Doping widespread in Kenya? Fresh allegations by German journalist

1. Hajo Seppelt is very quick with allegations. He made comments against German runners, cyclists etc....not all of that was justified. What's more, he comes over as a guy that is trying to catch athletes for the sake of his own merits, not for the good in the sport. But maybe that's just me.

2. ARD is highly respectable news, except for sports. They lost alle their credibility when they sponsored Team Telekom cycling team claiming they didn't know anything about the doping that was going on only to run a smear campaign against them after it came out they were doping.

3. So there is a doctor in Kenya that is willing to do blood transfusions - what for? Most likely foreign (read: European/US) runners that train there for a period of time. The Kenyans live there year round and only fly out for events.

4. Not saying doping doesn't exist there but this doesn't prove anything.

A high altitude runner does not really need to blood dope I would have thought steriods would be the choice for a female

'cannot offer a direct proof of her doping.' Not eaxctly Poirot is he

GET TO KNOW SEPPELT- HIS PAYCHECK COMES FROM DOPING ALLEGATIONS,

Guest spot: German doping controversy festers

Today we feature a guest spot from Jürgen Kalwa, who writes for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and maintains the blog American Arena. Mr Kalwa also co-authored the book "Korruption in Sport", reference found at the bottom.

We asked Jurgen to review an emerging doping issue in German spors, to which we referred here. This story may explode into a BALCO-like situation. The post will be continued after the jump.

The inner-German public discourse about doping has reached a new level. For the first time, since the large-scale cycling scandal revealed that German riders had never been as clean as they proclaimed, investigative journalists are battling for their reputation. The most recent case involving revelations about a blood bank in Austria and its connections to unnamed German cross-country and biathlon skiers has riled up the bosses of the skiing federation who, in the past, have been counted on to produce Olympic medals and World Championship and make sponsors, including the German army, happy.

A federation spokesman has threatened legal action in spite of the fact that no names have come out and Hajo Seppelt, the investigative TV reporter at the center of the controversy, has stated: "We are not sure current members of national teams are involved. These are cases from the past."

But Germany is a unique landscape in the world of doping. Because long before BALCO and the scandals of the Tour de France there had never been a bigger and smarter manipulation scheme than East Germany's secret program which fed its young with strong illegal unhealthy muscle-building substances. After the country vanished in 1990 the West German justice system dealt with legal issues. Sports organizations resented and rejected

coaches and consultants from the East, in order to keep their house clean. This noble stance was shown to be a facade, when German cyclists admitted one by one how heavily involved they were in tainting a popular sport and how they had fooled everybody including drug testing labs trying to catch them. (continued after the jump)

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"Korruption im Sport", was published in 2006 and is the first effort of a group of German sports journalists to educate other journalists (and the public at large) about how corrupt sports has become

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3931801217/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF

It is not only talking about doping, but about a whole host of shenanigans.

But those confessions also pointed towards another element of the wide-ranging cheating scandal: the duplicity of sports journalists, especially in public television, which is funded by a system of mandatory monthly fees every German with a TV set has to pay. Their commentators had long abandoned their role as independent reporters, but had evolved into cheerleaders chasing after high ratings. Only after the debacle of last year's Tour de France, ARD, one of the two large public television channels, installed a special doping team and gave them free reign to chase the bad guys. Hajo Seppelt became the man in charge.

His research led him to Human Plasma, a blood bank in Vienna, which had been implicated in Austrian doping cases that came to light during the Turin Winter Games in 2006. According to Austrian newspaper Kurier, former WADA boss Dick Pound had given interested media people a hint. When it became clear that Austrian authorities had begun their own official criminal inquiry the rumor mill started churning. The most aggressive naming of athletes was done by Seppelt's new investigative ARD team, which got itself in hot water in the process. When they revealed they had information about connections between up to 20 German skiers and Human Plasma, the skiing federation threatened with a law suit, even though no particular skier had been implicated. The only specific names that, so far, were thrown into the public arena were those of bicyclists Georg Totschnig (Austria), Michael Rasmussen (Denmark), Michael Boogerd (Netherland) und Denis Menchov (Russia).

The situation is threatening the reputation of a journalist, who for years had been the only German TV reporter to actively pursue leads and stories about doping. While he insists that he has clear indications that Human Plasma practiced "blood doping in the style of Eufemiano Fuentes", the Spanish doctor well-known for his stable of cycling clients, he still wants to protect his sources. "Russians and Ukrainian mafia members are behind

this", he said according to a report in German news daily Die Welt. "Fear [is] a constant companion

The background was an ARD reporting of Seppelt, in which the suspicion was raised that include German cross-country skiers and biathletes in a Vienna blood laboratory blood doping had carried out. [4] The Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Hamburg, corrected the district court decision and gave Seppelt right: The DSV am not entitled to an injunction because he was not affected by the reporting of journalists. The judgment was referred to the constitutionally protected freedom of reporting in the case of anonymous reports carefully. The Court of Appeals lifted the injunction In October, 2008. [5] The suspect was even after extensive investigations Seppelts not be confirmed

