LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Robert Albrecht · August 14th, 2004, 07:51 AM

http://www.sportsrant.com/forums/vbmynews/viewthu.php?id=140804-256061 (http://www.sportsrant.com/forums/vbmynews/viewpic.php?id=140804-256061)As The Athens Summer Games Opening Ceremonies closed it's kickoff to the start of The Olympic Summer Games, which will showcase 202 countrys competing for...
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August 14th, 2004, 11:26 AM

They should start the Olympics like the Indy 500 except change the words a bit...should be..

Athletes...Let the Doping begin..

Ruined by doping scandals, the OOC committee, judging etc the Olympics are becoming just another over hyped money grabbing sporting event.. A long time ago the purity of the games was lost..and I am sad to say we will never see again.. Now is the time of "what can we get away with" rather than what can I accomplish.. The scandals are starting already with athletes not making their drug tests.. if that is the case..send them home...All I know if I was capable of being an Olympic athlete I would be where ever I was supposed to be for tests/applications what ever hrs before hand so I would not miss it..

I still remember a scarey statistic from the Olympic American team about 10 years ago.. 80% of the athletes asked said yes to winning and Olympic gold even if it meant in 5 years they would be dead...Priorities a bit screwed up I think... and how many Olympic athletes have died due to side effects of Steriods etc.. of course that is a statistic we will never know due to the fact that you could see a needle sticking out of someones arm and they still would not admit to taking anything "illegal" How long did Flo-Jo live.. 39 years.. naw..no steroids there..

Even after my little whine I will still be cheering on the Canadians and watch a fair amount of the games..why.. I love to see the underdog win..

Blakey_Blue · August 14th, 2004, 01:23 PM

It's actually not quite that simple. First of all I'm in no way defending the athletes who have missed tests at the Olympics. I am not aware of their exact situations. However, I have been getting drug tested by the IOC, US anti-doping, FINA (world governing body of swimming) and USA-Swimming since I was 14 years old, so I do have a bit of knowledge as to the processes involved.

There are 2 different types of testing situations. You have your basic in-competition test. Let's use the USA Nationals as an example. They will automatically test any swimmer who breaks a record (American, World, US Open, Meet, etc). Then before each finals session they will select a random placing in the top 8. That night they will test every person who finishes in that slot. At Olympic Trials that increases to the top 3 finishers regardless of time, in addition to any other swimmer who makes the team (top 2 in most events, top 6 in the 100 and 200 freestyles). The athletes are completely unaware as to which placing (at a typical national meet) will be tested and are tagged as soon as they get out of the water. They are then given an escort who watches their every move while they are warming down, doing whatever they need to do before reporting for the test. So, in the case of in-competition testing, there is no avoiding it.

The second type of testing is random draw out of competition testing. As soon as an athlete finishes a year ranked in the top 50 in the world in their event they are placed on the US-Anti Doping (or the doping agency of their respective country) random test list. Here in the USA you then begin recieving quarterly paperwork. You must fill out your training/daily schedule for the 3 month period, letting the agency know where you will be at all times of day. Then each quarter your number is put into the pool of athletes and a certain number of names/numbers are drawn. Those people are tested without prior notice at sometime during that quarter. Typically they will show up for the test at practice, but I have also been tested at my home and at school. You are supposed to give the doping agency at least 48 hours notice if there is a change in schedule. However this is not always possible. I have come within a few minutes of missing a test before. I got out of practice early one day and stopped at target on my way home. The battery on my cell phone was dead, so incoming calls were not an option. When I got back to my house my billet father told me that I had to go back to the pool because I needed to be drug tested. I got back on the road and ran into a traffic jam on the Schuylkill (if you live in Philly you know what this means...) 45 minutes later I'm pulling back into the parking lot with 5 minutes to spare before the 2 hour waiting time was up. So, as you can see, missing a test is as easy as a simple early let-out from workout. Now again, I'm not defending those who have already missed tests this Olympics. I am simply trying to shine some light on the process.

