Hold My Beer - The Strange Story of the First Person Disqualified from the Olympics for Doping

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In this video:
Olympians have been bending (and occasionally breaking) the rules in an effort to give themselves an edge over the competition since the games began. Despite this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) only started testing for performance enhancing substances in 1968, and only seem to have really started taking the issue seriously in the 1990s.
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[@FelixIakhos]

Coach: I bet you can't get banned for doping Athlete: Hand me my beer

[@endrankluvsda4loko172]

Nice!

[@takeyouryokeandlearnfromme1771]

Bill Burr on Lance Armstrong: "Our roided up guy beat your roided up guys."

[@takeyouryokeandlearnfromme1771]

@Russ Eissinger Clintons.requires subscription, right? I needed a free website.

[@NowanInparticular]

I used to play 9-ball for money 25 years ago & back then I sincerely believed I played best after 2 beers

[@influenzaz1012]

About 3 beers and im a beast at beer pong

[@MWhaleK]

You and Dave Lister.

[@gabrielgundulf7139]

Nowan Inparticular you can get "better" after a few beers since they relax you and make you more chill to whatever happens. otherwise you'd be too tense and focused on results rather than the game. At least it works for me xD

[@MastaSmack]

Beer or alcohol drowns out a lot of the doubtful voices the brain can conjure up. And alcohol, for me at least, makes me a lot stronger than I normally am.

[@coreyperdue1966]

I always drive better after a few beers

[@greenisnotacreativecolour]

The Olympics would be a pretty impressive show if they made it anything goes - I might even watch it myself! Drugs, gene therapy, cybernetics... Allow it all and let's have an enhanced Olympics!

[@Zeivusgaming]

Name it "All-lympics" to boot and watch the drama unfold. xD

[@greenisnotacreativecolour]

All's fair in love and war (and the All-lympics)!

[@jameskosusnik1102]

@@greenisnotacreativecolour Does that mean war would be a "all-lympic" sport? If so I'm totally in...

[@greenisnotacreativecolour]

@@jameskosusnik1102 No, it means whatever tactic you use to win is ok. Ironically this is not true for love nor war, but that's the saying anyway.

[@fionafiona1146]

Previous substance abuse lead to quite a few deaths and some disabilitys.

[@taschab4661]

Here I thought this was about the "hold my beer" phrase origins, that seems like a good story

[@forknifecapt.2410]

Same :(

[@Amethyst_Dragon_]

I thought it was that story also

[@hilliard665]

That's an easy one, it all happened early one sunny arvo in the dry south east of Queensland Australia, a few lads were havin a barbie when one of the blokes say "ha! I bet ya can't scare the shit out of those yanks down the road" to which old mate replays "here, hold my beer" and thus it was the birth of both the "Drop Bear" and "hold my beer" phrase.

[@susanrobinson910]

Tascha Broden--I thought this, also! I don't know why, but it seems like I am hearing this phrase EVERYWHERE lately.

[@kingjames4886]

someone was drinking a beer and had to do something... likely take a piss.

[@victorpapaavp]

"Optimal altered state" So, there's an actual name for when my K/D goes up around beer two, then quickly takes a nosedive into the floor after number three...

[@eddyguizonde401]

yes, that and fatigue. when i play unreal tournament 2004, i can only maintain my level of skill a short time before going down. first game gets the adrenaline pumping, second game you're hot with the adrenaline and the "training round" in you, game three you're on edge but still at peak performance, and game four you eat the adrenaline come-down... or the sugar crash if you think guzzling energy drinks helps you. if you're drinking and fps'ing, you'll just get drunk on the motion sickness alone before the booze kicks in.

[@juliestevens6931]

Does anyone remember a WKRP in Cincinnati episode where some agency wanted to prove that drinking alcohol lowered your reaction time, so they did a live broadcast with Dr. Johnny Fever? The administrator of the test was drinking along with Johnny. Johnny got faster and faster, the more he drank, while the administrator got plastered and couldn't even hit the buzzer? I think that was the way it went.

[@MyronTheHen]

I remember that lol

[@Daddypants11]

Drink every time "test" is said lol.

[@LookICanExplain]

You'd pretty much black out at 7:40

[@Daddypants11]

Hahaha!

[@Tina06019]

Better stick with beer, not strong liquor, or you’ll be comatose by the end of the video!

[@bjs301]

In the 1980's I knew a parolee that used cocaine daily. He laughed at the idea that the periodic urine screens could catch him, and last I heard, he never did get caught.

