Steroid Nation

Greg LeMond interrupts the 'Feel Good' LA tour; peppers the Armstrong team with doping questions

Cojones.  That is what Greg LeMond displays in spades.  LeMond attended yesterdays press conference in Las Vegas, at the Interbike trade show.  If Armstrong wants publicity, then he should deal with the tough issues too.  To Bike Radar:

A day after officially announcing his comeback to professional cycling, Lance Armstrong made an appearance at the Interbike trade show to give the cycling media and industry an opportunity to hear more details of his plans, including the special testing by Don Catlin of the UCLA anti-doping lab. Catlin joined him on stage along with American Taylor Phinney, who will lead Armstrong's new U23 developmental team.

Sitting in the front row, asking the first question was another Tour de France champion and outspoken critic of Armstrong, Greg LeMond. Cyclingnews was on hand to hear the plans and questioning from the industry, including LeMond.

LeMond, seated in the front row, led off the questioning with some pointed ones, all surrounding the theme of questioning the reasonability of the planned special testing of Armstrong by Don Catlin of the UCLA lab.

Very topical questions for Team Armstrong.  Or should we say Corporate Armstrong.  If an athlete is going to trumpet state of the art doping testing, then make it state of the art.  Look at more than the 'forensic' lab tests (drug level, or T/E ratios).   Look at physiologic functions and blood parameters for irregularities.

"I see Mr. Greg LeMond is here," Armstrong said somewhat wryly, but allowed him to have the first question.

LeMond pressed Armstrong and Catlin about the type of testing they had planned. He levied some reasonable critiques, essentially calling into question the proposed testing, arguing that it is not comprehensive enough, such as using T/E ratios and tests for specific EPO drugs as opposed to measuring physiological variables such as power output changes over time. LeMond inferred that a spike in power output would better indicate the use of something compared to trying to test for particular substances.

"That is not my area," responded Catlin. "He will be subject to testing by everyone under the sun. I think that will be all sorted out."

Catlin is a good guy; we hope he is not seduced by the Armstrong mystique and the Armstrong financial power.  For too long stars tend to intimidate people; even in Congress, members were asking Roger Clemens for autographs rather than grilling him about his doping agenda.  LeMond is not easily intimidated as we can see below. This exchange proved pretty testy:

Catlin said that the actual program is still taking shape. "[Lance] has agreed to a couple of a few very fundamental points. One is his data, like T/E ratio and all that kind of stuff that a doping control is allowed to do will be on the web, so you can see it. 'Ah, your T/E ratio changed today, what happened?' Like to see if he is taking EPO – all the actors to make it a very public campaign.

"The other thing is samples will be kept frozen for a good long time so that if next year, five years a new test comes out and someone says Lance was doing something five years ago, we can pull out the samples and test them. This is longitudinal testing whereas the usual type of testing is taking a stop in time. This is where you connect the dots and is much more powerful kind of program to understand the physiology."

"That is all irrelevant," LeMond responded. "It doesn't matter about T/E ratio but watts and power output..."

"I don't think it is irrelevant," said Catlin. "I dare say you know this business pretty well! Come with your ideas of what we should do!"

At that point Armstrong stepped in tried to move things along. "You've done your job," Armstrong said to LeMond. "We are here to talk about a couple of things, like the Global Clinton campaign and my comeback to cycling. It's time for us, everybody in this room, to move on. We are not going to go there, I appreciate you being here – next question."

Come on folks.  If an athlete holds a press conference to trumpet his complete transparency to anti-doping agenda, and if the athlete expects to be state-of-the-art, then the athlete needs to answer all questions completely without cutting off the questioner because the issues are too tough, or he doesn't like the path the questions are going.

This is not scientific agenda here, it is public relations.  and perhaps to sell some SRAM bicycle components.

Lance Armstrong deals with SRAM bicycle parts; Joins Lehman Brothers investment strategy

Does anyone understand the world of high finance?  If so, a room in the White House could use a little help this weekend working on the details on the 700B bailout of the investment banking industry.  Apparently trying to add his patriotic share, recently unretired Lance Armstrong will ride in advertisement for SRAM, a 500M cycle parts company. To Bike Radar:

While a lot of recent news about Lance Armstrong has overshadowed the wheeling and dealing happening at the Interbike trade show, one aspect of his return actually has relevance specific to the industry. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Armstrong is investing millions of dollars into component maker SRAM, as part of the deal with Lehman Brothers Merchant Bank, subsidiary of the recently collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers.

While the two entities are relatively separate, the infusion of cash from Armstrong is expected to have a positive impact. Lehman had actually courted Lance prior to any knowledge of his comeback, beginning as far back as 2007. And the fact that Armstrong will be riding SRAM as part of the existing sponsorship with Astana is apparently just coincidence. "The funny thing, when we did the deal with Lance we were unaware that he was planning to return to competitive cycling," Charlie Moore, a managing director of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking told WSJ. "It's serendipitous."

And the agenda of cancer awareness?  Apparently a businessman can ride for cancer awareness as well as make a side deal as a consultant and adviser for a fine capitalistic firm.  Can these two goals co-exist?

"It's great to have that kind of intelligent money, really knowledgeable money to be part of the company," SRAM president Stan Day told Cyclingnews. "It's a small piece of the total investment but it is a meaningful piece to be sure. We are excited that Lance is interested in riding are components and investing in our components, and that is a great combination."

"We certainly weren't the first in the industry to hear about it, but it came onto our plate three weeks ago," said Day. "We were as surprised as the whole industry but also pleased. Lance brings great credibility and great draw to the industry and it is good to have him back."

The combination of Lance as a technical advisor, investor and now sponsored rider is quite a coup for SRAM in terms of battling for a share of the market with Armstrong's former component maker Shimano. Armstrong had been with the Japanese company for so long that he still rode their components at Wednesday night's Cross Vegas race at Interbike.

And that's about cancer awareness?  More:

"We couldn't switch his bike out and have him go into a race right away!" Day laughed. "But he's ridden our product a lot over the last several months and he is comfortable with it. He likes the weight, stiffness and the use of carbon. It will be interesting to work him closer and get his ideas. We will incorporate that with our other athletes' feedback."

Let's move some product. From Cycling News:

The success of SRAM's re-entry into the road market has paid off handsomely in the form of Grand Tour success with Team Astana, who race on SRAM Red-equipped Trek Madones. Now, with the news of Lance Armstrong returning to the pro peloton in 2009, there's a grand assumption it'll be with Johan Bruyneel's Team Astana. Armstrong has ridden Trek since 1998, but has been a Shimano-sponsored athlete his entire career.   Day is pretty excited about the prospect of working with Armstrong, although at this point it's pure speculation until Armstrong announces his plans at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City September 24.

"If Lance wanted an executive to train with, I'd be willing," Day said, "but he may need to find someone more capable than me! I commute to our downtown Chicago office every day. I also like to ride mountain bikes in the Northwoods of upper Michigan. Road riding is difficult in downtown Chicago, so it's a little more challenging. It's safer to put the bike on the car and drive an hour to get out of rush-hour traffic!"

The Wall Street Journal on the deal link here.

Neither God nor man can brake this ride: Lance Armstrong announces comeback plans

As the old saying goes, he is 'the big wheel'...in this case, the big cycling wheel that spins on and on and on.  Lance Armstrong, never quite out of the spotlight, completed the preliminaries of his startling comeback today.  The 24/7 nature of the modern CNN/Fox/ESPN news cycle assures us of more Lance Armstrong news over the next year than even Brett Favre spots.

Even though he retired after winning 7 Tour de France titles, Lance Armstrong never retired from the bright lights.  He dated any number of the world's more famous women.  He became a 'spokes'man of cancer awareness, a surefire way to gain support....push for animal welfare, Jerry's kids, and cancer awareness and you cannot go wrong.  However, here is a positive view of the Armstrong idealism.

