China’s state anti-doping agency “temporarily” suspended testing on Monday less than six months before the Tokyo Olympics in response to the coronavirus epidemic, the International Testing Agency told AFP.
“The situation is one of caution so as not to endanger athletes or test officials and while recognising the importance of anti-doping activities, the priorities are to maintain public health for all,” said the ITA.
At this rate, Chinese athletes won't even be able to participate in the Olympics due to fear of spreading the virus.
How does drug testing put athlete and testing officials health at risk?
confusing wrote:
How does drug testing put athlete and testing officials health at risk?
I think it would be just from the close proximity between athlete and tester- 2019-nCoV is thought to be spread through droplets (i.e. from coughing and sneezing), so if an infected athlete coughs all over the tester, or vice versa. It doesn’t appear that 2019-nCoV, or any other coronavirus can spread through urine or blood- so it’s not like there would be a bunch of infected samples. It seems to me that the hold on drug testing is more based off of fear than anything else. That being said, it’s a doper’s dream. Ma’s army would have loved it.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/transmission.htmlGet Ma's Army back together, stat!
LoneStarXC wrote:
confusing wrote:
How does drug testing put athlete and testing officials health at risk?
I think it would be just from the close proximity between athlete and tester- 2019-nCoV is thought to be spread through droplets (i.e. from coughing and sneezing), so if an infected athlete coughs all over the tester, or vice versa. It doesn’t appear that 2019-nCoV, or any other coronavirus can spread through urine or blood- so it’s not like there would be a bunch of infected samples. It seems to me that the hold on drug testing is more based off of fear than anything else. That being said, it’s a doper’s dream. Ma’s army would have loved it.
Is there any reason to think that transmission risks are any higher than they are with any other ordinary social interaction?
Do we think that athletes and testers are staying in self-quarantine all day to avoid any possible contact?
confusing wrote:
LoneStarXC wrote:
I think it would be just from the close proximity between athlete and tester- 2019-nCoV is thought to be spread through droplets (i.e. from coughing and sneezing), so if an infected athlete coughs all over the tester, or vice versa. It doesn’t appear that 2019-nCoV, or any other coronavirus can spread through urine or blood- so it’s not like there would be a bunch of infected samples. It seems to me that the hold on drug testing is more based off of fear than anything else. That being said, it’s a doper’s dream. Ma’s army would have loved it.
Is there any reason to think that transmission risks are any higher than they are with any other ordinary social interaction?
Do we think that athletes and testers are staying in self-quarantine all day to avoid any possible contact?
Of course not. Especially since, as I said, the only risk to athletes and testers is from respiratory droplets- not from urine/blood (as far as it is known). Hence, there is no greater risk to athletes and testers than there would be from everyday interactions, sorry I wasn’t more clear. My initial impressions were that this decision was made out of the widespread panic/fear about the novel coronavirus, however, I think that there is a chance that malicious intent (i.e., “this is a great excuse to let our athletes dope their hearts out before Tokyo”), is a possibility. I personally see no reason that the testing should be suspended, as I said before, it is a doper’s dream.
confusing wrote:
Is there any reason to think that transmission risks are any higher than they are with any other ordinary social interaction?
No, but pretty much all social interaction is cancelled in China.
Yes. Let's limit travelling around in China as much as possible. That said, I don't trust any NADO to properly police their own, especially not the Chinese.
2019ncovguy wrote:
confusing wrote:
Is there any reason to think that transmission risks are any higher than they are with any other ordinary social interaction?
No, but pretty much all social interaction is cancelled in China.
Lots of empty streets in China.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/shanghai-streets-empty-due-coronavirus-121233465.htmlSupposedly, the Chinese players/officials in the upcoming Candidates Chess event in Russia have been asked to arrive 14+ days early so they can sit in quarantine.
Movement is really restricted in China right now. I'm honestly ok with this, at least in the more affected areas.
I don't know where the labs are, and who knows, maybe the doping control labs are being temporarily converted to testing for coronavirus labs.
I'm guessing most of the Olympic caliber athletes in China would rather be somewhere safe and getting drug tested than being at risk of losing their whole season, if not worse, due to coronavirus.
2020 Olympics should be called off to virus risks. Shouldn't have been in Japan, much less Tokyo, so close to radiation from Fukushima multiple meltdowns, in first place.
China has bigger problems now than worrying about athletes cheating, They have not done anything in distance running on the track since 1997 (A few Marathons by females were decent, but no threat to Ethiopians and Kenyans, The Mens record is 2:08.15 which is not competitive at the international level.
douglas burke wrote:
China has bigger problems now than worrying about athletes cheating.
The corona virus is like issue #27 when listing what's currently wrong with China. It's pretty much a non-issue in the grand scheme of things.
confusing wrote:
How does drug testing put athlete and testing officials health at risk?
They are trying to limit travel. You couldn't figure that out on your own?
josh1988 wrote:
confusing wrote:
How does drug testing put athlete and testing officials health at risk?
They are trying to limit travel. You couldn't figure that out on your own?
How much travel does drug testing involve?
the249kilometrist wrote:
douglas burke wrote:
China has bigger problems now than worrying about athletes cheating.
The corona virus is like issue #27 when listing what's currently wrong with China. It's pretty much a non-issue in the grand scheme of things.
No kidding...one of the top issues of concern is China getting prepared to host 2022 Winter Olympics.
Rojo, you are an idiot. What a terrible title. The last thing on people's mind is to use this tragic circumstance to dope.
Terrible title... wrote:
Rojo, you are an idiot. What a terrible title. The last thing on people's mind is to use this tragic circumstance to dope.
You are either naive or dumb (or both).
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
Des Linden: "The entire sport" has changed since she first started running Boston.
Matt Choi was drinking beer halfway through the Boston Marathon
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
How rare is it to run a sub 5 minute mile AND bench press 225?