Doping Again !

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Doping Again !

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

If Sharapova was a 500 ranked Unknown and given a two year ban there is no way the ban would be reduced. It's actually only 18 months now in reality she should use this time to have a baby or something then come back she'd still be good enough for top 10 I reckon.

christ · Futures level

AliBlahBlah wrote:
"The ITF agree with Maria's version of events."

Not according to my reading of the findings: The ITF took (some of) what she said at face value, as it had no reason to disbelieve her (unlike her agent, none of whose evidence did they credit). Not the same as agreeing with her. And even then they found quite a lot to query e.g. about her self-medication regime after she got rid of her doctor and her decision to not inform WADA, the WTA or her team (other than prior mentioned lying agent, and a single occurrence of a visiting doctor). Reading the inference of the document I would say that absolutely didn't agree with Maria's version of events
and:
"the decision to sanction Meldonium was not based on "extensive clinical testing" and that it was "evident that WADA [the World Anti-Doping Agency] banned meldonium based upon the amount of athletes using meldonium rather than any scientific evidence. We believe, based on the facts and circumstances provided to us, that this is a flawed decision."
Which has precisely nothing to do with anything. If they banned aspirin tomorrow, then it is the duty of all athletes not to take it. If they wish to contest the banning, then the correct way to do that contesting is not to just continue taking it and then appeal when caught.

Are they allowed to double the ban for frivolous appealing?

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

To clarify CAS won't look at extending the ban so 2 years it is. I did think 2 years was harsh to begin with but after reading the report she is unbelievably lucky to only get 2 years, not one word of her excuses rings true. Clear case of taking the drugs to gain an unfair advantage and no reason to be so secretive unless she knew full well she was cheating. I would prefer a life ban.

the addict · Tennis legend

I've just read most of the Decision, and it really confirms my initial thoughts from when this story first broke. She knew exactly what she was doing, kept it hidden from her team, and probably deserves the full penalty.

EddietheEagle · County player

EddietheEagle wrote:
No decision as yet. They're deliberating how to wangle a way of letting her off without the world crying 'foul'.

I wondered how they were going to do it and this is how:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/15/maria-sharapova-itf-joins-wada-in-declining-to-challenge-ban-appeal

CAS will predictably reduce the ban to a matter of months and with a bit of luck Sharapova might even make the Olympics.

Anyone who has faith in anti-doping bodies doing their job and banning dopers is deluding his or herself.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Good news that Seb Coe and the athletics boys are holding strong and have maintained the suspension against the Russian Athletics Federation for failing to implement the improvements in drug testing stipulated as a requirement for reinstatement.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
Good news that Seb Coe and the athletics boys are holding strong and have maintained the suspension against the Russian Athletics Federation for failing to implement the improvements in drug testing stipulated as a requirement for reinstatement.

Although questions still need to be answered about how much Seb knew about the previous problems and whether he was implicated in these issues.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

The report about the Russian doping scandal is about as damning as it gets. I can't say I am surprised by the findings he though.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

It will be very interesting analysing how the rankings change by nation over the next 2 or 3 years, using Dec 31st 2015 as an arbitrary day zero. Ie the final day on which meldonium was legal. We already have an idea of the stars in waiting and historical presidents.

There are obvious confounding factors, to not think there is not some wash over into tennis from all the Russian Olympic sports would be naive, one would assume that expert ease would be shared across all major sports, this is obviously a big hit for the Russians and at the very least they will have to start doing things differently.

It will also be interesting to see if the way the game is played changes, as we know from the most successful drugs cheat of all time an American named Armstrong that drugs are very beneficial when optimising indurance and sustained pace around the court. Particularly on the women's side.

My gut feeling is that players will get taller!

JonH · All-time great

It seems a Russian group has hacked WADA and got hold of test data on plenty of athletes, mainly American. Their message seems to be that lots of these athletes including Serena Williams have failed tests but got off because of Therapeutic Use Exemptions. Not sure if it is clear Serena has failed anything as the stories dont go that far but it mentions names and what generally has gone on.

Their message seems to be that TUE's are just a license to take illegal drugs legally, and I must admit that they do seem to be problematic - the number of athletes with asthma and taking a TUE seemed way of of proportion to what one might expect. A friend of mine has links to one of the training centres in the UK for athletics (in the South West) and said he was aware of some very tenuous uses of TUE's in their programmes.

I guess more will come out as and when the Russians release the data - presumably this is some sort of sponsored "getting our own back" activity although that may be libellous of me!

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Mind you, given her serious health problems a few years back, Serena is one athlete I'd expect to have a valid TUE.

-- Edited by The Optimist on Tuesday 13th of September 2016 05:15:16 PM

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

It seems Serena's was for nine days in March of 2014.
If true, that would seem like exactly the way a TUE is supposed to function; as temporary relief for a transitory acute condition that needs managing over a short period of time. Like taking antibiotics prior to some dental surgeries, etc.

I'll wait for a responsible dissection of the evidence to appear before passing any further judgement or speculation.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Asthma is very common in athletics and I can understand why medication is needed. In fact it is recommended that asthmatics take up sport to increase lung capacity and improve breathing.

RJA · Hall of fame

JonH wrote:
I guess more will come out as and when the Russians release the data - presumably this is some sort of sponsored "getting our own back" activity although that may be libellous of me!

"The Russians" aren't clearly identifiable individuals or organisations therefore you can accuse them of anything without the risk of being libellous.