Fans love the cancer survival story, and indeed it is a great one.  However the cycling story is not quite so stellar.  Armstrong mounted an impressive mid-career push to become the best.  He cavorted with the infamous dope peddler, Dr. Michele Ferrari.  And he retired at a time when the entire peloton doped to the max, before anti-doping testing matured to the point it has now.

It must be incredibly difficult for an athlete with galactic adulation from 1999 to 2005 to retire.  Now there are several issues with the Armstrong comeback:

1.  Armstrong will ride with Astana, home of 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador  (from the New York Times today)

Armstrong said he hoped that Alberto Contador, the talented winner of the 2007 Tour, would not leave in a huff if Armstrong signed on, as Contador has threatened to do in recent days.

“If I’m not the strongest guy on the team, then I’m the domestique,” Armstrong said, somewhat tentatively.

Good luck to that. In 1986, the five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault promised to serve as a domestique to an up-and-coming American, Greg Lemond. On the crucial ascent on the Alpe d’Huez, Lemond looked over his shoulder and saw the gritted-teeth smile of Hinault, whose nickname was the Badger. Hinault shrugged, as if to say, well, what did you expect, I am the Badger. Lemond held him off and won the Tour — but probably still has nightmares about Hinault. Armstrong, bless his heart, could induce a nightmare just by musing about being somebody’s domestique.

2.  Armstrong, dogged by doping accusations feels compelled to hire the best in the business to monitor his blood parameters (from the NY Daily News):

Armstrong confirmed that he will ride in the Tour de France for the Kazakh team Astana and claimed he will be "totally validated" by an aggressive screening program to be designed by world-renowned anti-doping scientist Don Catlin.

But Catlin, whose chemical sleuthing helped crack the BALCO doping ring in 2003, said "there are no guarantees," and conceded that the program he is establishing to monitor Armstrong will do nothing to clear the suspicions that linger over the cyclist's past accomplishments.

"I think it's going to be as airtight as I can possibly make it," Catlin told the Daily News. "Anybody who tries to beat it will be a fool."

Catlin said results of Armstrong's blood and urine tests would be posted online, and the urine would be frozen and stored for future re-testing. He said Armstrong's representatives approached him about the plan in the last two weeks, following Armstrong's announcement that he will return after three years of retirement.

Armstrong will pay Catlin for the work, but dismissed the concerns of "conspiracy theorists" who see a conflict of interest in that.

"There's not enough money anywhere to potentially buy out Don Catlin," said Armstrong. "For the conspiracy theorists out there that might think that, I would refer them to Don Catlin."

Armstrong spoke to the celebrity-laden crowd in New York today:

Armstrong was discussing his comeback Wednesday in New York, at the Clinton Global Initiative, the nonpolitical conference about the world’s problems. He linked his return for five races next season with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which fights cancer.

He portrayed his comeback as more than the ego of an aging athlete who missed the spotlight, saying that he would race in nations that need either praise or prodding for their approach to cancer. Armstrong plans to race next January in Australia; he did not mind saying that Australia does not do enough to combat melanoma, a form of cancer prevalent in that sunny part of the world.

Armstrong told an audience that included two former presidents, Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush, and former Vice President Al Gore — as well as Muhammad Ali — that cancer patients should not think of themselves as victims.

Armstrong is a force for hope in the battle against a disease that will kill 8 million people this year. More than 50 million yellow Livestrong wrist bracelets have been distributed around the world, signifying donations to the foundation. And now Armstrong says he wants to ride for all the people.

Not one to hide his light under a basket, as Paula Duffy enumerates:

But there is a twist to this story that is of some note. To support Armstrong's contention that he will be clean and free of any banned substances, the team has hired Don Catlin, a noted anti-doping expert. Catlin has credentials that no one can question but there's just one hitch in all this.

He will be an employee of Armstrong's team. Armstrong believes that Catlin is beyond reproach and Pat McQuaid who heads up the sports governing body has no problem with it.  Both those men seem to believe there would be no circumstances underwhich Catlin wouldn't do the right thing, even if it means outing Armstrong. Might I suggest that it takes incredible fortitude and honor not to be influenced by the marketing juggernaut that is the Armstrong cancer awareness cause? Human beings are fallible and we have seen men and women in public life fail us after we have trusted them to tell us the truth. Everyone has his price, we all know that.

I am not predicting any cheating and I absolutely do not mean to say that Catlin and Astana have exchanged winks and nods on the topic of transparency. I'm just pointing out to Mr. Armstrong that if he really wanted to give the world some reason to believe he won't get any assistance from banned substances, he might have taken a different route.

For example, hundreds of blood samples taken from Australian athletes at the recent Beijing Olympics are being stored for study in the next decade. As a member of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority said, an athlete might be able to evade present-day tests for new substances, but these samples will be kept for eight years under the presumption that testing catches up a bit late with cheating.

But hey, then Armstrong wouldn't be able to make Mr. Catlin part of his marketing campaign this summer.The cyclist's test results will be posted on the Internet. What a world.

Lance Armstrong has become very good at marketing Lance Armstrong.  He is a lightning rod for major issues of the day: doping, cancer awareness, sports marketing, and even politics.

EPO implicated in stroke study deaths

From the AP comes a report of a clinical study treating stroke subjects with EPO which found a higher death rate in the EPO group.  There will be a line in here about the link to sports doping with EPO; however looking at side effects in an elderly population suffering a stroke is far different than looking at side effects in an athletic population.

A blockbuster anemia drug made by a Johnson & Johnson company has been linked to the deaths of some patients in an experiment testing whether it could help stroke patients.with

J&J's Ortho Biotech unit said late Wednesday that it had learned of preliminary data from a study in which participants were being given its drug Procrit within six hours of suffering an ischemic stroke, in which an artery blockage limits the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.

In the study, which was designed and initiated by a German scientist, more patients treated with Procrit died than in the comparison group receiving a placebo.

Johnson and Johnson released a PR statement, possibly to stem the criticism that pharmaceutic companies cover up deleterious side effects.

"Ortho Biotech chose to publicly communicate the results ... because of what we feel are potential safety implications," said company spokesman Mark Wolfe.

He said it is J&J's understanding that the idea behind the study "was based on data suggesting that patients suffering from stroke might benefit from epoetin therapy."

Epoetin alfa is the chemical name for the Procrit brand. The drug is also sold by another Johnson & Johnson unit under the name Eprex outside the United States, and Amgen Inc. sells it under the name Epogen in this country.

The drugs are all approved for treating anemia in cancer patients, people with kidney disease undergoing dialysis and some patients with HIV. They are not approved in any country for treating ischemic stroke patients. 

EPO, although frequently abused by athletes, is dangerous.

Strong warnings have been added to the package information for these drugs in recent years, as they have been linked to growth of existing tumors in some cancer patients and, at high doses, to heart complications and death.

The drugs work by stimulating production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Other versions, known as EPO, have been linked to doping by some athletes and banned because they boost endurance...

According to Wolfe, the study had been completed and preliminary data revealed a higher death rate.

Considering the report a few days ago of the ability of EPO to alter neuroanatomic structure, in conjunction with the information given above, this is a very interesting drug which appears to stimulate growth in a number of cell types.

EPO is BMOC in doping world

Erythropoietin (EPO) appears to be assuming larger and more important role in medicine, and in sports doping.  EPO, a natural hormone produced in the kidney stimulates (regulates) the production of red blood cells (RBCs).  RBC, by utilizing hemoglobin, carry oxygen loaded in the lungs to all the 'peripheral tissues' like heart, brain, muscles, gonads, etc..  Hemoglobin then captures CO2 --  a waste product from cellular metabolism -- to be carried back to the lungs where the waste C02 is exchanged for oxygen.

EPO can be abused by cyclists, and track athletes, based on the improvement of oxygen delivery to the muscles, and even the CNS.  However the use of EPO is dangerous, causing blood clots in critical vessels (like heart).

