The new IAAF rule and how it will affect Caster Semenya.

International Association of Athletics (IAAF) published on April 26 a new regulation  that will prohibit competing women in distances between 400 meters and a mile that have excess endogenous testosterone. This rule will will take effect on November 1 and it is justified by the fact that womens with these characteristics would have an advantage in the competition.

The problem of this rule is not the cases of doping, but it is about women who have been born with these characteristics. This is the case of Caster Semenya, three times world champion in 800 meters, who have elevated levels of testosterone on his organism.

Because of this new rule, the athletes who have elevated levels of testosterone on his organism must undergo a medication that returns to normal levels. An athlete should take continuous medication for six months with hormonal contraceptive treatment if she has more than 5 nanomoles of testosterone in her blood.

Sebastian Coe, IAAF president's, defends the new norm with this affirmation: "As an International Federation of our sport we have to guarantee equal conditions for athletes, as in other sports, we choose to have a male and a female classification for competitions, we must be clear about the criteria to compete in each category. and data show that testosterone, produced naturally or artificially inserted in the body provides an important advantage in the performance of female athletes.We are not talking about cheating or not, but to level the conditions for a competition fair in athletics, where success is due to talent, dedication and hard work instead of other factors. "

Although this new standard may have certain ethical connotations, the rule will come into force on November 1, and athletes with these characteristics who want to continue competing, must undergo medical treatment to lower these levels of testosterone.

Then we leave you with the complete regulation published by the IAAF.



Bibliography:
https://as.com/masdeporte/2018/04/25/atletismo/1524676898_950249.html
https://as.com/opinion/2018/04/27/blogs/1524826088_286033.html
https://www.iaaf.org/

What's doping?

Hi everyone, today I will talk about doping, specifically about the most commonly used methods of doping. In the next presentation I will do a little presentation of these methods of doping, the uses and the hide effects of these.





I hope you enjoyed this presentation. We would appreciate if you left us in the comments that you thought the presentation and what you would like to see in the next post.

Thanks for watching, see you in the next post.

One of the sports with most cases of doping: football

Do you know which is one of the sport with most cases discovered of doping? Is the same that usually is named as ‘’The king of sports’’. Yes, it is football, and we can find more than 50 cases of doping.

Recognised players as Adrian Mutu, Pep Guardiola or Edgar Davids are in this list. Others as Dani Benitez or Paddy Kenny are less famous than the previous ones, but we can also find them in the same list. If you do not know any of these players, we are going to help you with a PowerPoint with pictures of them.

Pep Guardiola, who is one of the best coaches in the world, has also been accused of doping some years ago. Exactly, he was accused in 2001, when he was playing for Brescia. The test claimed that he took Nandrolone, which is used in anemias, cachexia (wasting syndrome), osteoporosis, breast cancer, etc. Becaouse of this, he had to pay 2.000€ and could not play for 4 months.

Another famous player in this list is Jaap Stam. The ex player of Manchester United, AC Milan and others clubs was surprised with a doping test in which he gave positive results in Nandrolone, as Guardiola. As penalty, he could not play for 4 months.

Recently, in 2014, one case appeared in Spain. He is not a famous player, but the new was known in every city of this country. Dani Benitez, ex player of Granada C.F. had to pass a doping test before the match between Granada C.F. and Betis. The test gave positive results in cocaine. After this, he could not play for 2 years, and then, he played for other teams as Alcorcon or Racing de Ferrol.

Do you know other football players that have used doping methods? Do you agree with the penalties?

Thanks for reading us,

Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:

https://as.com/futbol/2002/02/08/mas_futbol/1013122836_850215.html

https://canales.okdiario.com/real-madrid/futbol/2017/01/11/sombra-del-dopaje-vuelve-salpicar-guardiola-manchester-city-acusado-violar-normas-antidoping-140918

https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/fuera-de-juego/el-otro-doping-de-mutu-780099

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/Sir_Alex_Ferguson/10397197/Rio-Ferdinands-brutal-eight-month-drug-ban-was-the-fault-of-incompetent-testers-according-to-Alex-Ferguson.html

Is official: Canelo Álvarez banned for 6 months

Welcome everyone again to our blog. Some weeks ago we talk about the Canelo Alvarez positive drug test and the likely consecuences that this could cause for him. Finally, some days ago we knew the sentence so we will tell you the ending of this story below.

The Nevada Athletic Comission was met the past April 18th and decided ban Canelo Álvarez with 6 months of suspension. According to the judges, this penalty is due to a negligence for not examine the meal, since the Canelo’s lawyers claimed that the clembuterol positive was produced for adulterate food.

In a first moment, Canelo was going to be banned for 1 year, but for cooperate with the comission the sanction finally was reduced to 6 months. Thus Canelo Alvaréz will can be chosen for other boxer to fight from August 17th.

Shortly after the resolution, “Golden Boy”, the Canelo’s agent company, send out a announcement where said that they accept the rules and are satisfied with the resolution. Moreover, “Golden Boy” wanted to announce the date of the Canelo’s return: it will be the September 15th.

Now the question is: It will be against Golovkin? We will know in six months…

The end of an era, Lance Armstrong

Hi everyone, today I will talk about one of the biggest cyclist of the story, that messed his career because of the doping.
The ex professional and famous cyclist Lance Armstrong were accused of doping some years ago. He had used substances as EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and corticoids. Because of this, the last week he have been called to pay to the US Government 5 millions US$.

The ex Armstrong teammate, Floyd Landis, was the person who opened the doors to the discover of the Armstrong doping. LAndis accused him of doping when they were competing for the same colours.
When the USADA discovered Armstrong, they removed the seven trophies of champion of ‘Tour de la France’ that the cyclist had won and did not never allow to compete Armstrong. The US Postal, that sponsored Armstrong a big part of their career, claim more than 100 millions US$, that included all that they had been paid to Armstrong and images damages. Nevertheless, the US Government concluded that he ‘only’ had to pay a 5% of this figure, 5 millions US$.

Elliot Peters, Armstrong lawyer, told yesterday that this payment finish with all of the Armstrong acusement of doping to improve his performance. The ex ciclist admitted the acusement of doping and notice that is happy about finishing this sad stage of his life.
Do you consider that this cases of doping should finish with a payment? Or do you think that there would be another penalty?

Thanks for reading us,
Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:
http://caracol.com.co/radio/2018/04/19/internacional/1524173855_935419.html
https://www.lanacion.com.ar/2127335-el-doping-persigue-a-lance-armstrong-ahora-tuvo-que-pagar-us-5-millones-para-cerrar-un-caso-por-fraude-en-estados-unidos
https://eju.tv/2018/04/el-exciclista-lance-armstrong-acordo-el-pago-de-usd-5-millones-en-la-causa-que-lo-acusaba-de-fraude-federal/
https://www.clarin.com/deportes/polideportivo/lance-armstrong-pagara-millones-dolares-gobierno-unidos-escandalo-dopaje_0_ByiMYFI2f.html
http://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/ciclismo/armstrong-el-hombre-que-construyo-un-imperio-a-traves-del-dopaje-207628

Doping in Andalusians gyms

10 people were arrested (4 of them, younger than 18), 41 more investigated, and 1.336 dose of medicines intervened. This is the ‘Zute’ operation, by the Spanish ‘Guardia Civil’, in Granada, Spain. That network used to get the medicines to dope people who go to the gymnasium in this city and others like Málaga or Jaen.

First, they paid until 400€ to farmacist to get every recipe. Then, they sold them in the different gyms of the nearest provinces. Some of the medicines were Testex prolongatum, Proviron, Winstrol, Femara, Decadurabolin, Arimidex, Gonal and Trakimazin.

The ‘Guardia Civil’ have told that this network has used more than 400 recipes to provide the medicines. They acted from 2015 to 2017, when they were discovered. This medicines, for example, are used by menopausal women, and they costed to the pharmacies a total of 5.800€. This is an example of the increasing of illegal substances in people that do not compete, they only practice sports to improve their health. A new horizon for the doping.

What do you think about this topic? Do you consider it more dangerous than the doping in professionals athletes?

Thanks for reading us,

Sergio Torreblanca.

