Events

Kevin Evans accepts doping charge

By Press Office · 1614 comments

Cycling South Africa reports that the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has charged mountain bike cyclist, Kevin Evans with doping after identifying serious irregularities in his Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) – a profile of the athlete’s blood parameters.

ccs-62657-0-90136700-1453116564.jpgPhoto credit: Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media

Mr. Evans accepted the charge of doping and did not contest the findings. The ABP is a longitudinal analysis and the suspicious readings were identified over a period of time, therefore the athlete’s results extending back to 14 March 2014 will be disqualified, with all of the resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

He will be banned from sport for four years as of 4 March 2015 until 3 March 2019. The athlete has however indicated that he has retired from professional cycling.

Cycling South Africa respects the independence of the SAIDS process. Cycling South Africa further reiterates its zero-tolerance approach to doping in sport and will continue working with SAIDS in the promotion of a drug-free sport via its awareness and extensive testing programmes.

Comments

Patchelicious

Jan 21, 2016, 6:57 AM

From memory - EPO (from the pharmacy) is about 1800 a month for therapeutic doses - and that is manageable for most well to do vets - HGH on the other hand is much more expensive - MUCH.

 

And you are absolutely correct that the barriers to doping for Vets that are already sucessful in business are low - financially fairly low (monthly or long term if you get caught), and unless you are standing on the podium for a major race, then really unlikely to be tested at all.

 

Still - the issues around applying for a KE TUE for ozone therapy are at best dodgy - Ozone is not even on the restricted list - http://list.wada-ama.org/by-substance/#O-group - so why even apply for a TUE - clearly you don't need a TUE for what is not restricted - nor will they even issue one.

This is interesting around the Ozone treatment, for us layman, what is t actually supposed to do?

 

On the Vets doping. It seems that there is a lower emotional barrier to something like HGH in Vets, as older guys seem to justify that because their hormone levels are dropping, that it's not exactly outright cheating to them as there could be real world health benefits to it.

 

What's your take on it?

 

Ps: your coffee bill seems too low, you clearly need to ride more :)

koukie

Jan 21, 2016, 7:01 AM

In terms of marketing value, is a win in a Cape Town race worth more to a sponsor than a kiff oke with a shweet instagram and a awesome brand ambassador. 

 

I know I have bought certain items of kit and entered races etc because local "pros" (I am not sure they are even pro, just post a lot about cycle and ride a lot) 

 

To be honest, I could not tell you who was on the podium of Epic this year, only that he was on a Spez. 

 

I cannot even remember who won the biggest road race last year or the year before, Hoffman or a Bonitas guy? 

 

My point, in SA are results the be all and end all for sponsors?  

 

I have attached some instagram accounts I follow that I am sure produce more AVE than some SA Pros. 

 

https://goo.gl/QheZwD

 

https://goo.gl/WfNTLw

 

https://goo.gl/pSfChk

 

Yes one is an importer but you get the point.

You okes are doing a good job in terms of marketing value. You dont win races (as far as I know) but your name Pure Savage is stuck in my mind because of your work ethic in the bunch. I dont remember the okes that won the races that we did together I remember the pure savage train that pulled the rest of the bunch.

Skubarra

Jan 21, 2016, 7:15 AM

 

What you say is true in a certain sense - you have to use a comparable MAX effort from all participants in the test (and an appropriate test) - so during a race you cannot guarantee the efforts will be max efforts - and you don't know on STRAVA either - but as a general rule - guys that are consistently winning STRAVA kom's are generally capable of winning races (this does not mean they will win races as there are other elements to racing like team strategy, pacing, nutrition, etc etc)

 

Not sure how this Strava debate started (thought there is a seperate thread for that). Yes in general the actual racing snakes will have most of the STRAVA kom's. But a semi-decent cyclist with a strong tailwind targeting a specific segment can often steal a KOM from an actual pro. 

 

Like Patch said - way too many variables.

 

I really wouldn't think a Strava segment is a particularly good measurement of actual ability unless it is something like the 121km "Attakwas 2016" segment!

V12man

Jan 21, 2016, 7:16 AM

This is interesting around the Ozone treatment, for us layman, what is t actually supposed to do?

 

On the Vets doping. It seems that there is a lower emotional barrier to something like HGH in Vets, as older guys seem to justify that because their hormone levels are dropping, that it's not exactly outright cheating to them as there could be real world health benefits to it.

 

What's your take on it?

