well well well, look who's come up positive

[Brian S]

And I don't mean happy!

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2010/09/ ... -test.html

[Lister Farrar]

He's claiming "food contamination". Interesting in the article how many athletes seem to have "food contamination". Tsk tsk, must be more careful with what they eat.

American swimmer Jessica Hardy tested positive for clenbuterol at the U.S. trials in July 2008. She served a one-year suspension that ended last summer. The Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted her explanation that she had unknowingly taken the banned anabolic agent in a contaminated food supplement.

A number of athletes have been banned in recent months after using the banned drug, including Polish canoeist Adam Seroczynski, British hurdler Callum Priestley and Chinese Olympic judo champion Tong Wen.

Two cyclists also have been suspended, accused of using the drug. In May, the International Cycling Union suspended Italian cyclist Alessandro Colo after he tested positive for clenbuterol during the Tour of Mexico in April. And Chinese rider Li Fuyu, a member of Lance Armstrong's Team RadioShack, was suspended in April after testing positive for the drug during a Belgian race.

Former New York Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski admitted to distributing clenbuterol to dozens of current and former major league baseball players and associates in his plea deal.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2010/09/ ... z10z6dzJFc

One theory I heard is that his blood doping supply was contaminated by clenbuterol during an earlier training period, and he inadvertantly re-injected it.

[Brian S]

This is going to spin along for a while. Firstly the detection was far below the threshold required by an accredited lab--so is this a true positive? or just a contaminant (from whatever source). The Jessica Hardy case was very interesting in that although it was accepted that the source of drug was a "contaminated" nutritional supplement, she both served her suspension (reduced to one year) as the onus is on an athlete to control what they eat/source etc. She also has brought legal action against the supplement company. Watch out for those weight loss supplement claims!

[Lister Farrar]

This is going to spin along for a while. Firstly the detection was far below the threshold required by an accredited lab--so is this a true positive? or just a contaminant (from whatever source). The Jessica Hardy case was very interesting in that although it was accepted that the source of drug was a "contaminated" nutritional supplement, she both served her suspension (reduced to one year) as the onus is on an athlete to control what they eat/source etc. She also has brought legal action against the supplement company. Watch out for those weight loss supplement claims!

Just to be clear, I believe the threshold is what a lab must be able to detect, not what is the threshold for a positive.

[Josh.E]

I'm SHOCKED, I tell ya.

[EricS]

"builds muscle while burning fat"...hmmm...

anyone know if you can get that Chinese pork in Victoria?

[Brian S]

Just to be clear, I believe the threshold is what a lab must be able to detect, not what is the threshold for a positive.

Right Lister, and the extension of your point is how the threshold for performance enhancement is determined--that is even more complex, as one must extrapolate from tissue levels, drug metabolism. My question is seriously just "why?" This guy is a professional, surrounded by team/experts/handlers. If you look at the obsession of (some) athletes with where they source food, and especially supplements, it is still mind-boggling. Now, although some of that obsession is on display in my house (i.e "where is that whey protein from? What kind of fish oil and vitamins should I take?"), Nick still chows down on Thrifty's and Costco beef. If he were living on his own and trying to sruvive on carding funding (HAH) alone, there is no way he could afford hormone and antibiotic free guaranteed sources.

[Lister Farrar]

Damsgard, who does testing on several teams, is suggesting he got it from a blood infusion. http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5844/ ... nt=Twitter

AC is saying a friend brought meat from Spain, but the only other rider tested on his team, Vino, didn't eat it. How convenient. As Pete pointed out, sure, eastern european riders that go for the salad instead of the meat. Wonder what else the friend brought from Spain?

One good thing, his test the day after was also positive, for a smaller amount consistent with normal degradation. At least the lab seems to have been accurate.

One bad thing, the B positive has been known for weeks by German journalists, yet the UCI denied they were even investigating AC, depsite having told AC they were going with the contaminated meat interpretation.

Q: Are there any other suspicious facts against Contador?
A: Yes, there are futher, very, very incriminating[translation?] facts
against Contador because other values have shown up. [i have to
interprete this, because Seppelt says "10-fach über dem überhöhten
wert", which translates to "10 times higher than the higher
value". What he prabably means is:] 10 times higher than the value of
threshold for plastisisers, so called plastisisers, which are used in
blood-bags, and this one day before the positive blood sample. ANd these
blood-bag plastisisers endorse the conclusion that homologous blood
doping might be going on. The UCI completely held this "under the blanket", din´t
say a thing about it yesterday [when they contacted the UCI]. This too
raises the question about the credibility of die federation.

