21/08/2008 / DOPING
Usain Bolt and
Michael Phelps are two outstanding athletes. Have they used performance
enhancers? I don't know. For Bolt, it's rather troubling as this performance
outclasses all his previous ones.
In athletics, the human body is closer to its limits than in swimming. For swimmers, the human power is not the only factor. I am talking about the introduction of the swimsuit and swimming techniques, like swimming in the trail of one's opponent.
Suspensions due to doping are more recurrent in athletics than they are in swimming. Also we have to look at the whole Jamaican team performance, not only Bolt's. The progression of these three Jamaican women athletes [who won all three medals] is impressive but also troubling.
It is the same thing for France's Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad [silver medal at the 3000m steeple]: his progression is surprising compared to his previous reference times. Moreover, keep in mind that the French national team doctor left the job just before the Games.
There is a suspicious climate because there is no certainty that medal winners are totally clean. The problem is that the new form of doping, mainly biotechnological doping, is not detectable by the present IOC testing [methods]. Today, the IOC is at the same level as the Tour de France was ten years ago. It cannot conduct all the tests [it needs to].
The only solution is to change the rules by introducing a biological passport. The principle relies on following athletes via their biological parameters. In the case where someone presents biological abnormalities, a doping test needs to be conducted. This system allows not only the catching of cheaters, but catching them prior to the event. Today, we only control after the events, which is less efficient.
This [biological passport] system was only used [for the first time] in the 2008 Tour de France. For these Games, no serious method as such was installed. It should have started at least in 2007.
The Beijing Games have not marked any evolution in doping tests since Athens or Sydney. Jacques Rogge [president of the IOC] said he will improve the system for London 2012, as he promised to in Athens before the Beijing Games.
Are their records humanly possible?
Jamaica sprinter Usain Bolt has shattered the previous 100m and 200m records in a way never seen before. His female Jamaican counterparts Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson have hoisted their national flags on all three steps of the 100m podium.
Michael Phelps now boasts twelve gold medals.
Their feats are extraordinary. But are they humanly possible?
Contributors
"Bolt's performance outclasses all his previous ones"
Gérard Dine, president of Troyes Biotechnology Institute and doping expert, raises
questions about some of these Olympic performances.
Usain Bolt and
Michael Phelps are two outstanding athletes. Have they used performance
enhancers? I don't know. For Bolt, it's rather troubling as this performance
outclasses all his previous ones.In athletics, the human body is closer to its limits than in swimming. For swimmers, the human power is not the only factor. I am talking about the introduction of the swimsuit and swimming techniques, like swimming in the trail of one's opponent.
Suspensions due to doping are more recurrent in athletics than they are in swimming. Also we have to look at the whole Jamaican team performance, not only Bolt's. The progression of these three Jamaican women athletes [who won all three medals] is impressive but also troubling.
It is the same thing for France's Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad [silver medal at the 3000m steeple]: his progression is surprising compared to his previous reference times. Moreover, keep in mind that the French national team doctor left the job just before the Games.
There is a suspicious climate because there is no certainty that medal winners are totally clean. The problem is that the new form of doping, mainly biotechnological doping, is not detectable by the present IOC testing [methods]. Today, the IOC is at the same level as the Tour de France was ten years ago. It cannot conduct all the tests [it needs to].
The only solution is to change the rules by introducing a biological passport. The principle relies on following athletes via their biological parameters. In the case where someone presents biological abnormalities, a doping test needs to be conducted. This system allows not only the catching of cheaters, but catching them prior to the event. Today, we only control after the events, which is less efficient.
This [biological passport] system was only used [for the first time] in the 2008 Tour de France. For these Games, no serious method as such was installed. It should have started at least in 2007.
The Beijing Games have not marked any evolution in doping tests since Athens or Sydney. Jacques Rogge [president of the IOC] said he will improve the system for London 2012, as he promised to in Athens before the Beijing Games.
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Comments
ARE THEIR RECORDS HUMANLY POSSIBLE- 21.8.2008
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 15/09/2008 - 17:40.Can your element of doubts and suspicions spoil the celebrations of any Jamaicans at home or abroad? Is this a bad case of attack by the green eyed monster? Whilst I don't wish to question your knowledge on the medical issues raised in your article, should you not gather a little more concret evidence before you voiced so much of your opinions? You ar entitled to your opinions just like any other, however I read your article with an open mind. From what I read in the papers, especially "THE TIMES" the Jamaican athelets were tested prior to each event and after. Where was the Negativism when the Black American's sprinters ruled? I'm not a medical person and therefore look to people like yourself to give me facts on subject matters like these.Would it not be more effective and senseable to carry out all doping test before the events since after the events is less efficient? I doubt it very much if people like yourself will allow connonsense to prevail on the superior quality of the JAMAICAN SPRINTERS.
Give many thanks. L.ROBERTS
Unregistered user