[Closed] Drug cheats and lifetime bans.

Stuey01 - Member
Err what? Is being leaner not a performance advantage for a footballer then?
I feel a bit sorry for Toure, because basically he was being a bit stupid, but really, he is a professional athlete who took drugs to lose weight

Not sure I understand this surely his training would keep at an apropraite weight? Is the drug he was taking also a masking drug?

because basically he was being a bit stupid, but really, he is a professional athlete who took drugs to lose weight - of course it was performance enhancing. It's hardly in the same category as being caught taking steroids

If I understand you, a professional athlete took a performance enhancing drug and was caught. How is that not in the same category as Chambers who is a professional athlete, took performanc enhancing drugs and was caught?
Chambers was a cynical cheat and Toure was "a bit stupid" double standards

Trouble is though, as Toure and many, many other athletes have discovered, you really really need to read the label, and check every single ingredient of everything you take, from hayfever remedies to balness treatments. Loads of athletes have been caught out by the Ephedrine/Pseudephedrine thing, and that's available in simple over the counter medicines in many countries.

With Millar and Chambers, they knew exactly what they were taking, and why. And there's a world of difference between a few diet pills and a carefully planned systematic course of EPO or steroids or whatever.

Funny thing is though, Bullheart's on all sorts of performance-enhancing stuff, and he still got beat by his little sister at Mountain Mayhem! 😆

The dirty cheat...

With Millar and Chambers, they knew exactly what they were taking, and why. And there's a world of difference between a few diet pills and a carefully planned systematic course of EPO or steroids or whatever.

Nice spin.

Trouble is though, as Toure and many, many other athletes have discovered, you really really need to read the label, and check every single ingredient of everything you take, from hayfever remedies to balness treatments. Loads of athletes have been caught out by the Ephedrine/Pseudephedrine thing, and that's available in simple over the counter medicines in many countries.

Some of these over the counter products can be performance enhancing. The onus is on the athlete to know what is on the banned list. Footballers tend not to fall foul of taking performance enhancing drugs (recreational once yes but thats because of their salary and life style) because their sports are not as physically demanding and competitive in the same was as athletics, cycling etc.

Is the drug he was taking also a masking drug?

Yes, it has been used in the past as a masking agent.

Not sure I understand this surely his training would keep at an apropraite weight?

Apparently not, as he was taking his wifes slimming pills to lose weight. He can get a bit chunky for a footballer so maybe this is something he struggles with. I don't know about the masking agent, it wasn't reported as such in the press and you;d think they would be all over a scandal like that if it were.

If I understand you, a professional athlete took a performance enhancing drug and was caught. How is that not in the same category as Chambers who is a professional athlete, took performanc enhancing drugs and was caught?
Chambers was a cynical cheat and Toure was "a bit stupid" double standards

Have I called Chambers a cynical cheat? No, didn't think so.
But back to your question... Toure was caught and banned, rightly in my opinion. Do I think his offence was as serious as Chambers? No, I don't, and neither do the panel handing out the punishment, evidenced by his shorter ban.

My main point was, and still is, that increased likelihood of being caught is a better deterent than a tougher sentence.

Have I called Chambers a cynical cheat? No, didn't think so.
But back to your question... Toure was caught and banned, rightly in my opinion. Do I think his offence was as serious as Chambers? No, I don't, and neither do the panel handing out the punishment, evidenced by his shorter ban.

Fair point the "cycnical cheat" tends to be many peoples (and the medias) impression of Chambers and were my words not yours, however you did say you "felt sorry" for him. Why would you feel sorry for an athlete who cheats? the punishment he was given reinforces my point that the rules are not clear and punishment depends on who and where you are.
I agree with your point regarding risk of detection.

Footballers tend not to fall foul of taking performance enhancing drugs (recreational once yes but thats because of their salary and life style) because their sports are not as physically demanding and competitive in the same was as athletics, cycling etc

😆

Surfer, I guess I feel a bit sorry for Toure for a few reasons.
1) He has always seemed to be a decent guy, as footballers go.
2) I believe that he was stupid rather than an knowing cheat.
3) I am an Arsenal fan and he was a quality player for us. (I accept that this may colour my judgement in this case somewhat)

Wunundred! 😀

No performance enhancing substances were harmed in the making of this post.

Stuey; as a Liverpool Fayn, I don't believe Toure is a cheat, and I don't think most other footy fayns do either. And neither does the FA or Footy in general, it seems.

Whereas the worlds of athletics and cycling do see Chambers and Millar as cheats.

Trouble is though, as Toure and many, many other athletes have discovered, you really really need to read the label, and check every single ingredient of everything you take,

I am always surprised, given this, that top sportspeople are happy to drink from bottles thrust in their faces by random people. When will we have the first spiking of a bottle of lucozade? Airplane/restaurant food?

(pls no reference to RWC in SA!!)

Rubbish in your case (and mine) you are dealing with an illness.

I hadn't realised you were there, my apologies. You're telling me that Ventolin isn't banned, that I didn't require a letter or that it's not black and white?
Has anyone ever told you about your attitude problem?

SD-253 - Member

don simon - Member
I however need a doctor's not to explain that while the asthma drugs I take are illegal and banned on the WADA list, I, in fact, am not doing anything illegal. Or should I not be allowed to compete?
Not all black and white is it?

Rubbish in your case (and mine) you are dealing with an illness. Taking ashma drugs isn't a performance enchancer if you have ashma they don't even allowe you to compete an even footing as in most cases they are only partialy efective.

Therputic Use Exemption required. If you have a genuine medical need (and appropriate documentation to prove it) you can take most things. To use the example of EPO, well known for increasing the amount of oxygen your blood can carry, useful if you have anemia, cheating if you don't . It's in the rules that you can use it if you have a TUE, and that is the point, not whether or not you have taken something but whether or not you have cheated.
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If they are not a performance enchancer nobody should be banned for taking recreational drugs

Yes they should. Example, cannabis. It's banned, (a concentration in urine of 11-nor-delta 9-
tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (carboxy-THC) greater than 15 nanograms per millilitre constitutes doping to quote from the rules) if they have taken it they should be banned, they have broken the rules. It may not help them go faster but if I am racing my bike I would like to think the guy behind had his mind on the job and was not half-stoned, safety of other competitiors is an issue here.
Also, masking agents such as epitestosterone, probenecid and various diuretics are banned for obvious reasons, even though they themselves give no advantage.