[Alan]

If they'd check my blood after the Gran fondo, they would've found caffeine, chocolate and sugar in probably excessive amounts, but no drugs, I promise, folks. The steroid stuff is just part of the rumour John Taylor is spreading... Some guys will do anything to bring down the people who beat them in races.

[Lister Farrar]

If they'd check my blood after the Gran fondo, they would've found caffeine, chocolate and sugar in probably excessive amounts, but no drugs, I promise, folks. The steroid stuff is just part of the rumour John Taylor is spreading... Some guys will do anything to bring down the people who beat them in races.

I suspect you'd be over the limit for glee.

[Lister Farrar]

Here's the source of the plasticizer comment.
http://www.sportschau.de/sp/layout/jsp/ ... #mbContent

[JohnT]

Says the guy who can grow a full beard in one day.

400 times less than the lab has to detect. Hmmm, that's the amount I'd inject or swallow.

I think it's safe to assume he cooked the meat. I'd like to know if anyone has shown that hormones survive the cooking.

Finally, if it went down in one day, they should be able to finger how much was there the day before and all the way up to day one of the tour.

JT

[spearson]

Obviously what they need is professional tasters. I will ride in the team car. I will drink half of all water bottles and power bars handed to my GC rider. I will accompany the rider to all meals and will eat and drink the first half of everything they consume. I should probably wear their clean team kit the day before just to make sure that nothing has been slipped into the fabric. I'd better also shower half the victory champagne over the crowds, just to be safe. I will then provide a C sample for them to test against for food contamination. In order to guarantee my neutrality of course, I would have to be paid an exorbitant amount of money, but I am willing to accept it to prove that the sport is totally clean.

I won't do it for Levi though, that Radio Shack kit is just horrendous.

[Lister Farrar]

400 times less than the lab has to detect. Hmmm, that's the amount I'd inject or swallow.

Apparently it was 40, not 400.

I think it's safe to assume he cooked the meat. I'd like to know if anyone has shown that hormones survive the cooking.

This study showed you can get it from meat. Cooked. http://proceedings.live-record.de/proce ... /2_185.pdf In this study, volunteers ate meat from calves treated with clenbuterol. Urine levels almost 20 times as high as those found in Bert were reported in the subjects, with levels of 100 pg/ml or higher 1-2 days after the meal.

Finally, if it went down in one day, they should be able to finger how much was there the day before and all the way up to day one of the tour.

Apparently he has none the days before (he would have been tested everyday he was in yellow), and about half the day after, consistent with the normal degradation, then none after that.

[AlW]

He's claiming "food contamination". Interesting in the article how many athletes seem to have "food contamination". Tsk tsk, must be more careful with what they eat.

American swimmer Jessica Hardy tested positive for clenbuterol at the U.S. trials in July 2008. She served a one-year suspension that ended last summer. The Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted her explanation that she had unknowingly taken the banned anabolic agent in a contaminated food supplement.

I'd be surprised if Contador managed to wiggle out of this one. Li Fuyu (Radioshack) also tested positive with similar levels (and the same excuse) yet was still suspened.

He had the same expert that Contador is using.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contado ... ls-defense

[leftcoaster]

Perhaps Lister can provide this answer - If Contador had a level of 10x normal of plastisizers in his blood which is believed to have come from blood bags '...and these blood-bag plastisizers endorse the conclusion that homologous blood doping might be going on...' what is the UCI determination in this case. If this level of plastisizers is consistant with blood doping, is AC subject to sanctions because of that?

[Lister Farrar]

WADA says there has been research done to use this as a test but it's still "partially verified". But still ok for tribunals, if not direct penalites.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=As ... dor-doping

I take this to mean that circumstantial evidence like plasticizers will undercut AC's contention of 'dope steak'.

[sylvan]

...and these blood-bag plastisizers endorse the conclusion that homologous blood doping might be going on...

Autologous most likely. Homologous means using somebody else's blood. They don't do that so much. They pull their own and save it in the fridge for later.

[sylvan]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... astic.html

[Lister Farrar]

Thanks Sylvan. I mentioned this article at coffee. Good questions for many in pro cycling.

http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderreport/