a fun rider having to account 24/7 for his whereabouts for testing purposes or get tested at home. Problem might just be that the pro's are also pro's at not getting caught. IMO any rider who applies for a racing license should not complain if they get tested at an event, no matter if its benoni champs or cape epic

The Pro's here are not been tested much... none of the Mtb'ers in this country are even on the bio-passport. They don't have the funds. So all we are saying is rather focus the money we do have where it matters. If someone is doping at the Cape Pioneer to come 365th - I couldn't care less. That is entirely his problem...

And mine if he beats me... hence the zero tolerance.. I get the point tho