EPO became useful for the treatment of kidney failure.  Kidney failure can be caused by many diseases: hypertension, diabetes, genetic metabolic conditions etc.  Those patients suffered from anemia, treated with EPO.  From Medscape:

The use of erythropoietin (Epo) in treating anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has transformed the lives of millions of individuals.^[1] In the pre-epoetin era, patients had to live with the symptoms of severe anemia, multiple transfusions, and frequent hospitalization. Recombinant erythropoietin (rhEpo) was approved in 1989 for the treatment of CKD anemia. Widespread use of Epo in the management of CKD anemia ensued. Over the past 2 decades, the market for Epo has dramatically increased. It is now estimated that $22 billion worth of Epo has been sold.^[2] This vast market opportunity has not gone without notice in the pharmaceutical industry, and many Epo analogues and derivatives have entered the marketplace. These newer Epos are now grouped under the term erythropoietin-stimulating agents or ESAs. In addition, follow-on epoetins (FOEs), similar to the innovator epoetin, are now commonplace, particularly in emerging countries.

Here is a review of EPO's structure:

Epo is an acidic glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 30.4 kDa (Table ).^[3,4]       

The carbohydrate part of the molecule (approximately 40%) is composed of 3 N-linked and 1 O-linked glycan moieties. N-glycans are key to the biological activity of Epo; the addition of N-glycans into rhEpo increases the carbohydrate content and results in prolonged survival of the molecule. From a structural perspective, Epo has a basic structure like other cytokines (eg, the interleukins). It is composed of 4 amphipathic {alpha}-helical bundles. There are 2 domains located on Helix C and Helix D that are necessary for binding to the Epo receptor (EpoR). Following binding to the EpoR, a JAK2-mediated signal transduction cascade ensues (Figure 1). Epo's binding affinity is also critical to its action. Epoetin-alfa has a high binding affinity, whereas newer derivatives such as continuous erythropoietin receptor activator (CERA) have much lower affinities that are thought to contribute to the longer half-life of these molecules...

In the years following the launch of rhEpo, it became apparent that N-linked glycosylation increased the half-life of the Epo molecule. In 2001, darbepoetin, a longer-acting derivative of epoetin-alfa, was approved. In 2007, CERA, a derivative of epoetin-beta, received regulatory approval. Both darbepoetin-alfa and CERA have a prolonged half life compared with epoetin-alfa or epoetin-beta (Figure 2); these agents have been extensively tested in phase 2 and 3 programs and allow less frequent dosing of Epo in the management of CKD anemia...

If it means something to you, CERA is pegylated EPO:

CERA is a pegylated form of epoetin-beta. CERA is a 60-kDa molecule, approximately twice the molecular weight of epoetin-alfa.^[12,13] A large methoxy-polyethylene glycol polymer is incorporated into the epoetin molecule, essentially doubling its molecular weight compared with epoetin. This modification markedly prolongs CERA's half-life in humans to about 135 hours. In addition, CERA binds to EpoR more slowly than Epo. These 2 attributes result in CERA triggering the JAK2 Epo signal transduction cascade without being internalized. Consequently, CERA has more sustained biologic activity. CERA has been tested extensively and can be used less frequently than epoetin-alfa or darbepoetin-alfa -- it can be administered either once every other week or once monthly.^[14-16]

If you are a anti-doping agency you will not be happy to read that different ways to stimulate EPO are on the way.

Small-molecule Epo mimetic peptides (EMPs) provide a novel paradigm to stimulate Epo. EMPs are peptide sequences that bind and activate EpoR. For example, Wrighton and colleagues^[25,26] have identified a 20-amino-acid peptide (GGTYSCHFGPLTWVCKPQGG) that binds EpoR and has both in vivo and in vitro biologic activity. An example of an EMP that has entered clinical trials with much promise is Hematide (Affymax Inc., Palo Alto, California).^[27] This is a pegylated dimeric EMP that has no sequence homology to Epo but binds and activates EpoR. PEGylation enhances the stability and prolongs the half-life of the molecule (t1/2 of up to 60 hours). Hematide is now being evaluated in phase 2 studies both in renal patients and in patients with cancer.^[28,29] Other EMPs are also in the pipeline.

EPO can be a very effective performance enhancing agent.  Given the advances in the molecular pharmacology of EPO, it will be a formidable task to prevent EPO abuse in sport.

The Tour de France 2008 is not finished: More testing for CERA EPO

So we thought the 2008 Tour de France was finished and in the books.  Typically there were cyclists like Manuel Beltran of Spain testing positive for EPO, and Dmitriy Fofonov of Kazakhstan testing positive for a banned stimulant.  The winner is in the books, and we all move on....right?  No.

Authorities report that the Tour will re-test doping samples for a more careful examination of the new CERA EPO.  To the AP:

Several Tour de France riders are having their blood samples retested for traces of the banned blood-booster EPO.

The head of the French Anti-Doping Agency told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the testing involved riders who were already under scrutiny for suspicious urine samples. Pierre Bordry declined to name the cyclists.

The new blood tests will look for CERA, a third-generation variation of EPO. Italian rider Riccardo Ricco tested positive for the substance during the Tour.

"I have decided that we will retest — with blood testing — all those who showed up as suspicious during the urine samples," Bordry said by telephone. "When we did the urine samples of those athletes, we had a serious suspicion that there was CERA. The laboratory could not say definitively. The same analysis will be done, but in the blood samples."

Bordry asked for the blood samples to be sent from Lausanne, Switzerland, where they were tested during the Tour.

"All the blood tests have been repatriated to France," Bordry said, adding that they are currently being examined at the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory, outside Paris.

Testing has already begun and could take up to two weeks, Bordry said.

CERA EPO developed as a medical advance -- a molecule large enough not to be sucked out of the kidneys as quickly as the other versions of EPO.  Cyclists thought the new version would go undetectable, however anti-doping agents were apparently almost ready for the drug.

As mentioned, Riccardo Ricco tested positive in the original Tour testing, while several other cyclists have suspicious results.

Bordry also said that Spanish rider Moises Duenas Nevado's "B" sample came back positive for EPO, confirming the original finding.

Also testing positive during the Tour were Manuel Beltran of Spain, for EPO, and Dmitriy Fofonov of Kazakhstan, for a banned stimulant.

Ricco and his teammate Leonardo Piepoli were fired by the Saunier Duval team — which also lost its sponsor.

Even though Piepoli did not test positive, he was released for violation of the team's ethical code. Spanish media later reported that Piepoli had admitted to his team that he took the same form of EPO as Ricco.

French cyclist Jimmy Casper tested positive for a banned steroid, but has since been cleared on grounds that he forgot to renew a prescription for a long-standing asthma problem.

Research shows EPO may improve cognitive functioning...but what about the short memories of doped athletes?

Interesting results from a medical trial at the Max Plank Institute found that cognitive functioning in mice improved with EPO, long abused by athletes for endurance tasks -- especially track and cycling.  EPO stimulates more blood cells allowing a greater capacity of the blood to unload oxygen in the tissues.  Apparently the drug, or a downstream affect of the drug enhances neuronal circuitry of memory functions.  To Barchester Healthcare News:

A drug which has been linked to athletics doping scandals may have positive effects on memory, according to a new study.

Research published in the open-access journal BMC Biology suggests erythropoietin (EPO) may improve memory due to a direct effect on neurons in the brain, as opposed to any effect it might have on blood production in the body.

According to scientists involved in the study, the findings could prove useful in the development of treatments for diseases which affect the brain, such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.

The researchers revealed that treatment with EPO appeared to "increase the number of inhibitory circuits, which actually increases the efficiency of transmission of excitatory nerve impulses in specific neurons, resulting in greater short-term and long-term plasticity in memory pathways in the hippocampus".

Could the beneficial effects of doping with EPO have also improved the cognitive functioning of athletes who abuse the drug?  Seems their memories fail them at times, especially when they try to recall their drug use.  Must be the hippocampus, huh?

Hannelore Ehrenreich, of the Max Planck Institute, compared the enhanced memory function seen in mice with the dramatic improvement in endurance and muscular performance experienced by athletes who have used the drug.