Ozone treatment - in my opinion it's similar to snake oil - there are no ozone treatment machines that I am aware of in any ER I work in - it's very much regarded as complimentary medicine - perhaps useful in some things, but  if you need more oxygen in the tissues, then pure oxygen via a mask works pretty well - and in any case will NOT raise the levels of Hb etc at all - you need EPO or sustained LOW 02 levels to do that (which works via the natural verson of epo anyway)

 

HGH as a therapy has a place for sure in the treatment of certain medical conditions, (cosmetic and othewise) but I certainly don't believe there is abslutely no risk attatched to it's use - especially during unqualified and unmanaged treatment - I suspect that any Vet that actually uses it knows full well they are cheating - and I make no comment on their morals that allow this - clearly I don't believe that it's medically advisable - perhaps when I am 20 years older I might change my mind.

 

Let me place on record I am rabidly against PEDS use for non medical teatments, and if you want to make me angry let me meet the people who supply non pharmaceutical and veterinary grade steroids to schoolkids (and this is a HUGE problem, both in SA and worldwide - compared to this, doping in cycling is a trivial problem....)

 

Now I am off to breathe deeply and try to get my BP down - just thinking about kids steroid useage has annoyed me badly (again).

Patchelicious

Jan 21, 2016, 7:27 AM

Ozone treatment - in my opinion it's similar to snake oil - there are no ozone treatment machines that I am aware of in any ER I work in - it's very much regarded as complimentary medicine - perhaps useful in some things, but if you need more oxygen in the tissues, then pure oxygen via a mask works pretty well - and in any case will NOT raise the levels of Hb etc at all - you need EPO or sustained LOW 02 levels to do that (which works via the natural verson of epo anyway)

 

HGH as a therapy has a place for sure in the treatment of certain medical conditions, (cosmetic and othewise) but I certainly don't believe there is abslutely no risk attatched to it's use - especially during unqualified and unmanaged treatment - I suspect that any Vet that actually uses it knows full well they are cheating - and I make no comment on their morals that allow this - clearly I don't believe that it's medically advisable - perhaps when I am 20 years older I might change my mind.

 

Let me place on record I am rabidly against PEDS use for non medical teatments, and if you want to make me angry let me meet the people who supply non pharmaceutical and veterinary grade steroids to schoolkids (and this is a HUGE problem, both in SA and worldwide - compared to this, doping in cycling is a trivial problem....)

 

Now I am off to breathe deeply and try to get my BP down - just thinking about kids steroid useage has annoyed me badly (again).

Thank you, interesting!

 

On the last point. If you as a 45year old decide to dope, you are a poos.

 

If you as a 45 year old make your 15 year old dope, you are a criminal! It's disgusting!

V12man

Jan 21, 2016, 7:40 AM

 

If you as a 45 year old make your 15 year old dope, you are a criminal! It's disgusting!

True - unfortunately there are 15 - 20 year olds who decide to do this themselves and parents who don't notice... and give them enough pocket money to fund it too.... and wonder why their school brings them to an ER when they collapse... liver fried..... amongst other issues...

 

Coaches and parents who peddle peds to their kids are worse than criminals - medeival (sp?)  torture is too easy a punishment for them.

Thor Buttox

Jan 21, 2016, 8:06 AM

Thank you, interesting!

 

On the last point. If you as a 45year old decide to dope, you are a poos.

 

If you as a 45 year old make your 15 year old dope, you are a criminal! It's disgusting!

+ effing 1. On this one, I genuinely hope parent bodies get together at some of the schools, and get the okes arrested. What are the chances...
NelAndre

Jan 21, 2016, 8:09 AM

Always you will see the dopers shouting down the talk of doping and how it 'drags the sport through the mud'. A long term refrain of doper Brandon Stewart and his entourage. When, of course, it is the DOPING that is the issue, not the talk thereof.

Amen

Barend de Arend

Jan 21, 2016, 8:10 AM

True - unfortunately there are 15 - 20 year olds who decide to do this themselves and parents who don't notice... and give them enough pocket money to fund it too.... and wonder why their school brings them to an ER when they collapse... liver fried..... amongst other issues...

 

Coaches and parents who peddle peds to their kids are worse than criminals - medeival (sp?)  torture is too easy a punishment for them.

 

I view providing PEDs (and a variety of other drugs) without medical reason to underage kids as child abuse, and possibly attempted murder.  The legal charge should be such.

 

This is true even if the kid knows what he's getting.  There's no way that the kid is making a fully informed decision on his health.  At 15 you're invincible and immortal.

Eldron

Jan 21, 2016, 8:12 AM

Ozone treatment - in my opinion it's similar to snake oil - there are no ozone treatment machines that I am aware of in any ER I work in - it's very much regarded as complimentary medicine - perhaps useful in some things, but  if you need more oxygen in the tissues, then pure oxygen via a mask works pretty well - and in any case will NOT raise the levels of Hb etc at all - you need EPO or sustained LOW 02 levels to do that (which works via the natural verson of epo anyway)

 

 

Disclaimer: this is from a scientific point of view - not medical.

