I think given the posse of medical experts she has someone there should have known what it was under whatever name was used. Don't think that's a valid excuse
I think given the posse of medical experts she has someone there should have known what it was under whatever name was used. Don't think that's a valid excuse
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I answered it
Ethically it maybe wrong but it's not cheating if the substance or ingredients weren't banned.
Del_Boy
Head Pro
She is a cheat from 1 Jan 2016 which she has admitted.
FairwayDodger
Money List Winner
It was on the watch list for all of 2015 then announced in September that it would be banned so, yes, plenty of warning.
chrisd
Major Champion
Thanks, I must have missed it.
But you're answer sums up all that is wrong with sport, the drug detectors are always going to lag behind the drug cheats, you can't detect the drug and its effects until you can identify the drug and analyse it's beneficial effects so the drug enforcers have to play catch up. Also, most sports do not want to out too many cheats as it harms the reputation of the sport, so many sports lag behind in the rigorous enforcement of their systems preferring to assume that it isn't widespread - tennis, I believe being one such sport.
I believe that the policy should be that you only take drugs that are for your health preservation if you are partaking in sport and at professional level ANY drugs being taken should be listed and submitted to the sports governing body with the medical reasons for the drug prescription.
Del_Boy
Head Pro
To me the issue is when the drug was banned. Before that she didn't cheat no matter the reason why she used it. After that date she is a drug cheat. Albeit a fit one.
Del_Boy
Head Pro
you could argue that eating anything is performance enhancing. Mind you they do say eating's cheating
Kellfire
Blackballed
Take it to an extreme like in my example of multi-vitamins - a multi-vitamin is a drug - a performance enhancing drug isn't a negative thing in strict terms unless it is illegal. Where do you draw the line at performance enhancing? Vitamins tablets? Vitamin injections? Specially formulated vitamins designed to be absorbed more quickly? Vitamins laced with steroids to help them be absorbed more quickly?
That cut off will be different for everyone's moral compass, so to get around that we have rules and lists of banned substances. Those rules and lists set the definition for cheat here, not some historical revisionism which decides after the event that a drug should have been banned earlier.
hovis
Tour Winner
Perhaps her doctor used to treat Michael Jackson
chrisd
Major Champion
I agree with what you say, what's wrong is that the cheats only become cheats when, like Sharapova when they are caught and then they concoct a story in an attempt to mitigate their culpability.
All sports should be clean and "just staying one step ahead of WADA" isn't the way sport should be played. But there's a wealth of difference in having vitamins available to all, to boost your system, and (I believe) having blood transfusions like Armstrong to cheat.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Only if she's found to have deliberately broken the rules.
I'm not saying she hasn't butnuntil it's proven you cant say she has.
chrisd
Major Champion
She has admitted failing a drug test after the date, so it is proven I understand. It's just the rubbish story that she trots out to "explain" her "mistake" that brasses me off
Del_Boy
Head Pro
Have WADA said that info was advised to the athletes or in the public domain at that time?
I thought it was in WADA's watch list for 2015 (not sure if the athletes were advised).
16 Sept 15 it was agreed to ban the drug from 1 Jan 2016 again not sure if athletes were advised at this time or the info was in the public domain.
Sharapova says she was first made aware via email in 22 Dec that she failed to read.
Have WADA confirmed she was advised prior to 22 Dec?
Del_Boy
Head Pro
To me she is a cheat after that date. Whether she deliberately broke the rules or not doesn't come into it.
On my tax return after a new rule comes into affect I continue under an old rule in my eyes I am a tax cheat.
Ignorance is not an excuse.
Stuey01
Journeyman Pro
It's an arms race between the dopers and the authorities. The authorities are always going to be behind.
When Balco Labs invented a new steroid and juiced up half of Major League Baseball, was it cheating because no-one had heard of it yet? Of course it was.
This idea that just because something isn't banned yet it's fair game is crazy.
They should do away with the banned list and instead have an allowed list.
Not on it? Tough.
You want to take anything not on the allow list, then apply for it to be added to the list or for a therapeutic use exemption.
When Balco Labs invented a new steroid and juiced up half of Major League Baseball, was it cheating because no-one had heard of it yet? Of course it was.
This idea that just because something isn't banned yet it's fair game is crazy.
They should do away with the banned list and instead have an allowed list.
Not on it? Tough.
You want to take anything not on the allow list, then apply for it to be added to the list or for a therapeutic use exemption.
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Del_Boy
Head Pro
Good idea
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
Listening to Dick Pound this morning he said "Wada were told about the drug and its performance enhancing abilities and needed investigating as there were lots taking it".
It may seem that Sharapova was the only one caught.
He also said which I suppose is pretty obvious "there are loads of PED out there they don't know about yet".
Interesting also that he said that the athletes of today compared to the athletes of yesteryear are much bigger faster and stronger and have much more stamina than previous.
Is he suggesting they are all on something to be able to compete at that level day after day.
Look at what tennis players like Murray and Djorkovic actually do over a 2 week tournament I mean the fitness is incredible.
Im not saying they are on banned substances but I bet they are taking things to aid recovery.
When stories like this emerge one good thing that does come out of it is the authorities become stricter and seem to test even more the same as in cycling.
It may seem that Sharapova was the only one caught.
He also said which I suppose is pretty obvious "there are loads of PED out there they don't know about yet".
Interesting also that he said that the athletes of today compared to the athletes of yesteryear are much bigger faster and stronger and have much more stamina than previous.
Is he suggesting they are all on something to be able to compete at that level day after day.
Look at what tennis players like Murray and Djorkovic actually do over a 2 week tournament I mean the fitness is incredible.
Im not saying they are on banned substances but I bet they are taking things to aid recovery.
When stories like this emerge one good thing that does come out of it is the authorities become stricter and seem to test even more the same as in cycling.
According to this it was released in September so her team should have been aware
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/35757814
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Even the Russian drug doping agency sent out a memo to it's athletes advising of it banning in September.
Del_Boy
Head Pro
Pound is going from what used to happen under his watch. I think WADA need to advise the timelines to confirm or deny the fit one's version of events
