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OPINION

Well, WADA y’know...

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by Secret Squirrel
Thu, Jan 22, 2009 14:32
6

It seems that human rights issues are high on almost every new piece of legislation these days. On the 1st of Jan WADA published its new code, a nice little addition to the ADAMS procedures.

Within the ADAMS system, an Athlete Whereabouts code has been devised which entails an athlete informing the agency as to his / her whereabouts for the next 90 days. It also means that each participant will have to give an hour in each day whereby they will be available for testing.

It seems that the Belgians (home of the ‘pot’ don’t you know!) aren’t too happy with this new process, and as reported on the Radio 4 Today programme they are taking WADA to court to challenge it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7844000/7844044.stm

At the last team launch I attended I was sat in on the UCI peeps giving the riders the down-low. What was interesting was that there seemed to be a big split in people taking notice, and people hoping it will go away. Fiddling with Blackberries was the order of the day for those elder statesmen who think it’s a load of BS.

A right pain in the arse it may be for those fortunate enough to have a big-fat pro contract these days, however WADA aint going anywhere and those switched on riders know that any doping issues can finish their careers – so guys, get used to it, play ball and play clean!

wada
uci
doping

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6 comments

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Blackhound | 15 years ago
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So as a pro athlete you think that on March 1st you will get up and do 4 hours in the morning. On the day it is raining but forecast is to clear in the afternoon so you change your plans. If WADA turn up in the afternoon that is one down, two to go!

Something like this has labelled Christine Ohurugu a druggie, wrongly imo she is a fantastic athlete.

Or you get an injury and rush off to an osteopath etc

You can change your plans easily I understand, but a lot of planning for focussed athletes.

And yet anything to stop drugtaking in sport is a good thing.

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Secret Squirrel replied to Blackhound | 15 years ago
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Each athlete is allowed to change the time of that day, with, I think, 24 hours notice. This is what the 'man' from the UCI said. Plus, it can be done by text or online.

Anyway if a pro plans to go out am and its raining, they generally still go out - from what I have seen...

Ohurugu? Agree, but she was a little naive...

Good for anti-doping measures? Time will tell, however I expect that there are one or two riders out there right now with squeaky bums. As Christian VandeVelde says in this months Pro Cycling "I wish all the dopers would learn their lesson and stop the bullshit. It's time for it to end".

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Mr Sock | 15 years ago
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Even for pros though, who I assume lead fairly regimented lives, knowing where you are going to be every day for the next 90 seems like a hell of an ask. Not sure that I would fancy that level of intrusion in my life even for a pro contract, clean or not.

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thebikeboy replied to Mr Sock | 15 years ago
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"Elder Statemen" are we talking guys who have achieved or the wizened old domestiques who still view taking every advantage as being 'professional'?

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mst replied to thebikeboy | 15 years ago
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Should also get their finger out and work with UCI quickstyle to make sure Schumi doesnt get free!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/jan09/jan23news2

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Secret Squirrel replied to thebikeboy | 15 years ago
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who think that they know best, and may have followed a 'programme' in their time, perhaps?

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