 

I was always taught that Ozone is metastable - it doesn't last long in the O3 form. My logic dictates that it will "hyperoxygenate" for a very short while then turn back into lots of O2.

 

Ozone is also great at killing germs/bacteria so I can medical benefit there.

 

I reckon if you have ozone treatment the extra oxygen will be gone by the tie you leave the hospital and are in your car.

 

I don't understand how it can be used to enhance athletic performance.

 

Any doctors/medical experts that can shed some light on the subject?

 

Here is an article: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/italian-doctor-under-investigation-for-administering-ozone-therapy/

 

...but I still can't see how it enhances performance. Even if it enriches the oxygen levels in the blood (200cc) surely that is long gone by the 4th or 5th pedal stroke?

 

Red blood corpuscles sure - the more there are the more they can carry oxygen from lung to leg but actual oxygen in the blood gets chewed up real quick and ozone doesn't improve oxygen uptake.

 

Colour me confused.

 

 

 

Edit: Found this: http://www.austinfitmagazine.com/October-2015/Oxygen-Treatment-for-Athletes/

 

So it's good for recovery!

Eldron

Jan 21, 2016, 8:16 AM

Edit edit:

 

In one study, male runners who engaged in an average of 12- to 30-minute sauna sessions twice a week immediately after an intense run, resulted in a 32 percent increase in the distance they could run before reaching the point of exhaustion.

 

32 percent distance increase from ozone recovery? If that is true then I'm off to buy me an ozone machine. Oh. Wait. It's illegal. Scratch that idea.

rouxtjie

Jan 21, 2016, 8:17 AM

Disclaimer: this is from a scientific point of view - not medical.

 

I was always taught that Ozone is metastable - it doesn't last long in the O3 form. My logic dictates that it will "hyperoxygenate" for a very short while then turn back into lots of O2.

 

Ozone is also great at killing germs/bacteria so I can medical benefit there.

 

I reckon if you have ozone treatment the extra oxygen will be gone by the tie you leave the hospital and are in your car.

 

I don't understand how it can be used to enhance athletic performance.

 

Any doctors/medical experts that can shed some light on the subject?

 

Here is an article: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/italian-doctor-under-investigation-for-administering-ozone-therapy/

 

...but I still can't see how it enhances performance. Even if it enriches the oxygen levels in the blood (200cc) surely that is long gone by the 4th or 5th pedal stroke?

 

Red blood corpuscles sure - the more there are the more they can carry oxygen from lung to leg but actual oxygen in the blood gets chewed up real quick and ozone doesn't improve oxygen uptake.

 

Colour me confused.

 

 

 

Edit: Found this: http://www.austinfitmagazine.com/October-2015/Oxygen-Treatment-for-Athletes/

 

So it's good for recovery!

another great use for it is to explain suspicious levels....

Danger Dassie

Jan 21, 2016, 8:26 AM

True - unfortunately there are 15 - 20 year olds who decide to do this themselves and parents who don't notice... and give them enough pocket money to fund it too.... and wonder why their school brings them to an ER when they collapse... liver fried..... amongst other issues...

 

Coaches and parents who peddle peds to their kids are worse than criminals - medeival (sp?)  torture is too easy a punishment for them.

 

Personally feel that should carry with it a mandatory prison term.

Spinnekop

Jan 21, 2016, 8:30 AM

Ozone treatment - in my opinion it's similar to snake oil - there are no ozone treatment machines that I am aware of in any ER I work in - it's very much regarded as complimentary medicine - perhaps useful in some things, but  if you need more oxygen in the tissues, then pure oxygen via a mask works pretty well - and in any case will NOT raise the levels of Hb etc at all - you need EPO or sustained LOW 02 levels to do that (which works via the natural verson of epo anyway)

 

HGH as a therapy has a place for sure in the treatment of certain medical conditions, (cosmetic and othewise) but I certainly don't believe there is abslutely no risk attatched to it's use - especially during unqualified and unmanaged treatment - I suspect that any Vet that actually uses it knows full well they are cheating - and I make no comment on their morals that allow this - clearly I don't believe that it's medically advisable - perhaps when I am 20 years older I might change my mind.

 

Let me place on record I am rabidly against PEDS use for non medical teatments, and if you want to make me angry let me meet the people who supply non pharmaceutical and veterinary grade steroids to schoolkids (and this is a HUGE problem, both in SA and worldwide - compared to this, doping in cycling is a trivial problem....)

 

Now I am off to breathe deeply and try to get my BP down - just thinking about kids steroid useage has annoyed me badly (again).

Very informative.  Thanks V12man.

 

 

Spinnekop

Jan 21, 2016, 8:36 AM

From memory - EPO (from the pharmacy) is about 1800 a month for therapeutic doses - and that is manageable for most well to do vets - HGH on the other hand is much more expensive - MUCH.