Bibliography:

http://www.lavanguardia.com/local/sevilla/20180417/442647131170/red-compra-medicamentos-dopaje-deporte-granada.html

https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20180417/golpe-dopaje-gimnasios-andaluces-detenidos-dosis-intervenidas/300470416_0.html

What are the TUEs? – A controversal topic

Welcome everyone again, in this new post, we are going to talk in depth about the Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).

In previous posts we talked about a recent new, the assumption doping of Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and others irregularities in the Team Sky. This topic is controversal due to the supposed doping was produced for an excessive use of a substance considered as a TUE.

Image 1. Salbutamol (Ventolín) one of the TUE drugs more used nowadays. 

The TUEs are prohibited substances for WADA that can be used in exceptional chases for some athletes claiming theraupetic reasons previously. With the purpose of regulate this issue the WADA developed The International Standard for Use of Therapeutic Exemptions. In this mandatory International Standard is established the main conditions for achieve a TUE:

If an athlete have all these conditions and finally request a TUE, this application have to be assseded for the Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (TUEC). As a last resort, is the WADA TUEC the panel in charge for review the TUE decisions of other Anti-Doping Organizations. You can download the template of TUE application form clikcing here.

According to the established in The International Standard for Use of Therapeutic Exemptions:

An Athlete who needs a TUE should apply as soon as possible. For substances prohibited In-Competition only, the Athlete should apply for a TUE at least 30 days before his/her next Competition, unless it is an emergency or exceptional situation. The Athlete should apply to his/her National Anti-Doping Organization, International Federation and/or a Major Event Organization (as applicable), using the TUE application form provided.

The form must be accompanied by:

a. a statement by an appropriately qualified physician, attesting to the need for the Athlete to Use the Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method in question for Therapeutic reasons; and

b. a comprehensive medical history, including documentation from the original diagnosing physician(s) (where possible) and the results of all examinations, laboratory investigations and imaging studies relevant to the application.

Each TUE will have a specified duration, as decided by the TUEC, at the end of which the TUE will expire automatically. If the Athlete needs to continue to Use the Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method after the expiry date, he/she must submit an application for a new TUE well in advance of that expiry date, so that there is sufficient time for a decision to be made on the application before the expiry date.

In the next drawing, we can see the process necessary for an non-international-level athlete for achieve a TUE.

Image 2. Process to get a TUE for an Non-International-Level Athlete.

In the chase, of international-level athlete or major events the process is longer and complicated, if

you are interested in know more about it you can read the whole information here.

The case of Marco Pantani: Doping or sports fraud?

Marco Pantani was a Italian profesional cyclist between 1992 and 2003. This won a Giro of Italy, a Tour of France and a bronze medal in the road cycling world on 1995.

Marco Pantani, nicknamed “El pirata” got his best results in cycling trials in stages, and it was until 2014 the last italian to win the Tour of France and the last cyclist to win the Giro of Italy and Tour of Italy in the same year.

In the Giro of 1990, after winning in four stages and being a leader in the race, was disqualified to find high levels of hematocrit in his blood, what it a case of doping with EPO. Specifically, 52% of blood hematocrit was found, more tan 50% allowed.

The tests were made by surprise in Touring of Madonna di Campliglio Hotel. Later, a counter analysis confirmed the positive, so Pantani was suspended of his activity as cyclist.

This case of doping has led to great controversy, since from the beginning believed that this case could have been rigged by the mafia. In 2014, the italian prosecutor’s office reopened the case of Pantani to try to clarify if this had really been a victim of the mafia.

It was suspected that the Camorra could be behind of this case, so they would have extorted the doctor who performed the tests to alter the results, so that the Pantani sample was positive in the hematocrit concentration. The modification of these tests was carried out because the Camorra had made large bets against Pantani, and because it had many chances to win the turn for the path that had led during the last stages, the last option was to set aside to Pantani of the competition.

After the investigation, there were not enough evidence to determine a definitive resolution, and this, along with already made had prescribed, it was decided to close the case again.

Finally, on February 14, 2004, Pantani died at the  hotel Le Rose in Rimini, for an alleged overdose of cocaine, although like the case of doping, his death is also full of doubts about whether it was a suicide or a murder by the Mafia.