German Broadcaster Apologizes for Implicating Athletes in Doping Scandal

January 17, 2008 By Millard Baker

The Humanplasma Lab in Vienna, Austria has been under investigation for allegations of performing illegal blood transfusions for athletes. No athletes were initially named until the German television station ARD linked 30 athletes as clients of Humanplasma Lab including Tour de France riders Michael Rasmussen (Denmark), Michael Boogerd (Netherlands), and Denis Menchov (Russia) as well as several other cyclists, biathletes and cross-country skiers, two-thirds of which were German athletes.

The German Skiing Federation (DSV) subsequently decided to take legal action against the journalists employed by the German television station (ARD). Interestingly, ARD is one of the sponsors paying DSV seven million euros for annual television rights to World Cup events. So, it should come as no surprise that ARD promptly issued a public apology for unprofessional behavior and “journalistic errors” in making accusations of illegal blood doping without proof.

Furthermore, there have been suggestions that “Russian criminal elements” may have pressured Austrian officials investigating Humanplasma lab.

German Native wrote:

4. Not saying doping doesn't exist there but this doesn't prove anything.

True but don't you think it could be possible? I'm sure there is some doctor or someone out there willing to take an advantage or cash in on athletes who are known to be the best, especially in Kenya. Meaning, it would not surprise me if there is corruption going on to enhance or give an extra edge to the athlete who is hungry to have a better life or his agent wanting to be greedy. Really, think about it. Just thinking out loud and ONLY an opinion.

Rabobank tolerated doping on cycling team, De Rooy claims

Cycling News

Saturday, May 5, 2012

UPDATED: Sponsor responds; Medical staff said to have overseen riders' activities; Boogerd claimed as HumanPlasma client

Team Rabobank tolerated the use of doping up until at least 2007, according to a Dutch newspaper. The riders could select their own products, but the team medical staff made sure that they did not hurt their health, the Volkskrant newspaper claimed. At least three former riders, including Michael Boogerd, were also said to have been involved in the HumanPlasma blood doping ring, as well.

Sponsor Rabobank said that it would not investigate the story, saying that there had been an investigation earlier. “Since 2007 there is a new board of directors and new leadership,” a spokesman said. He also pointed out, “We want to stress that within the team there is a zero tolerance policy.”

The team has not made a statement on the matter.

According to the Volkskrant, Theo de Rooy who was team manager from 2003 to 2007, did not deny that there was doping on the team. “If it happened, it was a deliberate decision by the medical staff,” he said, but claimed not to know of the HumanPlasma involvement.

De Rooy, who refered to the whole matter as “medical care” rather than doping, indicated that the efforts were to some extent overseen by someone within the team structure. "If you have a number of knowledgeable people who pick up the right signals from the riders, you can brake and steer them."

The former manager said that the team took no “unreasonable risks” in the matter. "But when it comes to medical care, you need to find the limit. You can't say you risk your life (in dangerous descents, for example, ed.), but when it comes to medical care, it does not matter. Then you're not an athlete? For me it has always been: the health and well being of the rider in the short and long term.”

De Rooy said it was the responsibility of each rider “to determine how far he would go in the medical field”, the newspaper reported. The team management did not encourage or pay for doping, and was not officially allowed. .

He also acknowledged that he had disciplined riders who wanted to organize their own medical care outside the team structure. “Michael Rasmussen was not the first, for that matter. I had to take disciplinary action once before. By not using riders in races, for example.”

Rasmussen was removed from the Tour de France after the 16th stage, whilst leading the race, and fired by Rabobank, for having lied about his whereabouts in the time leading up to the Tour. De Rooy left the team shortly thereafter.

HumanPlasma involvement

At least three Rabobank riders were involved with the Humanplasma blood bank in Vienna, the story claimed. Stefan Matschiner, who was the power behind the blood doping scheme, claimed that Michael Boogerd was one of them.

The newspaper said that 37 athletes from various disciplines used the transfusion services, and that Matschiner made appointments for them, maintained the contact with them and accompanied all but one of them to their appointments. All but one of the athletes, at any rate. Matschiner claimed that Boogerd brought with him the blood of another unnamed Dutch cyclist.

Boogerd denied any involvement. “I deny that I have been there,” he said.

Matschiner was the manager and supplier for Bernhard Kohl, who whilst riding for Gerolsteiner, won the mountains competition and finished third in the Tour de France in 2008. He subsequently tested positive for EPO-CERA and was suspended. Kohl made a full confession.

meine Mutter gar nicht zu Aldi gehen

might be a stretch but does AK quirky Olympic marathon squad selection have anything to do with this?

prob for both eth and ken.