 

And you are absolutely correct that the barriers to doping for Vets that are already sucessful in business are low - financially fairly low (monthly or long term if you get caught), and unless you are standing on the podium for a major race, then really unlikely to be tested at all.

 

Still - the issues around applying for a KE TUE for ozone therapy are at best dodgy - Ozone is not even on the restricted list - http://list.wada-ama.org/by-substance/#O-group - so why even apply for a TUE - clearly you don't need a TUE for what is not restricted - nor will they even issue one.

 

You think R1800 a month is cheap?  Well F$*# me.  That is like TWO years supplements for me.  :blink:  :o

Imagine the cool toys you can buy if you save up for a year on that?!?

 

On a separate note.....I need to drink more coffee.  :lol:

Spinnekop

Jan 21, 2016, 8:37 AM

There's a few Vets 'out-liers' indeed that has small ego and inferiority complex that need to feel better about themselves.

I would agree that 7 out of 10 really earn their results through hard and smart work in the saddle.

I am up every morning at around 3:30.  Out on the bike 4:30.

And the only guys you see training are the old ballies. 

:thumbup:

RocknRolla

Jan 21, 2016, 8:38 AM

I am deducting that Beer must be full of ozone...

T-Bob

Jan 21, 2016, 8:39 AM

Jeez guys... I've had enough of all this doping talk, pro's and former pros. I'm off to The Gear Change for a coffee.  ;)

Skubarra

Jan 21, 2016, 8:41 AM

Jeez guys... I've had enough of all this doping talk, pro's and former pros. I'm off to The Gear Change for a coffee.   ;)

 

I see what you did there...

jcza

Jan 21, 2016, 8:52 AM

Ozone treatment - in my opinion it's similar to snake oil - there are no ozone treatment machines that I am aware of in any ER I work in - it's very much regarded as complimentary medicine - perhaps useful in some things, but  if you need more oxygen in the tissues, then pure oxygen via a mask works pretty well - and in any case will NOT raise the levels of Hb etc at all - you need EPO or sustained LOW 02 levels to do that (which works via the natural verson of epo anyway)

 

HGH as a therapy has a place for sure in the treatment of certain medical conditions, (cosmetic and othewise) but I certainly don't believe there is abslutely no risk attatched to it's use - especially during unqualified and unmanaged treatment - I suspect that any Vet that actually uses it knows full well they are cheating - and I make no comment on their morals that allow this - clearly I don't believe that it's medically advisable - perhaps when I am 20 years older I might change my mind.

 

Let me place on record I am rabidly against PEDS use for non medical teatments, and if you want to make me angry let me meet the people who supply non pharmaceutical and veterinary grade steroids to schoolkids (and this is a HUGE problem, both in SA and worldwide - compared to this, doping in cycling is a trivial problem....)

 

Now I am off to breathe deeply and try to get my BP down - just thinking about kids steroid useage has annoyed me badly (again).

 

Doc does the ozone treatment not involve blood transfusion using patients own blood which automatically makes it illegal in terms of WADA code? 

shawnvan

Jan 21, 2016, 8:55 AM

Sorry if its already been said, but what really grates me about KE's response is his "I'm the victim approach"...

 

Fact:  1. he received ozone therapy and blood transfusions (admittedly for a legitimate  medical treatment).  Unfortunately for him, the WADA code says this = doping.

2.  He knows this is dodgy, so applies for a TUE in order to race.

3.  TUE is denied, but decides to race anyway.

 

Regardless of whether or not he received any performance benefits, he KNEW the treatments he received were contrary to the WADA code and amounted to doping.  He then blatantly ignores this, races, then plays victim when he gets pinged as he "was faced with a life threatening condition"...  As others have said, he wasn't being denied his right to life, only his right to race.

 

And if he moans that he raced for a living, I think that his sponsors and the public would have seen much value in him if he had engaged with WADA / SAIDS and come out publicly at the time and said he had received treatments for a life threatening condition, and was therefore not racing until his ABP values were in order to the satisfaction of authorities, to promote doping awareness and clean cycling.

 

He could have taken the high road, but didn't...

90 Inch

Jan 21, 2016, 8:59 AM

Seems strange that its only the men that dope in SA, when last was a lady rider caught ?

ChunkyMonkey

Jan 21, 2016, 9:03 AM

2002........

BarHugger

Jan 21, 2016, 9:10 AM

Doc does the ozone treatment not involve blood transfusion using patients own blood which automatically makes it illegal in terms of WADA code? 

No....you get different types of ozone treatments...

Patchelicious

Jan 21, 2016, 9:12 AM

Seems strange that its only the men that dope in SA, when last was a lady rider caught ?

How dare you!! That statement has sexist undertones!

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