 

It's a peddling reunion: Floyd Landis now staging a comeback

Elvis may join the party of comebacks, as Floyd Landis appears to be moving toward racing again in 2009.  He joins his BFF Lance Armstrong on the comeback peddles.  To Cycling News:

USA's Floyd Landis, 32, will make his return to professional cycling after a two-year suspension with the team currently sponsored by Health Net-Maxxis, under a new title sponsor for 2009, sources confirmed with Cyclingnews. The team, run by Momentum Sports Group, has also re-signed many of its current riders, including two-time NRC champion Rory Sutherland, current USA cyclo-cross champion Tim Johnson and Karl Menzies.

"I cannot confirm or deny it," said Momentum's sponsorship director, Thierry Attias, regarding Landis' signing. However numerous other sources familiar with the team confirmed that the agreement is in place, with the new title sponsor's agreement forthcoming. Sources have said the new sponsor is from the health care industry. This aligns with current speculation that Smith & Nephew, makers of Landis' artificial hip and sponsor of his mountain bike endurance racing, is a possible title sponsor.

As we all know, Landis is serving the most unjust 'outs' since Don Denkinger blew the call in the 1985 World Series.

Landis is currently serving a two-year suspension for a positive test of exogenous testosterone from stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Landis went on to win the overall, but was stripped of that title after his appeal of the US Anti-Doping Agency's suspension was denied by the American Arbitration Association. The ASO and UCI named runner-up Oscar Pereiro as the official 2006 Tour winner soon after.

Landis lost his final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS) in June, but the CAS did uphold that his suspension should run from when he officially stated his voluntary non-compete status – meaning that Landis will be free to race again as of January 30, 2009.

Rumours circulated early in 2008 that Rock Racing owner Michael Ball was interested in Landis, either as a racer or team director. Landis confirmed he was "advising" the younger riders and was seen with the team.

2009 shapes up to be a monumental year with Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis on the comeback ride.  Where is Jan Ullrich?  As pointed out below Tyler Hamilton is back for the trifecta, expect that actually makes 4 if you count his chimera twin.

Lance Armstrong is no dope: Planning a 2009 comeback

Update: Astana says there will be no Armstrong comeback with their team.  (AP)

In a development that will energize cycling fans, and will keep our weblog busy, Lance Armstrong appears to be staging a comeback to shake the ages.  To VeloNews:

Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, according to sources familiar with the developing situation.

Armstrong, who turns 37 this month, will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France — and will race for no salary or bonuses, the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told VeloNews.

Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, did not respond to questions.

However sources close to the story have told VeloNews that an exclusive article on the matter will be published in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, expected later this month.

Rumors of Armstrong's return swirled at last week’s Eurobike trade show in Germany and this week’s Tour of Missouri.

Vanity Fair?  Is that a preeminent cycling journal?  And Astana as a team?  Not like jumping into a once hopped-up, once doped-up cycling team.  Astana worked with the doping doctor himself, Dr. Michele Ferrari, who also worked with young Lance Armstrong.  From the NY Times (left link) on Ferrari, Astana, and Armstrong (And here too):

...Vinokourov had been the subject of intense questions since before the Tour, when he acknowledged that he had worked with the Italian physician Michele Ferrari, who has been linked with doping practices. Ferrari also worked with Lance Armstrong, who has defended Ferrari and said that Ferrari never provided him with or encouraged the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

With Armstrong back in the (sore) saddle, and Floyd Landis coming off suspension, 2009 could be an interesting year for cycling.  Armstrong plans on proving he is clean:

The rumor speculates that Armstrong will reunite with former team manager Johan Bruyneel at Team Astana — a viable option given Armstrong’s long-lasting relationships not only with the Belgian director but also Trek, Astana’s bike sponsor.

According to sources, the Texan will post all of his internally tested blood work online, in an attempt to establish complete transparency and prove that he is a clean athlete

If he comes back, Armstrong will need to rest his legs, and stop this 'sex god' tomfoolery...

Roid rage? Accused of doping years ago, cyclist Jemison punches team doctor

He should have known the 'roid rage' accusations would fly, especially from people like us.  Cyclist Marty Jemison wanted to settle an old grudge, so he punched out the doctor who hinted that he doped.  To the VeloNews:

It was over in an instant, but the altercation between a Tour of Utah race official and Garmin-Chipotle team doctor Prentice Steffen was years in the making.

During the stage 3 criterium in Salt Lake City last Friday, Tour of Utah team liaison Marty Jemison, a former U.S. Postal Service rider, punched Steffen after the team doctor made what Jemison considered to be an inflammatory remark about alleged doping dating back over a decade.

'Altercation'? Sounds like a sucker-punch.  And of course, the obligatory Lance Armstrong connection.

Jemison and Steffen worked together at U.S. Postal during the 1996 season; Jemison was a talented American rider on the upstart squad, and Steffen was an emergency room physician and admitted recovering heroin addict.

In 2001 Steffen told Irish reporter David Walsh that in 1996 U.S. Postal riders Jemison and Tyler Hamilton had approached him during the Tour of Switzerland looking for information about illegal doping products. Steffen said he reported the incident to then-director Mark Gorski, and at the end of that year his contract with the team was not renewed

“Two of my riders approached me saying they wanted to talk about the medical program,” Steffen told Walsh, adding that he understood the conversation as to be related to doping. Hamilton and Jemison both vehemently denied the accusations.

In October 2005, shortly after L’Equipe published a story alleging that EPO had been found in Lance Armstrong’s urine samples from the 1999 Tour, Steffen reiterated his earlier allegations in the French newspaper and staked new claims about the doping practices at top-level Tour de France teams, including Armstrong’s Discovery Channel squad.

Discovery spokespeople attacked Steffen’s credibility, dismissing the allegations as those of a disgruntled former employee. Under pressure, Steffen immediately retracted his statements about Armstrong and was compelled to resign from his position as team physician with the domestic TIAA-CREF team, but he returned with the team the following year.

Then the sucker punch.  This dude needs to back off the dose of nandrolone:

Fast forward to stage 3 of the 2008 Tour of Utah — the first time Jemison, a Utah native, had crossed paths with Steffen since the original allegations first went public in 2001. Steffen said that the first words out of Jemison’s mouth were “I hate you,” which Jemison did not deny.

“I thought he was going to follow it up with a little laugh or something, but he didn’t,” Steffen said. “He was quite serious, and I said, ‘okay.’ He said ‘you know, your comments were really damaging.’ And I said ‘yeah, but they were really true.’ And he said ‘no, they weren’t. And I said ‘of course they were,’ and I started to walk away, knowing that the conversation wasn’t going to go anywhere.

“I got maybe 10 feet away, and he said, ‘no, come on, I want to talk to you about it.’ I hesitated, but thought, ‘maybe we’ll resolve this once and for all.’ I went back. He said something, I’m not sure what he said, and I said something like ‘Twelve years later, we’re still trying to clean up the mess you idiots made.’ And that was when he punched me. It was over before I even knew what happened. I didn’t know someone could hit someone so fast.”

Steffen said that he simply picked up his glasses and walked away, and that BMC rider Scott Nydam, who was nursing a broken collarbone, offered to be a witness for a police report. Sporting a cut lower lip, Steffen spoke with the race’s operations director Chad Sperry on the morning before stage 4. Sperry told Steffen he “understood, and apologized, but that he needed Marty to make the stage happen safely.”

Always good when adults work things out in a mature way.

 

 

Once suspended Christine Ohuruogu now golden in women's 400M

The long journey of Christine Ohuruogu, once suspended by the UK for missing unscheduled dope tests (note the "unscheduled), ends in an Olympics gold medal as she overcame the American favorite Sanya Richards in the womens 400M.  Christine ran a 49.62 for the gold.  (AFP)

Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain produced a stunning race here on Tuesday to add Olympic gold to the world aMnd Commonwealth crowns she already owns, winning in a time of 49.62seconds.

The 24-year-old, who served a one year ban until August last year for missing three dope tests, beat home Shericka Williams of Jamaica (49.69sec) while favourite Sanya Richa

Ohuruogu, who won her world title in Osaka just over three weeks after serving her ban, gave herself a large pat on the back.

Richards lost to a woman she really didn't think belonged here after missing the doping tests.  Some see the Ohuruogu situation as a serious error, and others as an error, but understandable.  To be clear, she has never failed a doping test.

Ohuruogu, who challenged and won her case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the BOA by-law which bans athletes who served suspensions for doping infringements, looked out of it rounding the bend and with 100 metres to go.

Richards, who had said last week that she thought the Briton was fortunate to be competing here, looked at that point set fair for the gold she believed was her due after a miserable year suffering from a rare illness in 2007 as she had a clear lead.

However, down the straight the Jamaican-born naturalised American started to tie up and Ohuruogu's more measured and controlled race paid off as she passed two Russians and then the final prize of 23-year-old Richards.

Ohuruogu crossed the line just ahead of the fast-finishing Williams, who had passed a tiring Richards.

Meanwhile, Christine Ohuruogu, doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks...she has the gold.

Christine Ohuruogu said she could not care less what people thought about her tainted record after winning the women's 400 metres Olympic gold medal on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Briton stormed to the gold in 49.62 seconds, an Olympic dream that once looked impossible when the British Olympic Association (BOA) banned her for life for missing three out-of-competition drug tests.

Ohuruogu received a mandatory one-year ban from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 2006 under their strict three strikes policy.

She completed her ban in 2007, winning the gold medal at last year's world championships in Osaka less than a month after her return, but the BOA imposed an automatic life ban from the Olympics.

Ohuruogu fought a long and expensive legal battle to have the Olympic ban overturned and was eventually cleared to compete after an independent panel decided there were "significant mitigating circumstances" surrounding her missed tests.

The athlete, who has always denied using drugs, said she no longer worried what people thought or said about her.

"I don't really care what people say. All I'm concered about is that I am here and I've won the gold medal," she said.

French cyclist Jimmy Casper might be the Tour de France steroid positive

The Canadian Press says the 5th Tour de France cyclist nailed doping is French cyclist Jimmy Casper.

French cyclist Jimmy Casper tested positive for a banned steroid during the Tour de France, the head of the nation's anti-doping agency said Saturday.

Casper did not have medical exemption for the use of steroids, according to Pierre Bordry. The Agritubel rider could be called before the French Cycling Federation.

The 95th edition of the Tour de France was again hit by doping cases. Riccardo Ricco of Italy and Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas Nevado of Spain each tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO. Dmitriy Fofonov of Kazakhstan tested positive for a banned stimulant.

Saturday morning steroid dose: More Russians and Emanuele Sella

1.  The Globe and Mail (and an older NY Times) says the Russians hold the early lead in doping.  The Independent adds one more name to the banned list.

2. Non-Olympian Italian Cyclist Emanuele Sella admits to CERA EPO to the Italian Olympic Committee.  (IHT). (Riccardo Ricco, who won two stages at the Tour de France, tested positive for EPO during the prestigious race and Marta Bastianelli are out of the Olympics for doping)

3.  There appears to be a 5th Tour de France positive...for a cortisol drug.  (Podium Cafe)

4.  Mark Zeigler's review of doping at the Olympics.  (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Thursday evening steroids injection: taking it in the behind

1.  The Guardian reports UK officials are freaking out over doping at the 2012 London Olympics.  Incredible.

2.  UK cyclist Chris Hoy does not dope.  So there.  (The Guardian)

3.  Scientists to doping authorities: you lose.  (Couriermail)

4.  Lab in Beijing to distinguish boys from girls.  (NY Times)

Daily steroid injection: The doping suspensions come dripping in; top women's 1500M super-athlete Russian Yelena Soboleva goes down

1.  The Italian Olympic commission suspends cyclist Ricco.  (The Age)

2.  Romania drops 2 1500M athletes.  (Reuthers)

Two female Romanian 1,500-metres runners have been dropped from the country's Olympic team under suspicion of doping, the head of the national Olympic and Sport Committee (COSR) said on Thursday.

"Elena Antoci and Cristina Vasiloiu were dropped from the Romanian Olympic delegation as both are under suspicion of doping," COSR head Octavian Morariu told reporters.

3.  Five top Russian track athletes banned from Beijing.  (Yahoo Sport)

The athletes banned are Yelena Soboleva (pictured), Tatyana Tomashova, Yulia Fomenko, Darya Pishchalnikova and Gulfiya Khanafeyeva.

A sixth athlete, former Olympian Svetlana Cherkasova, has also been banned.

Soboleva had produced the fastest 800m and 1500m this season; Tomashova is a former world champion at 1500m and Fomenko won a silver in the 1500m at the last World Indoors.

Pishchalnikova is the European discus champion while Khanafeyeva is a former world record holder in the hammer....

Russian Federation president Valentin Balakhnichev explained to All Sport that the reason why IAAF suspended the athletes was because of possible tampering with the samples.

"Tampering with the samples".  Two days in a row...

   

Yahtzee! 2008 Tour de France racks up cyclist quatro, actually cinquième, on final day: Dmitri Fofonov fluffs up

The headlines scream 'Doping  Scarred 2008 Tour"  So what's so different about this year's pinnacle race of pro cycling?  Dopers caught?  Not different.

On the final day of the 2008 Tour de France, Dmitri Fofonov tested positive for a stimulant according in media information (ABC News)...heptaminol.  That would be #4 doper and #5 lost to drugs overall.

Kazakhstan's Dmitri Fofonov has tested positive for a banned stimulant, his Credit Agricole team said on the final day of the Tour de France

The 31-year-old, who learned of his positive test after finishing 19th overall in the race on Sunday, explained to his team he bought a product over the internet to fight cramps.

He has been suspended and is now facing the sack.

"He has failed to respect our basic team rules," Credit Agricole manager Roger Legeay said.

"No products can be taken by any riders unless they have prior authorisation from the team doctor.

"He has made a mistake, which can happen, but it's not good news for us or for him."

Fofonov is the fourth rider from the Tour to have tested positive for a banned substance.

Italian Riccardo Ricco, and Spanish duo Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas all tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) and were thrown out of the race.

The 31-year-old Fofonov, from Almaty, turned professional in 1998. Since 2000 he has competed with only French teams, picking up just three wins: the national time trial title (2000), a stage on the Tour of Catalonia (2002) and a stage on the Dauphine Libere earlier this year.

Oh yeah, Carlos Sastre won a very existential 2008 Tour.   (from the AP)

The final act Sunday was supposed to be a champagne-sipping, idyllic run to the Champs-Elysees for winner Carlos Sastre of Spain. Instead, it was yet another announcement of a positive drug test.

That the bust involved a Kazakh rider who was never in contention didn't matter. Once again, drugs left their mark at cycling's premier event.

Until Sunday's finale, the race had gone 10 days without a doping scandal — three others had already marred the three-week race.

This time, Dmitriy Fofonov tested positive for a "very heavy dose" of heptaminol after Thursday's 18th stage, said Pierre Bordry, the head of France's anti-doping agency. Fofonov was immediately fired by his Credit Agricole team. French police said he was detained for questioning

Race director Christian Prudhomme thought that the Tour persevered over dopers. 

Saturday evening steroid posts

1.  Young athletes more interested in clean baseball?  (Sporting News)

2.  Jonathon Vaughters (Team Garmin-Chipotle) fighting the impossible fight v. Doping in Cycling?  (Times Online)

3.  Should Olympic sport be a drug free-for-all?  (Stuff.CO.NZ)

4.  New developments on anti-aging, or might Dara Torres pay attention to this?  (FT.com)

5. No decision on Morgan Hamm's eligibility yet.  (IHT)

No stealth molecule in CERA EPO: Roche denies WADA claim

Apparently WADA didn't understand the science, or WADA president John Fahey misspoke.  Roche, the manufacturer of the new CERA variety of EPO denies claims of a stealth molecule embedded in the drug to catch dopers. (Science Blogs)  (Update on how Roche helped WADA with CERA EPO detection)

Roche Holding, which makes a version of a stamina-building drug illegally used by some athletes, said it didn't plant a molecule in the substance to help identify it in doping tests, spokeswoman Martina Rupp said, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.

