There were no positive drug tests at the European champs:
http://www.letsrun.com/2006/noposeaa.php
The article abobve fails to mention that actovegin a blood boosting drug was found by authorities after the champs:
http://www.letsrun.com/2006/eurodrugs.php
So the question is has anyone ever tested positive for actovegin (ie is there even a test for it)?
Can we not get out of the old ages and start testing blood samples instead of urine? Is it not more 'fool proof'?
They know the Russians are cheating they just can't prove it with the current test. From Hem and Hct levels ( Hct close to 60 in some cases) they know what they are doing but don't know how to catch them.
"...Patrolling they tryin to catch me ridin dirty
Tryin to catch me ridin dirty..." who knew the lyrics would apply so well to the world of t&f...Marion J. is probably listening to this on her ipod every day.
I fear drug testing has become pointless. Everyone knows when new tests come out, so they stop taking it. People are calling for more testing, but the reason the testers are always behind is because they HAVE to be LEGAL and tell everyone what and when they're testing.
Say we finally get some motivation and randomly Bill Gates or some billionaire donates $100 million dollars to testing, the athlete's know. So obviously they're going to stop using it. There may not be a better way to catch everyone because the people have rights. Just like we have researchers finding out how to test, so do they. They're not stupid, they hide behind the very laws they're breaking. I guess it's just one of the contradictions of laws.
Sorry Wejo, you used to have me and alot of people thinking 'what if we could clean up our sport'
in light of recent events, and headlines, I'm starting to think, hey it's never going to happen, no matter how hard we try. Law is law, rights are rights, if people don't play fair, but they're protected by the law....then we're powerless against that. I guess we can keep trying, but there really isn't a solution without law changes that would be unethical.
x-ray wrote:
...but the reason the testers are always behind is because they HAVE to be LEGAL and tell everyone what and when they're testing.
(emphasis added)
Am I wrong? Or did Catlin get a recombinant EPO test ready for the '02 Salt Lake games while keeping the athletes in the dark?