Based on #1 & #3 I can see how many things would be considered an illegal PED that are currently legal.
- Yes
- Yes
- Yes
- Yes
Whether they know it’s wrong or not is no excuse in my opinion. The drug lists are easily accessible, the agency has contacts to discuss with, and I’ve even heard there are clinics or informational meetings put on by USADA. Perhaps WADA does those clinics too but far as the drug list goes aren’t they the same?
Perhaps part of licensing should be a study and test of the rules, just like you do to get your driver’s license.
This argument may not hold weight soon.
Wow, it’s not banned already in competition 
I can’t imagine using it during a race, I’d crash into a tree! Tramadol definetly affects reaction time, dizziness and outright alertness. I can’t imagine anyone could use Tramadol in an XCO race, way too dangerous. Maybe low doses would have less affect, not sure. But I’d never use it even on a casual trail ride.
Perhaps. And yet this is precisely why (for me) as an amateur I don’t worry about it. There is nothing I can do about someone else’s flawed human behavior. All I can do is control what I do. I know myself well enough to know that if I used T or whatever banned substance to get on some ridiculous master podium (even Nationals/worlds) I could not live with myself.
Number 2 is what I don’t get. Why in the name of all things holy would a masters take something that is going to elevate the risk of liver cancer, heart conditions etc…we are old! We have enough to worry about all ready. It’s called getting old. Deal with it (not you adub). Referencing us old people.
LOL, You just do not know how many times a week I hear that…
Some people lose sight of Regulations/laws and the true meaning of why they were written in the first place thus disregarding the “spirit of the law/reg”
I agree with the sentiments of most… cheating is cheating and taking an unfair advantage knowingly or unkownungly isn’t cool. I know we all work super hard to improve every year and I would feel really slighted by anyone who took an easy path via pharmaceutical or mechanical to achieve gains/results.
However, I’m a little conflicted about TRT… my pops is 66 years old and is prescribed testosterone gel by his doctor. While he does not compete in any events, he still enjoys exercising and physical activity for personal wellbeing. TRT has enabled him to keep an active and healthy lifestyle. There was a period when his motivation and zeal for activity was so low he became sedintary and was trending towards an unhealthy way of life. TRT gave him a second wind… he’s back to a healthy weight & activity level. His testosterone levels are checked every 4 months and are within the normal range.
I can see an argument being made for those who genuinely suffer from low testosterone to get them back to a normal level isn’t really cheating. If someone is using TRT and has a normal level of “T” is it cheating? I do believe if you are taking testosterone and have an abnormally high level of “T” as a result then that is definitely cheating, as you are gaining an unfair advantage compared to your peers… but if TRT gets you back to a normal level and you are motivated to be active and healthy again maybe it’s not so terrible. Just my two cents…
I think in VeloNews there was an article about a guy who got a TUE for Testosterone due to low T.
For me the issue there is that training for endurance sports can have a negative impact on testosterone levels. If the athlete isn’t competing I’m all for people doing what they want or need to for their quality of life.
Determining “normal T” is the rub. If you’re one of us old cats with spare time, training say 20 hours a week and then getting your T pushed to “normal” levels that’s a competitive advantage. If on top of that you’ve got yourself a doctor who defines normal levels similar to the levels of a young man…
If they’re not competing I don’t mind at all but if you are that’s clearly cheating.
Even the authorities don’t think this is a simple situation.
The need for 'T' — amateur cycling and testosterone TUEs – VeloNews.com
That was Kevin Moats excuse. “I train so much that I have low T. It was so low that it was bad for my health. I wouldn’t be able to race Ironman if I didn’t get TRT!”.
He never thought…well maybe I should stop doing Ironman distance races and training so much.
Btw, this guy won his AG at Kona for multiple years.
Looks like a normal 52 year old to me…
It’s not difficult. Train hard, eat well and just be happy that you did the best you can.
We’re all blessed with different genetics, some favour endurance sports, some don’t
We all have different backgrounds, wealth, responsibilities and free time.
You could be a late entrants to the sport or a 20 year veteran.
