Don't speak about "doping". I explained from 2003 (the first time I came in LR because there were suspicions about the unexpected time of Nicholas Kemboi, 26'30" in 10000m) that there are a lot of substance that can increase performances. For example, I always wrote that is not possible to reach the same level of muscle strength using training only, compared with the combination between training and steroids. This is not only an opinion, but a fact, clearly demonstrated by the list of WR of throwers (no one after 1988, with the ecception of Javelin, because IAAF changed the javelin itself), of several jumpers, and of all the event for women based on strength and speed.
I had the opportunity to see, for example, the WR of discus W in Neunbrandenburg (DDR) in 1988, during a match between Italy and DDR : the discus of Gabriele Reinsch never landed, and at the end the performance was 76.80. I saw directly many WR of throwers, from the 80.00m of Petra Felke in javelin to the 86.74 of Syedikh (ECh 1978 in Prague) for hammer, and the 22.91 of Andrei in shot put.
If you look at the performances in 2019 you can see differences between 5 and 10% in all the events, that clearly show how no new doping was able to replace the steroids with the same effect.
I don't speak about "general doping" : I speak specifically about EPO, and in this case there are no proves that can give ALWAYS big advantages, or also advantages in little percentage.
So, for clarifying :
FACTS :
1- There are few top runners caught for EPO, in spite of widespread OOC tests
2- There are several runners of medium-high level caught for EPO, because they are not previously controlled by their National Agencies, so the Countries having the biggest numberv of doped MUST be guilty of poor control
3- The statistic is clear : the number of acclarated doped athletes in top 100 all-time is NEVER superior to 5%
4- I personally, and some other coach of top athletes, know that it's possible to reach WR in clean way, because we already had athletes doing this
5- It's true that with EPO or similar, we can raise the level of Hct, increasing the ability to transport Oxygen
6- It's NOT true that high level of Hct can automatically produce some improvement in a personal performance.
7- It's true that training in altitude there is the possibility to increase the personal performances
8- In their career, many doped athletes started to take EPO trying to maintain the same performances they already achieved before, when they discovered to have their body (or their mind) no more able to work hard like before
9- In their researches, physiologists never had the opportunity to have the top runners as subjects
10- Physiologists never tried to do some research about the effect of advanced training, that they don't know
OPINIONS :
1- Who is not caught for EPO, is not clean, but more lucky or more expert
2- In case of Kenyan and Ethiopian, athletes in top 50 in the world are not in top 25 in the Country, so of course it's not possible, because of the number, to do OOC tests with them
3- These numbers don't mean anything, because the number of tests is not enough, and many athletes are not tested at all
4- Coaches speaking like me are considered "doping apologists" or "dishonest liars" because, if is not possible running fast without doping, they speak in this way for covering the doping of their athletes
5- Everybody agrees about this point
6- The level of Hct is the most important value looking at a performance
7- Altitude is only the excuse for going where there is little or no antidoping in order to take EPO without problems
8- Every athlete positive when is 35 years old, of course started to take EPO when was still in the school
9- This is not important, because the human body works in the same way for everybody
10- Training is not important, running is only running, and there was no methodological improvement in the last 100 years, so every improvement is due to doping only.
What happened ? The continue "rumors" about the effects of doping (sometimes true, sometimes instead coming from the belly) were able to influence many athletes, and coaches, and doctors, who NEVER had the opportunity to work in clean way with talented athletes, so NEVER had a clear vision about the human limits, connected with talent and training. Many athletes and coaches didn't think possible to train very hard and to recovery, without the support of some PED (and specifically EPO), so, BEFORE EPO, never had the "courage" to try the same training that, AFTER EPO, they finally do.
So, many attribute to EPO the reason of a great improvement of training, and this is DIRECTLY the reason of the improvement in the performances. BUT, IF THE SAME ATHLETE HAD THE COURAGE TO START TRAINING IN THE SAME WAY WITHOUT ANY DOPING, THE FINAL RESULTS WERE THE SAME, DPENDING ON TRAINING AND NOT ON DOPING.
The problem is that, in the today Society, the most part of people look at some "supplement" in every moment of the day.
Not only athletes, but normal people working behind a table, have to use Vitamins because oranges are no more like 30 years ago, Mineral Salt because in our food it's no more possible to find them, Aminoacids for supporting the body, Proteins in powder, products for losing weight, products for earning weight, some steroid in the gyms, really drugs for remaining mentally concentrated, etc....
In this type of Society (the business of Pharma and supplement is the third in the World...) it's very easy to push in the direction to make INDISPENSABLE something completely useless, and sometimes also dangerous. And athletes, coaches and people involved in winning (especially in the Team's disciplines, like soccer, football, basket, hockey, volley etc) look at every new medicine for trying to have some advantage : if a medicine can increase the transportation of Oxygen of 30-40% in case of sick people needing Dialysis, of course we who are in perfect health can have some advantage taking the same medicine.
But this is not true : if I have half glass of water, I can add the other half and I have more water to drink, but if my glass is already full, other water can only go out of the glass.