Riccardo Riccò, a Tour de France rider, tested positive for erythropoietin, or EPO, and was ejected from the cycling race last week after winning two stages. The Saunier Duval-Scott team fired the Italian and withdrew from the race.

John Fahey, the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Roche planted a molecule in its red-cell boosting product CERA, or Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator, during its manufacture to help anti-doping authorities detect its illegal use. Roche sells the drug as Mircera.

"The information that a special molecule has been added to Mircera is wrong," Rupp said in an e-mail.

WADA clarified the situation on Wednesday:

WADA issued a statement Wednesday saying that Fahey's remarks had been misinterpreted. The agency said the drug can be detected because Roche and accredited sport-doping laboratories worked with the agency early.

"WADA received the molecule well in advance and was able to develop ways to detect it, including through the current EPO detection method," the agency said in the statement.

So apparently no stealth molecule in the CERA drug allowing detection.  A good idea not implemented.

Is something up with Frank and Andy Schleck? (Frank was Tour de France leader)

[Update: the Schleck's father was released when no doping apparatus was found]

This report from The Earth Times:

Paris - Customs agents have begun a search of the car belonging to the father of Tour de France riders Frank and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, the web site of the daily L'Equipe reported Thursday. According to the report, the car belonging to Johnny Schleck, who works for one of the Tour sponsors, was targeted by customs police and taken away to be searched.

The Schleck brothers, who both ride for the Danish Team CSC, have been very prominent on the 2008 Tour de France. Frank wore the race leader's yellow jersey for two stages before losing it to teammate Carlos Sastre on Wednesday. He currently stands second, 1 minute 24 seconds behind Sastre.

Andy Schleck has been a powerful force in the mountain stages, and is currently the leading rider on the Tour under 25 years of age. Observers have already tabbed him as a certain future Tour de France champion. Team CSC was one of the first teams to implement an internal anti- doping programme. It is run by an outside scientist who carries out unannounced year-round tests on team members.

Daily Steroid Dose

1.  How will the MLB Hall of Fame look after the Steroid Era?  (The Guardian)

2.  Who is trustworthy in sports today?  (Sun-Sentinel)

3.  Coaches in Louisiana want control over their high school players to keep them away from 'roids.  (Daily World)

4.  New book examines professional cycling's dope masters.  (New Statesman)

5.  St Petersburg FL officers having problems, including steroid use.  (inRich.com)

WADA traps Tour de France drug cheats with stealth EPO/CERA molecule

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh, WADA is lips sealed on this, but leaks say that Tour de France EPO drug cheat Riccardo Ricco fell to a stealth molecule attached to the drug by the manufacturer (Roche).  The new EPO preparation  -- CERA, a pegylated version of EPO  -- appears to have a trojan horse embedded somewhere that can be detected in WADA labs.  And WADA isn't telling what or how -- and we bet lawyers will be suing.

The Sydney Morning News is outing CERA.

A MOLECULE was the undoing of Tour de France drug cheat Ricardo Ricco, World Anti-Doping Agency chief John Fahey revealed yesterday.

Fahey said the war on drugs was stepping up, with WADA uniting with drug manufacturers to trap cheats. Italian rider Ricco, who had won stages six and nine of the Tour, tested positive for the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO). It's believed Ricco thought there was no test for the red-cell booster he was using called Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator (CERA).

A molecule placed in the drug during its manufacture caught Ricco out last week, and Fahey said that more cheats would be sprung like this.

"I can't tell you the details of how he was detected," Fahey told ABC Radio. "[But] I can indicate the particular substance is called CERA … which is a perfectly legitimate substance to deal with anaemia.

Interesting data; however we can see legal challenges coming down the pike.  How can one be convicted on evidence that is not public?  Is this the secret doping police?

"In the development of that particular substance close cooperation occurred between WADA and the pharmaceutical company Roche Pharmaceuticals so that there was a molecule placed in the substance well in advance that was always going to be able to be detected once a test was undertaken."

Fahey said it was likely more drug companies and scientists would co-operate to ensure drug cheats across all sports would be caught.

"There's more and more of this occurring," he said.

"The more co-operation the scientists can have with the drug companies in the detection of performance-enhancing drugs the greater the likelihood is they will be detected when tests are undertaken."

OK, the stealth molecule catches drug cheats, but shouldn't an athlete have due process including information and data about the evidence against him?  Will the stealth EPO test show up in the Olympics?

Daily Steroids injection

1.  Doped up Tour de France cheat Ricco tried to flee dope testers. (Can you blame him?)  (SI)

2.  THe University of Utah improves testosterone dope testing.  (Daily Utah Chronicle)

3.  Arizona might not let you dope up your greyhounds.  (KOLD)

4.  On-going task of finding the golden witness in the Roger Clemens investigation.  (NY Times)

5.  Big stash of drugs uncovered in Bakersfield.  (KERO 23)

6. Louisville man and wife indicted for steroid sales.  (her unfortunate name: Krystal Knuckles) (WHAS)

Daily Steroids Injection

If the news isn't about Brett Favre it's about Dara Torres.  Good review of her career. (Orange County Register)

2.  South Africa remember a drug-riddled Marco Pantani, Riccardo Ricco's idol.  (IOL)

3.  Ricco remembers Floyd Landis;  doubts the validity of the EPO test.  (The Guardian)

4.  The New York Times picks up on suspicions about Jamaican runners.  (NY Times)

5.  Missouri's swimmer Max Jaben could be in trouble with the NCAA because of positive drug test.  (Swimming News)

Spain linked to 2008 Tour de France doping cases: Moises Duenas arraigned; Implicated doctor in doping

The Scotsman explores the 3 doping cases (actually 4) by linking them to Spain, home of Operational Puerto's infamy a fews Tours back.

What links all three doping cases – four if you include Piepoli, though he has not tested positive – is Spain. Beltran and Duenas are Spanish; Piepoli and Ricco ride for a Spanish team.

It was Spain, too, where Operacion Puerto, the blood doping investigation that came to public attention in 2006, was centred. It concerned a blood doping ring based in Madrid, with bags of blood recovered from a flat, reportedly belonging to around 200 athletes. The doctor at the centre of the ring, Eufemiano Fuentes, was linked to footballers, tennis players and athletes (his wife is Cristina Perez, the Spanish 400 metres hurdles record holder), as well as around fifty cyclists.

Previously, he had been chief club doctor at Las Palmas, but he left his position when syringes containing EPO were discovered in the team's dressing room.

Duenas possessed quite the doping arsenal:

Though Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich were high profile casualties of Operacion Puerto, rumours have continued about other top riders, some of them riding this year's Tour. Indeed, most agree that unless it is re-opened, Operacion Puerto will continue to be a malignant shadow, stalking the sport.

David Millar, who lives in Girona, and last year rode for Saunier Duval, has described Spain as "the wild west" as far as doping is concerned. Pat McQuaid, the International Cycling Union (UCI) president, has also suggested that the doping culture remains most deeply ingrained in Spain.

And the links to Operation Puerto:

Duenas appeared before a French court in Tarbes on Thursday, where he was charged with the "use and possession of plants and poisonous substances." The prosecutor, Gerard Aldige, described the stash of products recovered from the Spaniard's hotel room as a "small pharmacy," containing "syringes, needles and blood bags (and] a multitude of other products, in liquid and sachet form."

According to Velo News, the Spanish doctor involved in Jesus Losa:

Spanish rider Moises Duenas, kicked out of the Tour de France, has blamed a Spanish doctor for his positive test for the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO), the daily El Pais reported on Saturday.

Duenas, who was charged with "use and possession of poisonous substances" before a court at Tarbes, southwestern France on Thursday, had claimed that the products were sold to him by Spanish doctor Jesus Losa.

But the former Euskaltel-Euskadi team doctor denied "ever providing Duenas with prohibited products" and was ready to testify as such.