After that, unless you have a proper illness it is basically bullshit and excuses. If you hate the fact that there isn’t a level playing field, then tough. Either suck it up or go do something else.
I think the danger here is that we assume that a 52 yo cannot get gains like this without being on ‘something’ but it is possible for a dude to do all the right things naturally (diet, recovery, hard work) to look like this. HOWEVER, with this guys history, I think that the link is probable to be sure. All I’m saying is that blanket statements should be avoided.
Personally, I think it’s shitty he took podiums from clean competitors and he should be stripped of ALL places awarded throughout his racing career and banned for life since he can’t seem to keep the needle out of his body (twice popped).
I’m not going to get onto the cannabis debate.
Doping is very wrong. It is giving those doing it an unfair advantage, at any level of the sport. Cycling has had a very tarnished image. Now you could argue that doping is more rife in cycling than other sports, or you could argue that we are actually quite good at catching the cheats. There are lines that need to be drawn, and we need to abide by them, regardless of whether we agree with them or not.
A 45 year old taking some PED to get a better place at the local club 25TT is no less a cheat than a pro in an organised doping programme. They should be dealt with the same way. At some point, those involved in the US Postal scandal must have realised that taking their own blood out of their body only to replace it at some point in a hotel or bus is wrong. It’s as wrong as the guy taking HGH, testosterone or whatever to place better as an amateur. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn’t deserve to hold a racing license.
Or we could argue that the authorities focus on cycling because it’s not a big money industry like stadium sports. Thus if cycling looses sponsors and/or viewership, not really a big deal; so best to bust a sport that doesn’t really matter to make it look like we’re actually doing something.
I view all of this as an existential threat to cycling, and riding bikes as a lifestyle.
Having raced against a relatively notorious amateur doper (Craig Webb, The Iceman Cometh, Traverse City, MI) I was FURIOUS when he was popped. Furious. I never liked the guy anyway, but knowing how smug he was over all his achievements made me crazy to know he was on the gear. This guy, at 50, took a famous northern Michigan KOM from Larry Warbasse. In retrospect, it seems obvious…I digress.
More HERE
Intentional amateur doping is inexcusable in all forms. Taking an amateur podium away from a clean athlete is narcissism-bordering-on-sociopathy. There is just no excuse for it.
With that being said…would I call WADA on anyone in any of these scenarios? No. I’d probably just take the position that @chad espoused and find something else to do. Honestly.
And therein is the existential crisis. The reason 105 drivetrains are as good as Dura-ace was 10 years ago is the appetite for better gear for racing, and the gains in tech trickle down to lifestyle riders over time…and cycling grows both at competitive and lifestyle levels.
If cycling falls apart at the top amateur levels, I think it’s worse than doping tearing the sport down at the pro levels. The amateur racing community is the revenue engine that feeds the industry. Without the investment there…everything falls apart and bikes don’t get better for everyone. I daresay it is even an existential threat to the TR biz model.
How often do you tell yourself that the misery is going to pay off at the end of a TR Vo2 interval?? What if you thought that would never pay off unless you needled up? I’d probably be a lot less interested in training plans that made me faster, and more geared towards overall fitness which can be achieved without much of the pain TR dishes out.
Doping sucks. But amateur doping is inexcusable in the extreme. There is no payoff except for ego.
I wouldn’t piss into a hurricane if it got out of hand. I’d find something else to do. Or golf.
I hate that this is even a thing.
I live in TVC and remember this guy coming thru at Williamsburg Road thinking, ‘Man, this guy is REALLY fast!’. But what I can’t decide is if I’m more outraged that he raced dirty (and let’s be honest, there’s others that are rumored to be doping around here) and threw a dark cloud over his teammates or that his new found team forgives him for his ‘mistake’.
I don’t race and don’t aspire to but I will never understand the need to dope in the amateur ranks. I guess my ego ain’t that big.
I grew up in TVC. Left a long time ago but, still visit the folks every year. Craig’s Dad and my Dad worked together years ago. I’m familiar with all of it except his new team. WTH? Do you know which club?