TUEs - legalised drug taking in Sport?

Rocker

The recent revelations about sports participants usage of TUEs is alarming IMHO.  The usual 'explanation' is trotted out:  'This was about putting myself back on a level playing field'.  Absolute and total nonsense.  We are talking about sport.  In sports the bigger, faster, stronger etc. you are, the more likely you are to win.  Simple as that.

Nobody has the right to a level playing field.  If that were the case, Usain Bolt would run 103 metres instead of 100 metres as he is the fastest man in the world. [To give everyone else a chance, the level playing field].  Rory McIlroy or Justin Rose would be limited to using a 3 wood off the tee as they can hit driver further than most of the other players. [To give everyone else a chance, the level playing field].  And so on.  If a player is injured for a Major event, tough.  If a player has a medical condition, again tough. This is Sport.  The fastest, longest, highest, quickest etc.  If a player has a medical condition and wins (clean), then fair play.  He is a true champion and will be celebrated for the achievement.

But the use of TUEs - NO.....

octatonic

It is a huge problem in UFC as well.

ThePrettyDamned

I must admit, I don't know where I stand on this. 

I mean, having a puff for asthma is one thing, but steroid injections? Does that mean regular asthma attacks being staved off? If so, does it still instil an unfair advantage? 

There needs to be real research - or a crack down on the rules - with no regards to people's feelings or money. I don't think that'll happen so research it is... 

octatonic

ThePrettyDamned said:

I must admit, I don't know where I stand on this. 

I mean, having a puff for asthma is one thing, but steroid injections? Does that mean regular asthma attacks being staved off? If so, does it still instil an unfair advantage? 

There needs to be real research - or a crack down on the rules - with no regards to people's feelings or money. I don't think that'll happen so research it is... 

I have asthma- it is quite bad- I'v been hospitalised several times in the past.
I've never had to have steroid injections though- the inhaler works quite well.

I reckon it is mostly a dodge around the rules.

thermionic

There's clearly some abuse going on here. When I was at school, I felt sorry for the couple of kids in my year who had asthma and inhalers. They had an illness, and couldn't run around the football field like the rest of us. Now it seems every top-level cyclist has asthma!

Heartfeltdawn

thermionic said:

There's clearly some abuse going on here. When I was at school, I felt sorry for the couple of kids in my year who had asthma and inhalers. They had an illness, and couldn't run around the football field like the rest of us. Now it seems every top-level cyclist has asthma!

Which makes sense when you look at studies into asthma rates and connecting that ti vehicle exhaust emissions. What other sport features so much practice and training on public roads? 

littlegreenman

I reckon it is as it's always been. "All" top level athletes compete on a "level playing field", and that includes skirting around the use of "potentially performance enhancing" drugs/ supplements used under TUE. They all do it, and complain when they get caught out where others don't.

Historically, from Lance Armstrong's last Tour de France "victory", 18 of the top 20 from that year's Tour have had retrospective bans for substance abuse. I'm still of a mind to give Cadel Evans a pass as he was the only Tour rider in recent history to look like he was about to die at the end of every stage as opposed to coasting in after 200Km. So I'd say his TdeF Maillot Jaune is probably the most legit in recent times.

I love cycling and the racing, but I'm not about to defend my sport just because I don't like the accusations.

However, if the UCI, WADA, the team and their associated consultant physicians all agree, then a TUE exemption is what it is. And the results for that athlete should stand.

 

Jez6345789

It's just another way of bending the rules.
most asthma sufferers carry an inhaler some use it daily or as required.

but hey if your a pro athlete they can give you an injection just at race time not every week or month just when you race.

i got stuck between two club cyclists arguing over team sky's win.

one reckoned for all the hype of micro improvement strategy that was just spin to put people off the scent that they had found a new molecule or regime.

the other was a full on believer in micro improvements.

for a guy who rides as a way to keep a bit fitter the Lycra brigade were pretty much going at it like Chelsea and arsenal fans .

ultimately your a world class athlete or you are just like the rest of us. Wiggins loses my vote as the drug is not something used when not racing all a bit to conveniant.

frankly all sport needs to clean up its act

Heartfeltdawn

What is the prevalence of asthma among elite sportspeople?

In terms of the research we have done, around 21 per cent of the British Olympic team were using an inhaler. It’s higher in sports with a high aerobic element such as cycling and swimming. Some reports suggest that around 40 per cent of British Olympic cyclists use an inhaler, and it’s similar in other sports that have a high ventilatory requirement.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/comment/whats-deal-asthma-pro-cycling-223300

So it's hardly a small amount. 

littlegreenman

Jez6345789 said:

frankly all sport needs to clean up its act

Yeppers.

Mkjackary

Don't blame people for bending the rules, blame people for not making rules stringent enough.

What I heard on the news stories were that there hasn't been any *proof* of a link between the steroid Wiggins took and a performance increase (besides reducing the effects of asthma. If you didn't have asthma it wouldn't improve anything), but that could mostly be due to lack of proper research. 
Not sure if that is true, it was on the BBC I believe.

Jez6345789

I had a look at Cycling week article which was not exactly unbiased. And avoids the fact that Wiggins et al were getting shots not inhalers so there is certainly a good chance it was getting to muscles.

ultimately the high prevalence of asthma and the need for treatment in top aerobic sports via TUEs shows exactly what is wrong with sport. In that they train athletes to beyond the limits of function of the human body so making the athlete ill.
Then administer a steroid to help the body deal better with the situation. 