El Pais said that Losa's name came up several years ago in connection with Scottish rider David Millar and the Cofidis doping affair, but he was never questioned.

Barloworld rider Duenas is one of three cyclists to fail a drugs test during this year's Tour de France along with compatriot Manuel Beltran of Liquigas and Italy's Riccardo Riccò of Saunier-Duval.

Daily Steroids Dose (and EPO Tour Special)

1.  Why so cynical?  It's only the Tour de France.  WADA boss John Fahey says it's a game of spot the cheat.  (The Age)

2.  South African conglomerate Barloworld dropping cycling team.  (LA Times)

3.  Aussie cycling team Credit Agricole may be pulling out due to the drug cheats.  (SMH)

4.  Vroemen may be cut from Olympic team because of doping violation.  (Sign on San Diego)

5.  This lawyer gets USA dopers off the hook.  (WaPo)

6.  Bioengineering the perfect athlete.  (SLAM)

Tour de France dope quatro: Leonardo Piepoli sacked from the 2008 Tour by team; Ricco in jail

Looking for the Re-testing Tour de France link (17-Sept-2008)? Go here: link.  Sorry but this link was given incorrectly to a site.  The other link heads to the Tour de France re-testing post.

Older story below:

________________________________________

Number four -- and counting -- gone from the 2008 Tour de France.  This time veteran cyclist Leonardo Piepoli ended up sacked by his team Suanier Duval-Scott for ethics violations, in conjunction with the doping violation of teammate Riccardo Ricco.  Ricco checked out a room in jail last night.  To Cycling News:

Riccardo Riccò and Leonardo Piepoli have both been fired by Saunier Duval-Scott for "doping practices", the team announced Friday. Team spokesman David Garcia told Reuters: "[Team manager]  Mauro Gianetti has lost faith in them and he decided to fire them from the team. They have been fired for doping practices."

The news follows Riccò's failed test for a third generation form of the blood boosting drug EPO and the team's subsequent departure from the Tour de France on Thursday morning.  Riccò spent Thursday night behind bars at a police station in Mirepoix, while the Saunier Duval bus was stopped and searched around 17.30 local time as it made its way from the race.

Riccò appeared in court in Foix on Friday morning to face charges relating to his failed test. The possession and use of banned substances is illegal under French law.

Piepoli, the winner of stage 10 to Hautacam, is not reported to have failed a drugs test, but the team decided to fire him after conducting an internal investigation. "[Gianetti] did a personal investigation and consequently lost faith in Riccò but also in Piepoli because of a violation of the team's ethics code," read a team statement.

This could be the wrong link.  Looking for the Retesting on the Tour story -- go here.

The new variation of EPO is known as CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activator; trade name = Micera).  WADA was ahead of the testing curve on this drug.

Ricco's mother will not be happy about this next next part.

"All our riders gave us guarantees that they were clean," the statement added. "Riccò swore on his mother's head that he had never turned to illegal substances or means to improve his performance. Despite all the efforts made both internally and from outside the team we have failed to avoid this deplorable situation. We are the victims of the deceitful behaviour of those who put our sponsors' investments and the jobs of so many honest people at risk with the loathsome purpose of improving their cycling performance."

Thierry Leroy, a spokesman for title sponsor Saunier Duval, told French radio station RTL that the company would seriously consider its future investment in the cycling team. "It is highly probable that we will pull out of sponsoring cycling following this affair," said         Leroy.

He added that Saunier Duval would be prepared to launch legal action against the team if proof was found of organised doping practices.

CERA is a new form of EPO; apparently the riders thought that the EPO attached to polyethylene glycol would not be detectable.  Wrong.

Ode Magazine piece misses the mark on doping

A piece in Ode Magazine starts off asking about the role of society vis a vis the Tour de France doping.  Unfortunately by the third paragraph the article drifted astray -- way astray.

If a conclusion is drawn it should be ascertained from the valid data preceding it.  Let's take a look:

I just read the news about the third doping case at this year's Tour de France: Italian rider Riccardo Ricco has tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO. And of course, as it happens so often with sportsmen who are associated with artificial performance-enhancing measures, Ricco was "booed by spectators when he was taken off the Saunier-Duval team bus by police Thursday," the AP report said.

Poor Ricco! I don't think using drugs was such a great idea, but I do feel we need to ask ourselves some serious questions before we condemn him. After all, in the rest of society, performance-boosters have become increasingly commonplace.

OK, now here it comes, the litany of horrible pharmaceutics:

* People take Prozac so they can better manage psychological pressure. * Students take Ritalin to improve their grades. * Middle-aged men take Viagra to spice up their sex lives. * Shy people take Paxil so they can handle social situations. * Writers, musicians and other artists take other stimulants to stand out in their fields.

Cliche list.  Inaccurate information.

• Prozac is not prescribed 'to manage psychological pressure'.  Fluoxetine is prescribed for mood disorders, anxiety disorders like OCD, Autism, and other medical disorders. The key is 'disorder'. The diagnosis 'psychological pressure' will never be found in a medical record.
• Students do not take Ritalin to improve their grades.  Methylphenidate is prescribed for patients with ADHD to ameliorate inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.  An improvement in grades may be a benefit with the appropriate work effort.
• Middle aged men do not take Viagra 'to spice up their sex lives'  (what an incredibly insensitive remark).  Viagra is used for impotence -- the inability to achieve an erection.  "Spice up".  Yeah, We suppose crutches are used by amputees to beat the airport rush.
• Shy people take Paxil so they can handle social situations.   There's an example of an egregious abuse of drugs. huh?  Patients with social anxiety are clearly cheating the system and should simply stay isolated at home.
• Writers etc. tale stimulants to stand out in their field.   Huh?  Ok, you lost us at 'stand'

Seems this writer distorts medicine, or twists medical treatments to support a illogical argument that EPO abusers like Manuel Beltran is paying for the sins of the Prozac Society.

And Marion Jones took insulin mimicking those horrible diabetes who inject insulin so they can eat pizza...

In modern society, athletes have become heroes. Sports stars aren’t so much role models for society as reflections of it, albeit reflections with exceptional talent. Athletes take performance-enhancing substances mainly as a consequence of our sky-high expectations and the huge commercial interests involved.

Ultimately they are part of the same achievement-oriented society we are, in which he use of stimulants has become normal. The appropriate response is not moral outrage, but a relaxing of the enormous pressure we put on them: Just do your best, kid. That’s all you can do.

OK, we understand the conclusions; however please present preceding arguments developed to support the conclusions rather than a roll call of popular press target medications.

PEDs, and medicines are simply molecules.  Molecules are not evil.  The use or abuse of the molecules is the issue.

Strike trois at the Tour de France: Riccardo Ricco tests positive for EPO

Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco's claim of a high blood count not withstanding, became the third rider to test for dope at the 2008 Tour de France.  Following reports of a high hematocrit last week (blood level) Ricco said the Tour knew he was naturally loaded with blood.  Looks like he was unnaturally loaded with EPO too. The Tour de France is a race simply addicted to performance enhancing drugs.

To Sporting Life:

Riccardo Ricco, the wearer of the polka dot jersey at the Tour de France, has tested positive for EPO, according to French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

The 24-year-old Italian, won two mountain stages in this year's Tour, at Super-Besse and Bagneres de Bigorre, and holds a 12-point lead in the King of the Mountains competition.

Ricco also came second in this year's Giro d'Italia, and is considered the next great climber in the sport.

Looks like the French police will be busy too:

The Italian rider, who has been detained by French police after being removed from the Saunier-Duval team bus, becomes the third rider to test positive for EPO at this year's Tour after Moises Duenas Nevado and Manuel Beltran.

The French anti-doping authority confirmed Ricco's positive test related to the fourth stage of the Tour, the Cholet time-trial.

"It's for the same product as the other two," Pierre Bordry, president of the French anti-doping agency, said in quotes reported on the BBC Sport website.

Ricco's team packed up the suitcases to head home after the positive test.

Ricco's Saunier-Duval team later announced their withdrawal from the race in the wake of his positive test.