August 14th, 2004, 02:07 PM

Thanks for the indepth Info Blakey

Hope you summer is going well ..and dont ask about the golf game..lol

I knew a majority of the drug testing situation but had no clue about your needing to put in the training schedule etc along that lines.. But sorry to say I am still with the thought that if you dont make the drug test then you are done.. Its part of taking part of the games..

Blakey_Blue · August 14th, 2004, 04:20 PM

I understand the sentiment...according to USADA rules, generally 3 missed tests amount to a flunked test. However, I would like to think there are different rules for situations in which it's clear that the athlete is looking to avoid being tested rather than just missing it on accident.

August 15th, 2004, 11:43 PM

OKay Blakey..as a swimmer what do you think of the choice of Phelps over Hall for a spot onthe US relay team? .. from what I have read Hall had better times and the only reason Phelps was chosen for the team was so he could go for 8 gold and break Spitzs record.. All for the sake of publicity..So much for looking at the Olympics as a true sporting showcase of each countries best...

Blakey_Blue · August 16th, 2004, 12:08 AM

I absolutely agree with the decision. Phelps deserved 100% to be on that relay. He swam a time unrested back in February that not only would have made the relay, but qualified for the individual event. If Gary Hall Jr were any kind of a team player he would suck it up and keep his trap shut. Unfortunately he's just a little bit about himself...After watching that relay if anyone didn't do his job it was Ian Crocker the leadoff leg. 50.0 is absolutely unacceptable. That guy an go a 50 point butterfly, what his deal was in that relay is beyond me. On a side note...how bout that South African team! They were unreal! Ryk Neethling is a former standout at University of Arizona and I believe Roland Schoeman swam in the US as well.

August 16th, 2004, 09:58 AM

Well then what I have read is misleading.. as you can see by my previous post..and I have been stuck at work so have not been able to watch to much yet..but that work stuff ends tonight as I am on 4 days off.. So I can now sit and watch Canada try to make some finals..hehehe.. We need at least one medal..lol .. It seems these Olympics are going to filled with the usual close finishes which always are great..

Just wish us Canucks could put half into our amateur sports that most countries do.. but no..what do we do.. put into Medicare so all have medical..stupid us..

GO MAUVE ( think thats a color

thekrueg · August 16th, 2004, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blakey_Blue

It's actually not quite that simple. First of all I'm in no way defending the athletes who have missed tests at the Olympics. I am not aware of their exact situations. However, I have been getting drug tested by the IOC, US anti-doping, FINA (world governing body of swimming) and USA-Swimming since I was 14 years old, so I do have a bit of knowledge as to the processes involved.

There are 2 different types of testing situations. You have your basic in-competition test. Let's use the USA Nationals as an example. They will automatically test any swimmer who breaks a record (American, World, US Open, Meet, etc). Then before each finals session they will select a random placing in the top 8. That night they will test every person who finishes in that slot. At Olympic Trials that increases to the top 3 finishers regardless of time, in addition to any other swimmer who makes the team (top 2 in most events, top 6 in the 100 and 200 freestyles). The athletes are completely unaware as to which placing (at a typical national meet) will be tested and are tagged as soon as they get out of the water. They are then given an escort who watches their every move while they are warming down, doing whatever they need to do before reporting for the test. So, in the case of in-competition testing, there is no avoiding it.

