Off Topic OLYMPIC GAMES.

I once read that cheats are a decade in front of testers. It takes a long time to devise tests like the biological passport, but chemists seem to be able to pretty quickly find ways to circumvent the new tests. Micro dosing gets a lot of mention, something Alberto Salazar has had a hand in. He juiced his sons Alex and Tony to see how they would test. He said he did it because his training group feared sabotage. That someone would rub small traces of testosterone on an athlete to have them test positive. It seems that it must not register, if this is the new way to cheat. Salazar has been accused of providing athletes with banned substances. Not proven.

One man who knows a thing or two about cheating is Victor Conte. He said. "If you inject 7 milligrammes of testosterone a day, now you have the 7mg your body is releasing plus the 7mg you’re injecting,’ he said. ‘So now you’ve doubled it and you have 14mg of testosterone circulating for 24 hours a day and you’re flying under the radar (of the testers). I’ve heard hundreds of athletes are doing this."

According to Conte, the other preferred option is a slow-acting drug called IGF1LR3. Conte again. "It’s a long-form insulin growth hormone which is in the system for 10 hours, a combination of insulin and growth hormone,’ he said. ‘The only way to bring doping charges over IGF1LR3 is to use an athlete’s biological passport over time and then you see variations. I believe there is rampant use of it right now."

The World Anti Doping Agency is not backward in claiming that biological passports have the cheats on the back foot, but an eye opening comment from the head of the UK's accredited testing lab at King's College, paints a different story. He remains confident he will eventually catch the micro-dosers.


From the Daily Mail.

 

Well it appears there might be some Russians at Rio - just depends on the sport governing bodies to decide whether or not they can go.

Personally I think that could be the right decision

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/36878983

 

Sounds more like the IOC are passing the buck, they don't want to be the ones to upset the Russians.

 

Spot on..redolent of the BHA passing the buck to the Department Of Agriculture when a Dubai military aircraft was intercepted with enough "stuff" (veterinary products apparently) to trip every string of thoroughbreds in christendom..and beyond obviously given its origin.

 

I think we have to me fair here. It's one thing to ban those actually caught, but should everyone else be rubbed out just because they happen to be Russian. We ban drink drivers, but should we then ban everyone who has a beer?

 

The US are not perfect either - in their athletics team is an athlete who has been banned twice for failing doping tests

 

Following the last Olympics- and in an attempt to increase their medal haul- the Irish Olympic Committee has authorized the University of Belfast to carry out an extensive survey on the effects of direct injection of testosterone and Viagra, in a 2:1 ratio, into the male penis.
Though untested, preliminary results are outstanding. Calculations show that, from an average length of 10cm, thrice daily injections before meals result in a weekly growth of 0.65cm.
Consequently, by the time the 2020 Olympics take place, growth extension will be sufficient to reach the ground, based on a yearly growth of c.33cm.
Irish athletes will then insuperable when taking part in the three legged race, given the Irish government can persuade the Olympic Committee to introduce this traditional event into the schedule.
All enquiries should be directed to Leprechaunsville tel. no. 118118 (43p per second).

 

I thought the original intention was to blanket ban all Russian competitors and then offer those who had not been implicated in the allegations the opportunity to compete as independents.

 

Just the 63 track and field Princess, the rest were under threat, but are now set to go.

 

Well it looks like the brown stuff has really hit the fan now. Maybe as many as 13 Russian swimmers will now be dropped, even if clean now. All have tested positive in the past. I wonder why other countries are not held to the same conditions? If it's fair to ban anyone from Russia who's tested dirty in the past, it should be fair to wipe anyone, from any country, who's previously tested positive. The Russians are taking out all athletes, across all sports, who've tested bad. It'll be a pretty small Russian team in Rio.

 

Just had a look at the Scot Laura Muir's win at the London Diamond League 1500. It was a huge run, she blew away Hassan, the third favourite for the Rio gold. Muir has to beat Dibaba and Kipyegon though, and they are something else. Going out on a limb here. But if all three compete in the 1500, they'll fill the places. What a prediction, talk about balls .... which is something poor old Buzz is missing.

The race.

http://www.watchathletics.com/video/diamond-league/4048/women-s-1500m-london-diamond-league-2016/

 

Nice of Sir Brad to offer up a pre-games dig. The 4000m teams pursuit is where the big boys come out to play. GBR has won the last two games gold and hold the world record. The word doing the rounds is that Australia who took the silver in London, have broken the world record in training. And now it looks as though Sir Brad has launched the mind games. He's told the The Telegraph that “The Aussies are the worst winners in the world and they’re the worst losers in the world." He said we're obsessed with GBR. Who's thinking about whom?

Oddschecker.

GBR 5-6.
Aust. 6-4.

Either way, Sir Brad thinks the world record will fall.

 

Just seen this offer on PP.
"Paddy Power offering money back as a free bet on any team GB or Ireland athletes if they finish second to a Russian."
That gave me a laugh.

 

There was an inspiring story on bbc news regarding the Refugee Team that will be competing in Rio. It centred around an 18 year old Syrian girl - Yusra Mardini who will be competing in the swimming. Just a year ago she and her sister had embarked on a 25 day journey out of her war torn country. Part of that journey involved a leaky boat to the Greek island of Lesbos where she ended up in the rough sea hanging onto the boat's rope for 3 hours whilst others were bailing it out. Before settling in Germany she hadn't swum for 2 years as the swimming pool had been bombed. Her German coach reckons she's got no chance of medalling in Rio but has better prospects for 2020.

 

After carrying the Olympic torch in London and Sochi, Ban Ki-moon is to go for the three-peat in Rio. He'll be part of the relay on Friday when the torch is handed over. He'll also visit the athlete's village and visit the Refugee Olympic Team. Ban Ki-moon will attend the heads of government meeting hosted by Brazil's acting President Michel Temer. The word doing the rounds is that the U.N. Secretary-General is so into the games, that he taken temporary Jamaican citizenship, allowing him to replace Usain Bolt on the final leg of the 4X100. He's stated that under no circumstances will he contest the all in wrestling, as he's said he'd already perfected it. " I usually stop wrestling once I get it all in." He said before heading off for lunch.

 

He's a totally useless article, Cyc, has absolutely ignored the very real woes of Europe of late. It is as if this continent does not even exist with this South Korean clown and his (Dis)United Nations. Glad when he's gone, his successor cannot possibly be any worse?

(How's about Donald Trump for the job? ).

 

Skateboarding will be an official sport in the Tokyo Games of 2020. Marbles and pumpkin tossing can't be too far off now.

 

I presume the Fraus and Frauleins have a pretty good chance of winning the Gold Medal for women's football. Every country gives greater coverage of sports they consider they have a chance of doing well in. Consider the coverage in the UK of cycling and gymnastics over recent Olympics and World Championships. I would however admit that to cover all (?) five matches live seems excessive.

Personally I cannot wait for the 'Games' to be over and the start of the Bundesliga!

 

You have GOT to be kidding?