1. when you have coaches talk about the blood elasticity of their athletes (as renata has done), you have to know they are tinkering somehow.

2. Similarly, for the cotto fight, when you see their team monitoring his blood, I think the logical conclusion is that they are tinkering as well.

(and there are plenty of kenyans smart enough to do this sort of thing. give me a break. or have i just randomly happened to have met a number of smart kenyans...)

Great - who has visited Kenya recently from the US?Non sequitur - I'm amazed that Regina Jacobs was supposedly the definition of "doped to the gills" (BALCO) but couldn't run faster than 3:59.98 for the 1500m despite being able to run 1:58/800m and 14:45/5000m. Suzy Favor Hamilton (3:57.4 PR) had run faster than Jacobs in the 1500m multiple times and just needed to bring it just once during US championship season.Another NS - Qu Yunxia ran a 2:24 marathon 5 months before pumping out 1:56/3:50/8:12??? (Wang Junxia also ran 2:24 at the same time). Reminds me of Snell (if he didn't bonk). Training at 150-175mpw sounds like the difference between Jacobs and the -Unxias (assuming that they were on something - given that 11 athletes were busted with drugs during their national championships at Peking that year, it's tough not to think that).

deinemudderklautbeiAldi wrote:

The doctor went on and openly talked about opportunities to perform blood doping, where to hide the blood bags, etc.. He said he has already a lot of experience with this. He can also get HGH's if he needed and EPO. Doctor said he is working with a lot of athletes, from many countries including Bahrain and the US, but of course does not want to call names .

kanny wrote:

I'm amazed that Regina Jacobs was supposedly the definition of "doped to the gills" (BALCO) but couldn't run faster than 3:59.98 for the 1500m despite being able to run 1:58/800m and 14:45/5000m.

she grew a jaw...

runn wrote:

I know someone who goes to my doctor who is on drugs. Does that mean I'm on drugs?

You must be on drugs if you go to a doctor with a drug problem

I don't know why this guy didn't stay undercover longer until he had evidence of specific athletes or at least could pass on names to WADA.

It seems like we get people like this guy who jump the gun to soon or guys who are cowards and say they know of doping but won't go public.

Of course Kenyans dope. And so do American distance runners. Both countries have had people test positive. Now that doesn't meant the vast majority of them aren't clean. People cheat at everything where money and power are involved. To act like the Kenyans or Americans don't do it is crazy.

The West is doing what it does best, raise false allegations without proof. Kenyans are being accused because they are the Best in The World. Kenyans are clean and they will dominate London Olympics and every major event in the world and there is nothing you can do about it. If you feel like you are right, List all the names of the athletes that are doping now and give us proof, don't just allege;

Every pro sports person dopes. The only one who didn't was Lance Armstrong.

there has been smoke about a clinic in nairobi providing 'extra support' to a few athletes for the last 12 months. why doesnt wejo ask wada what investigations they were doing ?

Hajo Seppel is the journalist who broke the Contador's case: Clenbuterol, plastizisers..

Nonsense.

Kenya is a typically unsophisticated third world African country.

If doping was rife in amongst athletes that country, it would be impossible to hide and would have been manifestly obvious to all the rest of the world’s sport’s authorities, commentators, sports reporters etc - not just to one obscure (to us) German sports journalist.

Unless there is some sort of worldwide cover-up on the issue?

Why would that be?

'Of course Kenyans dope. And so do American distance runners. Both countries have had people test positive'

I think there are less from Kenya than say for example from a country like Morocco for one reason only. Those born and living at altitude have less need for EPO. Of course you will still get lesser athletes who need it and others who just cheat

You also need to look at East Africans moving countries and away from living at altitude Even those who only fail one test!!!

Other on here were always going on about some doctor working with them, he was not a 'real' doctor but had a Phd in some unrelated subject. Of course some will still be at it.

But the fact remains that if you look at true world class performers caught doping you don't get so many Kenyans, virtually none and on Ethiopian side none. Of course some will be lucky but the law of averages dictates some will be busted

The womems side is different because steroids will work more on all distances.

Its interesting that for a countries like UK and USA who's track and field success is almost entirely sprint and power based and everyone know knows half of that was based on doping that those here are so quick to judge. Do only American and British sprinters cheat. If the distance runners don't it's mainly because they would still be too slow to make it worth it or even get tested

My wife has some intersting observations on athletes. She does not follow running in any way but has worked with people with drug problems. She saw one prominent current world record holder and announced 'he's on drugs' She does not even know about PED's and just thought they were on smack or something but 'the eyes have it' That came like a bolt from the blue!

A sprinter told me that a lot of dopers get spots on their shoulders and to check when they are in the start position. They even make the vest wider over the shoulder now! Ok that might just be a theory

Look out for our own CO, sub 50 & sh'e found something new which will make her miss important drug tests. Yeah yeah she happened to change her training 3 times and by coincidence on just those 3 days the testers showed up. BS!