To to me that's just a legalised way of doping that and Wiggins was only getting shots a lot of time pre race. So all through his obvious gruelling training regime where he would of been doing types of exercise to push his body and work rate to the limit he was fine.

more you read into it the more it stinks.

Gassage

I have mixed feelings as I have been through this myself.

I've been fortunate enough to play FC rugby (158 games) and Minor County cricket (Shropshire) and I am asthmatic from the age of 3.

I use Ventolin and occassionally, when bad, I will use the Flixotide - but because it's a steroid I prefer not to, although equally, I realise this is counter productive against medical advice.

My asthma is brought on by allergy and damp, not excercise.

From the implementation of test in rugby (89 IIRC) and MC Cricket (87 IIRC) random testing takes place- in each instance by drawing a ball out of a bag post game, or in cricket, end of play each day.

I had a Doc's note from day 1 regarding inhalers, and, as someone that relies upon them, I am protective re the TUE rules.

In international rugby, Austin Healey is a chronic asthmatic and Aus wouldn't have ever completed a game without his ventolin. Ditto Gary Mabbutt. a chronic diabetic in Soccer.

I've been tested 4 or 5 times, but each time you produce a doc's note  (MEC- Medical Exemption Cert), which must be less than a year old. It is a simple process, you piss in 2 bottles and that's that. If they call you bakc they have the right to ask for another urine sample or a blood sample (which legally you can refuse - but under the gov body, RFU or PRL, you have to provide a sample of some sort otherwise you get canned anyway.

However, even back as far as 1989, and bear in mind rugby is far more cardiovascular than cricket, I recall non-reliant teammates asking 'for a go on your inhaler' at half time and kick off. I'm hardly going to say no am I? But in  retrospect that's clearly cheating from them.

I bent the rules a tad by using my Gran's nebulaiser a couple of hours before KO- it helps get salbutomol in the system and made a huge difference to my endurance. It wasn't prescribed for me, but as all it did was pump salbutamol, the authorities had no way of knowing- I was just using a different and more effective vehicle for taking it.

Banning all TUE's would mean the Paralympics would cease to exist as the guidance covers things like prosthetic limbs and other things for disability.

So I totally support TUE"s but I can see the way to bend the rules- the answer may be to either insist that the exemption cert comes from a GP or an independent panel of experts for each ailment.

I do believe the TUE programme is essential; I also believe it's easy to abuse it.

Footnote:

I know of 2 county cricketers, one a test player, that got done for 3 months for failing to produce. Both were massive recreational drug users. One in particular scaled the drainpipe at Lords when the testers were looking for him!!

The irony here is few of the smaller authorties test for weed as it's a layer of extra cost- but they do for amphets, notably Ephidrene. We all knew about the weed thing (!)

Both of the cricketers were left arm spinners which underines my view that all SLA spinners are totally nuts.

roundthebend

I'm a cycling fan and, though not a fan of Wiggins "The Celebrity", I do respect his achievements. The recent revelations have made me question that.

Here's a line of thought that makes me curious. If his asthma is that bad that he needs medical help beyond what most people do, then how did he get as far in the sport in the early days? There will have been a time when he was a young, promising cyclist, but he would have struggled against non-asthma sufferers. Unless, of course, his asthma wasn't that bad. Does asthma get worse over time, or as you do more cardio training?

It's very suspicious.

Gassage

roundthebend said:

I'm a cycling fan and, though not a fan of Wiggins "The Celebrity", I do respect his achievements. The recent revelations have made me question that.

Here's a line of thought that makes me curious. If his asthma is that bad that he needs medical help beyond what most people do, then how did he get as far in the sport in the early days? There will have been a time when he was a young, promising cyclist, but he would have struggled against non-asthma sufferers. Unless, of course, his asthma wasn't that bad. Does asthma get worse over time, or as you do more cardio training?

It's very suspicious.

I'd be far more suspicious if he was pumping Ventolin.

He uses FLixotide as a preventer. That offers little immediate enhancement and has no effect on a healthy person really (well it does, but they'd be negative- weight gain, yeasty mouth and slower recovery on soft tissue injuries.

rainer2859

Just reading The Death Of Marco Pantani, it will make you question the achievments of any elite cyclist, it's impossible to see how they can compete at the highest level without some form of help.

Snap

Theres been quite a lot of research done on steroid use and performance enhancement. the link is debatable. And also it depends on what you use. Whereas the links between usage of other banned substances and hormones are very clear. EPO for example. Also, it depends on the sport as well.

TUE though - it looks ever so blurry to me. Wiggins didn't break the rules, but it doesn't feel right, as a set of rules. Everyone would benefit from clearing up any ambiguities where possible,

Blaendulais

Sorry Triamcinolone used only in severe asthmatics with no response or poor responses other meds. That means difficulty functioning or frequent admissions. It doesnt mean pre Tour de France. It is purely CHEATING!!!! Especially since Brailsford criticises other teams.  Taking 10 days to make a statement smacks of lawyers trying desperately to come up with something.  Very let down by by Bradley

Jez6345789

I just want to say to Gassage I did not mean to be harsh as TUE's were designed exactly for players like yourself a virtual lifelong asthmatic who wants and can play sport at a level beyond the average kick about in the park at the weekend.

Mr Wiggins and the sport of cycling and I am sure others have found a loophole and are exploiting it. It's all too conviniant getting a steroid injection before a big race.

BigLicks67

Maybe this is what Sir Dave means by 'marginal gains'.

@Blaendualis it's not cheating if it is sanctioned by both the UCI and WADA, if there is a fault then it lies with those organisations.

CabbageCat

It not fair that those disabled tennis players get wheelchairs.