Dr. Bryan Smith, the administrator of the Major League Baseball (MLB) anti-doping program, published a report summarizing the positive doping test results from the 2008 anti-doping samples. The big news was not the number of doping protocol positives for steroids (only five) or amphetamines, but the number of therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) that allow MLB players to use testosterone, Adderall, etc. Three players were presumably permitted to use testosterone because they were diagnosed with hypogonadism and 106 players were permitted to use stimulant drugs like Adderall because they were diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) (”Report: Amphetamines still in play in MLB,” January 9).
Meanwhile, 106 players filed paperwork with the league claiming to have ADD, excusing themselves from punishment if a laboratory encountered signs of Adderall in their samples. [...]
There were five positives for clobenzorex, the proper name for greenies, in this most recent sampling. Only five samples were positive for muscle-building drugs, including two positives for androstenedione and one each for the steroids nandrolone, stanozolol, and testosterone.
Other TUEs were issued for hypertension (3), hypogonadism (3), post-concussion syndrome (1) and metabolic myopathy (1).
Clearly, athletes should be given the same medical care available to the rest of the population. But the use of TUEs is controversial in drug-tested sports because many people question whether the athletes really need the medications for therapeutic reasons or are simply looking for a way to circumvent anti-doping rules.
Rugby player Scott MacLeod produced an elevated testosterone to epitestosterone (T/E) ratio in a recent anti-doping test but Scottish Rugby dropped the doping charge after they determined that the elevated testosterone ratio was caused by drinking excess alcohol (”MacLeod doping charge is dropped,” November 24).
Gregor Nicholson, Scottish Rugby’s international administration manager, said: “It has been a long and frustrating case for Scott MacLeod, some aspects of which demonstrate an urgent need for a review of T/E (the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone) protocols and whether A samples should be routinely analysed for the existence of alcohol, ultimately by WADA but also by UK Sport.
“Scottish Rugby is also making representations to the International Rugby Board in relation to how the IRB’s anti-doping regulations (and therefore our own anti-doping regulations) deal with the complicated and uncertain nature of such cases.
“Until then, all players who are subject to doping control, including out-of-competition unannounced testing, should take heed of the very real danger of acute alcohol ingestion causing a temporary elevation of their T/E level, to the extent that they could face having to formally explain, to a legal standard, the reason for the finding in order to avoid a doping charge.”
Of course, cyclist Floyd Landis also had an elevated testosterone-epitestosterone ratio but was unable to get the charged dismissed after spending millions of dollars and presenting testimony from scientific experts.
Many feel that UK Sport’s ruling does not comply with the WADA Anti-Doping Code. WADA plans to appeal the decision allowing MacLeod to continue playing.
Former track star and former world’s fastest man Tim Montgomery admitted to the use of testosterone and human growth hormone prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. Montgomery received a gold medal for running for the 4×100 relay team during preliminary heats; he did not run the 4×100 finals at the Olympics (”IOC ready to investigate Montgomery’s doping,” November 24).
“I have a gold medal that I’m sitting on that I didn’t get with my own ability,” Montgomery said. “I’m not here to take away from anybody else’s accomplishments, only my own. And I must say, I apologize to the other people that was on the relay team if that was to happen.”
The International Olympic Committee is preparing to investigate the allegation. However, it appears unlikely that other athletes running on the 2000 Sydney Olympic 4×100 relay team will be forced to relinquish their gold medals based on the precedent set by Jerome Young case. … Read the rest of this entry »
The attorney for NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Marino has alleged that the New York Police Department (NYPD) illegally obtained the names of cops on steroids from the Lowen’s Compounding Pharmacy customer list that was subpoenaed by by an Albany County grand jury (”Chief in cop ‘roids case out to nix info,” November 21).
Lawyer Michael Shapiro claims the roster was originally obtained by an Albany County grand jury through a subpoena and that the NYPD investigators did not have the legal grounds to access it. “The NYPD investigator did not have sufficient cause to obtain it from a grand jury that - by law in New York State - is secret,” said Shapiro, who believes that the motion could lead to the dismissal of the charges against Marino.
NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau investigated 27 cops for improperly obtaining steroids based on the Lowen’s Pharmacy list; in addition, they passed on the names of dozens of other cops on steroids to the Jersey City Police Department.
The Albany County grand jury was convened as part of the compounding pharmacy steroid scandal investigation spearheaded by District Attorney David Soares. The case against Signature Pharmacy was dismissed due to prosecutorial incompetence. But this did not stop the leaking of several names of famous athletes and entertainers implicated with steroid use during the course of David Soares’ Signature Pharmacy investigation.
Deputy Chief Michael Marino admits to having used a testosterone gel (obtained from Lowen’s Pharmacy); but claims his use of testosterone was as part of a legitimate testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) protocol. But Marino refused to accept departmental punishment that would dock him 30 days pay and place him on one year probation; he has chosen to defend himself in a departmental trial.
MacLeod’s A sample showed a level greater than the WADA permitted figure of four to one, sparking an investigation.
If his B sample – the urine is put into two separate containers and sealed by the tester in the presence of the athlete after he or she produces their sample – backs up the initial finding, which is normally the case, MacLeod faces the prospect of another appearance before Scottish disciplinary chiefs.
Scott MacLeod’s testosterone to epitestosterone ratio was elevated similar to Tour de Franc winner Floyd Landis. Also, MacLeod, like Landis, is determined to prove a physiological explanation for the elevated ratio. … Read the rest of this entry »
Tommy Herzog also tested positive for doping with testosterone.
“The fact is, and this is the biggest blow for me, I’ve lost my job, which I loved more than anything else,” the 31-year-old Herzog, who won silver in two-man bob at the 2007 World Championships, said on his Web site.
ESPN writer Shaun Assael explains that the performance enhancing benefits of anabolic steroids are not limited to bodybuilders and powerlifters or athletes where strength and size are important. He informs us why steroids are advantageous for endurance athletes like cylists whose bodyweights are among the lightest of all professional athletes.
The Big Think article discusses the 2008 Tour de France where three riders have tested positive for the banned blood booster Epogen (EPO) and/or CERA and were disqualified from the Tour. But EPO and CERA are NOT anabolic steroids!
There has not been any news arising from the 2008 Tour de France to suggest that there is a current problem with anabolic steroids. Yet the “Big Think” article does not distinguish between cyclists using EPO and cyclists using anabolic steroids. Is “Big Think” aware that EPO is not an anabolic steroid?! … Read the rest of this entry »
The therapeutic use of four steroids, stanozolol (Winstrol), boldenone (Equipoise), nandrolone (Deca Durabolin) and testosterone, are legal in 28 of the 38 states that sanction horseracing. Most importantly for Big Brown, anabolic steroids for racehorses are legal in the three states where the Triple Crown races are run.
Big Brown’s performance-enhancing drug of choice was Winstrol (stanozolol). Big Brown’s trainer Richard Dutrow disclosed that the horse was administered Winstrol every month on the 15th. The steroids were part of a regimen that led to dominating victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
For some inexplicable reason, Dutrow decided to stop the Winstrol injections in May. Why would Dutrow alter a winning formula for no apparent reason? Maybe he wanted to prove that Big Brown could win without steroids. … Read the rest of this entry »
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