The second type of testing is random draw out of competition testing. As soon as an athlete finishes a year ranked in the top 50 in the world in their event they are placed on the US-Anti Doping (or the doping agency of their respective country) random test list. Here in the USA you then begin recieving quarterly paperwork. You must fill out your training/daily schedule for the 3 month period, letting the agency know where you will be at all times of day. Then each quarter your number is put into the pool of athletes and a certain number of names/numbers are drawn. Those people are tested without prior notice at sometime during that quarter. Typically they will show up for the test at practice, but I have also been tested at my home and at school. You are supposed to give the doping agency at least 48 hours notice if there is a change in schedule. However this is not always possible. I have come within a few minutes of missing a test before. I got out of practice early one day and stopped at target on my way home. The battery on my cell phone was dead, so incoming calls were not an option. When I got back to my house my billet father told me that I had to go back to the pool because I needed to be drug tested. I got back on the road and ran into a traffic jam on the Schuylkill (if you live in Philly you know what this means...) 45 minutes later I'm pulling back into the parking lot with 5 minutes to spare before the 2 hour waiting time was up. So, as you can see, missing a test is as easy as a simple early let-out from workout. Now again, I'm not defending those who have already missed tests this Olympics. I am simply trying to shine some light on the process.

What events did/do you compete?

Blakey_Blue · August 16th, 2004, 11:46 AM

The 400 IM is my primary event, but during college season I'll also swim the 200 butterfly and distance freestyle stuff (1650, occasionally the 500)

thekrueg · August 16th, 2004, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blakey_Blue

The 400 IM is my primary event, but during college season I'll also swim the 200 butterfly and distance freestyle stuff (1650, occasionally the 500)

Nice. I was on my high school team for one year but I didn't do any of the distance stuff like you. Anything over a 100 was too long for me. I did the 100 fly, fly in the medley relay and sometime the free in the relay. My favorite was the 100 fly but I couldn't imagine doing a 200. I enjoyed it very much but then I changed schools and the new school didn't have a swim team. Unfortunately I don't have much time to swim these days but I wish I did. What's your best time for the 200 fly? My best time for the 100 Fly was 1:08, but which was decent for the high school level but I'm sure it's a crap time compared to those on your level of swimming.

ssigman · August 16th, 2004, 12:54 PM

i'm not gonna be the guy who says he knows everything about drug testing and how it works, but if swimming is tested so in-depth like blakey wrote, how can track and field athletes be getting caught constantly....wouldn't it be as in-depth as swimming....i am not bashing swimming cause i've been watching the events...but doesn't track and field have more attraction at the olympics(excluding the michael phelps attraction which happens 1 time every 20 years)?? how can there testing policies be so lax that these athletes were gettin away with it for so long and now are getting caught?? i want answers people

ssigman · August 16th, 2004, 12:55 PM

p.s. i was swimming saturday nite in my pool....i think i can beat 50 seconds in a 100 freestlye.....and that was after a few beers...that betty crocker ruined the race for us...if anyone knows him...smack him for me

Blakey_Blue · August 16th, 2004, 06:06 PM

HAHA, I'd like to see that 50 second 100 meters there

As for track and field, ya know I have no idea. I only know general USADA rules and their specific implications for swimming. I mean there are plenty of masking agents, ways to avoid failing...the Chinese government used to alert coaches when drug testers entered the country so they could deal with it. There are ridiculous stories from them...plus, I'm not totally sure, but doesn't the BALCO stuff involve a drug that had never been used before, or banned before? Technology always seems to be coming up with new ways for athletes to cheat, and I can't really speculate why it's so much worse in track and field.

Blakey_Blue · August 16th, 2004, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekrueg

Nice. I was on my high school team for one year but I didn't do any of the distance stuff like yo

August 14th, 2004, 07:51 AM	#1
Robert Albrecht Join Date: 07-13-2004 Posts: 10	LET THE GAMES BEGIN http://www.sportsrant.com/forums/vbmynews/viewthu.php?id=140804-256061 (http://www.sportsrant.com/forums/vbmynews/viewpic.php?id=140804-256061)As The Athens Summer Games Opening Ceremonies closed it's kickoff to the start of The Olympic Summer Games, which will showcase 202 countrys competing for... Full Article Last edited by Robert Albrecht; August 14th, 2004 at 08:24 AM.