The move will come a surprise to many after Beltran's Liquigas team and Duenas Nevado's Barloworld team continued despite the transgressions of their riders.

Ricco's team-mate Juan Jose Cobo told L'Equipe: "If this [Ricco's test] is confirmed, it is terrible news for the team."

Saunier-Duval's withdrawal will spell the end for the likes of Cobo and Leonardo Piepoli, who won the 10th stage from Pau to Hautacam.

Moises Dueñas's situation at 2008 Tour deteriorates further after positive EPO test: Arrested for doping

Spanish cyclist Moisés Dueñas Nevado finds himself in a bit of trouble after a positive test for EPO in the 2008 Tour de France.  Nevado's plight involves the police -- in Franc doping is consider against criminal law -- and drugs discovered in his hotel room.

First the hotel room.  From The Guardian:

The news of Dueñas's positive was quickly followed by the arrival of about 40 French police officers at his team's hotel in Tarbes, with the 27-year old taken away for questioning while a two-hour search of his hotel room was conducted. Later his team, Barloworld, confirmed that banned substances had been discovered. "These medicines were absolutely not supplied or prescribed by the team doctor," said a spokesman.

That's not good.  The manager of Nevado's team needed to engage in some quick talking:

The priority for the team's manager, Claudio Corti, was to convince the Tour organisation that the team had nothing to do with it. "We're absolutely stunned by [Dueñas's] behaviour," said Corti. "He seems to have secretly used banned substances, hiding everything from everybody in the team." Barloworld, whose two British riders, Geraint Thomas and Steve Cummings, are not riding the Tour, were allowed to remain in the race.

Now for the arrest: The Independent:

(The police) had come to arrest the Barloworld rider as doping is a criminal offence   in France, and Dueñas Nevado could face up to five years in prison and a £60,000 fine. Barloworld officials talked manically into their mobiles in the lobby while knots of bleary-eyed journalists staying in the hotel exchanged rumours about who had been arrested. It felt oddly like a hold-up with no hostages and no kidnappers. "Go in, go out, but don't stand here," one gendarme snapped.

The rider was bundled out of the back door and in just 90 minutes, the whole operation was over. The police disappeared in a swirl of sirens, leaving the hotel staff to field questions from late-arriving camera crews.

Very dramatic.   Imagine if the police arrested Carolina Panthers football players for doping at halftime of the Superbowl?  Then again, that might have made a significant statement against steroids and HGH use in USA professional sports.

Nevado is the second Spaniard arrested at the 2008 Tour; Manuel Beltran -- an ex-teammate of Lance Armstrong -- was arrested by French police last week.

More on Lance Armstrong adventures (or not) in doping

There sure are a plethora of anecdotes out there about Armstrong's use of doping agents.  We recently referred to Andreus' eye witness account of the admission of steroids, HGH, and EPO.

1.  Emma O'Reilly, formerly Armstrong's personal masseuse, talks about syringes and pills here.

2.  Kathy Lemond, wife of 3-time Tour winner Greg Lemond  "is also quoted at length about threats that Armstrong allegedly made to him because he had spread doubts about Armstrong's victories in the Tour".

Armstrong and Lemond have had 'words', too.

3.  David Walsh alleges:

London Times writer David Walsh revealed that Armstrong was consulting with Dr. Michele Ferrari, who is currently on trial in Italy for allegedly helping cyclists dope, LeMond was characteristically blunt. "If it's true, then [Armstrong's Tour wins] are the greatest fraud in cycling," he said at the time.

4.  And the recent statements by the Andreus.

However Armstrong has hit back hard too (one example).

We have a couple reactions:
1.  Those are may accusations from high level people.  Either something is up, or that guy has made alot of enemies.
2.  It would be nice to get 'the truth'.
2.  Wouldn't it be great to have things black and white -- either eliminate doping from various sports, or go ahead and allow these drugs under a physicians supervision.

Frankie Andreus: Not running yellow on Lance Armstrong doping

I heard it myself.  During a rather boring episode on NPR's 'All Things Considered' about the Tour de France, in which we were discussing a yellow jersey, and blood flow in someone's hip (yawn), the question was popped.  The NPR correspondent out of nowhere asked the TdF commentator Frankie Andreus if he is standing by his story about Armstrong revealing to doctors his use of steroids, HGH, and EPO.

Comments "I 100% stand by my what I said in the testimony...I was subpoenaed under a court of law....I went in and spoke truthfully"

That's no Barry Bonds 'flax seed oil', or Mark McGwire "not here to discuss the past' statement.  That is a 100% forceful response.

Listen here.

Andreus is not a lightweight.  He has a pretty stout resume. 

Listen up, people!

Doping charges Against Armstrong Keep Cycling

How many Tours de Alleged Steroids does Lance Armstrong have to face?  Charges of performance enhancing drug (PED) use seem to be linked to him like the back peddler in a bicycle built for two.

The current controversy started in Europe (found here: European Story on Armstrong ), but have spread to USA sources like NPR.

Briefly the story goes like this:

Armstrong was at the Univ of Indiana Medical Center for treatment of testicular CA.  Friends of his were in the room when a physician(s) asked about PED.  Some friends heard Armstrong admit to a history of those agents, while others didn't (although that is even controversial; see the NPR story).

Where did this testimony surface?  According to NPR:

The case involving all this sworn testimony grew out of a lawsuit Armstrong filed in 2004. He sued a company, called SCA, that had promised in a contract to pay Armstrong a $5 million bonus if he won his sixth straight Tour de France in 2004. He did win, but SCA withheld the bonus after new doping allegations against Armstrong surfaced that same year.

The testimony, from a former friend of Armstrong's - Betsy Andreu - apparently occurred in a Michigan court, during the legal proceedings, initiated by Armstrong.  She was under oath.

QUESTION: And what is it Mr. Armstrong said in response to the doctor asking him about use of performance-enhancing drugs?
ANDREU: I don't know how the doctor phrased the question, but Lance's response was that he had taken EPO and testosterone and growth hormone and cortisone.
QUESTION: Did he say when he had taken these drugs?
ANDREU: ....when the doctor proposed the question, he said, 'Have you taken anything in the past or previous?' So obviously, it was sometime before that point.
QUESTION: Were you surprised when Mr. Armstrong said he had taken those various performance-enhancing drugs?
ANDREU: Yeah. I was surprised.

Armstrong's primary physician, at the time, denies that Armstrong admitted to him a use of PED.  However, Armstrong apparently took several of these drugs during treatment of the testicular CA.

I see several issues here:

1.  The nature of overhearing a patient's history, then how this episode is presented through the years.  Mrs. Andreu may indeed have heard Armstrong say he took cortisone, HGH, testosterone, and EPO.  It may be quite possible Armstrong was describing his medical treatments for CA.

2.  Armstrong saying the hospital episode didn't happen.  Then Mr. Andreu testifying that Armstrong called him up to discuss the incident.  This is all weird.  First, if Armstrong took those drugs, they might well have been prescribed by his physicians.  Second, that sounds like a more plausible explanation than saying the episode didn't happen.  Now, the story gets twisted with lying under oath, further questions about he said, she said, etc. etc.

3.  And moreover, it has to be noted that the media continues to be fascinated by the use of PED by sports stars.  Why?  What is the underlying dynamic here?  (I have theories, but I want other ideas too).

What if Armstrong took PED?  Did he take those as part of a medical treatment, or were they intended to give him an advantage in competition.  Huge difference.

It is highly unlikely any PED would be linked to Armstrong's testicular CA.  More likely genetics are involved (but I don't know that for sure).  Thus Armstrong's recovery from CA is a remarkable story that stands on it's own.

Although doping testing present many many problems, it seems that athletic competitions, and competitors must do everything  they can, in this environment, to assure the public that the competitors are PED free.  Otherwise continued nagging questions about PED occur.

Sport has been contaminated by athletes who use PED for their advantage.  Sport has been tainted.  It will take some time for the public confidence, and the media focus, to abate.