August 14th, 2004, 11:26 AM	#2
jimster Posts: n/a	Olympics They should start the Olympics like the Indy 500 except change the words a bit...should be.. Athletes...Let the Doping begin.. Ruined by doping scandals, the OOC committee, judging etc the Olympics are becoming just another over hyped money grabbing sporting event.. A long time ago the purity of the games was lost..and I am sad to say we will never see again.. Now is the time of "what can we get away with" rather than what can I accomplish.. The scandals are starting already with athletes not making their drug tests.. if that is the case..send them home...All I know if I was capable of being an Olympic athlete I would be where ever I was supposed to be for tests/applications what ever hrs before hand so I would not miss it.. I still remember a scarey statistic from the Olympic American team about 10 years ago.. 80% of the athletes asked said yes to winning and Olympic gold even if it meant in 5 years they would be dead...Priorities a bit screwed up I think... and how many Olympic athletes have died due to side effects of Steriods etc.. of course that is a statistic we will never know due to the fact that you could see a needle sticking out of someones arm and they still would not admit to taking anything "illegal" How long did Flo-Jo live.. 39 years.. naw..no steroids there.. Even after my little whine I will still be cheering on the Canadians and watch a fair amount of the games..why.. I love to see the underdog win..

August 14th, 2004, 01:23 PM	#3
Blakey_Blue Join Date: 10-24-2002 Posts: 2,198	It's actually not quite that simple. First of all I'm in no way defending the athletes who have missed tests at the Olympics. I am not aware of their exact situations. However, I have been getting drug tested by the IOC, US anti-doping, FINA (world governing body of swimming) and USA-Swimming since I was 14 years old, so I do have a bit of knowledge as to the processes involved. There are 2 different types of testing situations. You have your basic in-competition test. Let's use the USA Nationals as an example. They will automatically test any swimmer who breaks a record (American, World, US Open, Meet, etc). Then before each finals session they will select a random placing in the top 8. That night they will test every person who finishes in that slot. At Olympic Trials that increases to the top 3 finishers regardless of time, in addition to any other swimmer who makes the team (top 2 in most events, top 6 in the 100 and 200 freestyles). The athletes are completely unaware as to which placing (at a typical national meet) will be tested and are tagged as soon as they get out of the water. They are then given an escort who watches their every move while they are warming down, doing whatever they need to do before reporting for the test. So, in the case of in-competition testing, there is no avoiding it. The second type of testing is random draw out of competition testing. As soon as an athlete finishes a year ranked in the top 50 in the world in their event they are placed on the US-Anti Doping (or the doping agency of their respective country) random test list. Here in the USA you then begin recieving quarterly paperwork. You must fill out your training/daily schedule for the 3 month period, letting the agency know where you will be at all times of day. Then each quarter your number is put into the pool of athletes and a certain number of names/numbers are drawn. Those people are tested without prior notice at sometime during that quarter. Typically they will show up for the test at practice, but I have also been tested at my home and at school. You are supposed to give the doping agency at least 48 hours notice if there is a change in schedule. However this is not always possible. I have come within a few minutes of missing a test before. I got out of practice early one day and stopped at target on my way home. The battery on my cell phone was dead, so incoming calls were not an option. When I got back to my house my billet father told me that I had to go back to the pool because I needed to be drug tested. I got back on the road and ran into a traffic jam on the Schuylkill (if you live in Philly you know what this means...) 45 minutes later I'm pulling back into the parking lot with 5 minutes to spare before the 2 hour waiting time was up. So, as you can see, missing a test is as easy as a simple early let-out from workout. Now again, I'm not defending those who have already missed tests this Olympics. I am simply trying to shine some light on the process.

August 14th, 2004, 02:07 PM	#4
jimster Posts: n/a	Thanks for the indepth Info Blakey Hope you summer is going well ..and dont ask about the golf game..lol I knew a majority of the drug testing situation but had no clue about your needing to put in the training schedule etc along that lines.. But sorry to say I am still with the thought that if you dont make the drug test then you are done.. Its part of taking part of the games..

August 14th, 2004, 04:20 PM	#5
Blakey_Blue Join Date: 10-24-2002 Posts: 2,198	I understand the sentiment...according to USADA rules, generally 3 missed tests amount to a flunked test. However, I would like to think there are different rules for situations in which it's clear that the athlete is looking to avoid being tested rather than just missing it on accident.

August 15th, 2004, 11:43 PM	#6
jimster Posts: n/a	OKay Blakey..as a swimmer what do you think of the choice of Phelps over Hall for a spot onthe US relay team? .. from what I have read Hall had better times and the only reason Phelps was chosen for the team was so he could go for 8 gold and break Spitzs record.. All for the sake of publicity..So much for looking at the Olympics as a true sporting showcase of each countries best...

August 16th, 2004, 12:08 AM	#7
Blakey_Blue Join Date: 10-24-2002 Posts: 2,198	I absolutely agree with the decision. Phelps deserved 100% to be on that relay. He swam a time unrested back in February that not only would have made the relay, but qualified for the individual event. If Gary Hall Jr were any kind of a team player he would suck it up and keep his trap shut. Unfortunately he's just a little bit about himself...After watching that relay if anyone didn't do his job it was Ian Crocker the leadoff leg. 50.0 is absolutely unacceptable. That guy an go a 50 point butterfly, what his deal was in that relay is beyond me. On a side note...how bout that South African team! They were unreal! Ryk Neethling is a former standout at University of Arizona and I believe Roland Schoeman swam in the US as well.

August 16th, 2004, 09:58 AM	#8
jimster Posts: n/a	Well then what I have read is misleading.. as you can see by my previous post..and I have been stuck at work so have not been able to watch to much yet..but that work stuff ends tonight as I am on 4 days off.. So I can now sit and watch Canada try to make some finals..hehehe.. We need at least one medal..lol .. It seems these Olympics are going to filled with the usual close finishes which always are great.. Just wish us Canucks could put half into our amateur sports that most countries do.. but no..what do we do.. put into Medicare so all have medical..stupid us.. GO MAUVE ( think thats a color

August 16th, 2004, 11:46 AM	#10
Blakey_Blue Join Date: 10-24-2002 Posts: 2,198	The 400 IM is my primary event, but during college season I'll also swim the 200 butterfly and distance freestyle stuff (1650, occasionally the 500)

August 16th, 2004, 12:54 PM	#12
ssigman Join Date: 03-15-2004 Posts: 27,970	i'm not gonna be the guy who says he knows everything about drug testing and how it works, but if swimming is tested so in-depth like blakey wrote, how can track and field athletes be getting caught constantly....wouldn't it be as in-depth as swimming....i am not bashing swimming cause i've been watching the events...but doesn't track and field have more attraction at the olympics(excluding the michael phelps attraction which happens 1 time every 20 years)?? how can there testing policies be so lax that these athletes were gettin away with it for so long and now are getting caught?? i want answers people

August 16th, 2004, 12:55 PM	#13
ssigman Join Date: 03-15-2004 Posts: 27,970	p.s. i was swimming saturday nite in my pool....i think i can beat 50 seconds in a 100 freestlye.....and that was after a few beers...that betty crocker ruined the race for us...if anyone knows him...smack him for me

August 16th, 2004, 06:06 PM	#14
Blakey_Blue Join Date: 10-24-2002 Posts: 2,198	HAHA, I'd like to see that 50 second 100 meters there As for track and field, ya know I have no idea. I only know general USADA rules and their specific implications for swimming. I mean there are plenty of masking agents, ways to avoid failing...the Chinese government used to alert coaches when drug testers entered the country so they could deal with it. There are ridiculous stories from them...plus, I'm not totally sure, but doesn't the BALCO stuff involve a drug that had never been used before, or banned before? Technology always seems to be coming up with new ways for athletes to cheat, and I can't really speculate why it's so much worse in track and field.