[@emersonv]

I will let you know Alcohol does Not help my dart game unless its to hit things you are Not suppose to

[@andrewjustice210]

emersonv that being said, 3-4 bottles of beer help my billiards game pretty significantly

[@0ldFrittenfett]

watch this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4Stn4ajhqirock

[@Dr_Do-Little]

Back when I was playing in bar tournaments. I found out I was at my best at some soft spot. Enough to be relaxed but of course not too much to be inebriated.

[@emersonv]

If everyone playing is drinking it even out the game, but wiin or lose beer makes it fun

[@Hollylivengood]

@@0ldFrittenfett That was funny as hell.

[@kmart1396]

The colored tape had nothing to do with it boosting anything, its there to secure torn or worn out muscles. Examples can be seen across volleyball players of it being reported, oh they messed up this part of their shoulder last game that could be their downfall here, and they have the tape supporting it. Also like yeah some pseudo science is in there for cupping but for the most part its just a weird massage in the end and any athlete's muscles could use that across days of events

[@WilhelmDrake]

They're still ALL on steroids.

[@temujin1234]

Depending on the person 1-2 drinks works as a stimulant if not exceeded.

[@TastyWheatInABowl]

Nice Moral anecdote before your bonus facts. Great video as always 👍

[@DataCab1e]

♫ MYSTERY BISCUITS! ♫ (Oh yeah)

[@KinkyBillyMays]

Cool video as usual but was really hoping this was about the “hold my beer” phrase.

[@reubenp7840]

Ex competitive shooter here Yes, drinking small amounts actually helps with shooting. Your heartbeat affects your aim massively in precision shooting. With a rifle held firmly and properly you will see the crosshairs/point of impact move up and down in time with your heartbeat (admittedly a small amount). Think about how you can feel your pulse by holding a finger against your chest, its the same thing, but instead of the pulse pushing against your finger, it pushes against the butt of your rifle and changes (a tiny amount) where it is being aimed. Shots will be taken during the split second "rest" between beats. Using something like alcohol which slows your heartrate (both by calming you down as well as how alcohol normally slows heartrate) is definitely cheating since it increases the window of 'rest' between beats during which you take the shot. The impact of this may be minimal, down to fractions of a millimeter, but in an Olympic event those tiny differences can be the difference between a gold and a silver.

[@justandy333]

That's absolutely brilliant. The guy Fred Laws who quit and hitched a ride to the finish line and passed it off as a win. Absolute classic for trying that one on.

[@darreljones8645]

Simon, you should've said that Liljenvall (the Swedish athlete) competed in the MODERN pentathlon, which is a very different event from the pentathlon. For those who don't know, it's a series of five events (a swimming race, horseback riding, fencing, shooting, and the only cross-country race in the current Olympic program).

[@Chris-jw8vm]

I think getting a bit drunk can sometimes help me play first and third person shooting games. Hard to explain why. Guess my aiming is slower but more smooth and accurate.

[@FranciscoSciaraffia]

Would be fun to have a special Doping Olympics where everyone is allowed to put whatever they want in their bodies.

[@seanseanston]

Then mysteriously their performance barely improves :]

[@velonico]

Great Video! No silly ads about about video games!

[@the1exnay]

I don't much mind athletes being allowed to use drugs. I kind of like the idea of seeing the absolute maximum of human capability. But i also like the idea of seeing the maximum without enhancement. Separate tests, both valid and valuable.

[@AaronM-zh4ug]

Yes but a few of them actually died because of this. If drugs became allowed then the athletes would mess up their Future

[@the1exnay]

Mr_Scientific That sounds like a reason to not be an athlete in that sport, not a reason for the sport not to exist

[@AaronM-zh4ug]

@@the1exnay I think the olympic organisers would agree but I really doubt the olympic big shots would like the reputation of all the players being high during matches. That would alienate a lot of people. Well these are just my thoughts and you could totally be right.

[@Aramis419]

Am I losing my mind or was there an audio glitch at 7:43?

[@yetinother]

Nope, rewinded several times to make sure

[@Me-zl7mu]

It Was a Cut Mistake

[@jeffreyhebert5604]

How do you have millions of subscribers and only 1K likes... hmm.. give Simon so many more likes...they work hard and have great content.. just me... keep up the great work Simon and the crew.. cheers...Maybe a video on the EPA... FDA..and all the three letter organizations...

[@Bigfoot_With_Internet_Access]

I bet most Chess-Boxers are on riods

[@christelheadington1136]

...or they are droids.

[@leaf4836]

Yup

[@Lady8D]

Just found myself thinking ffs get to the point already and making sure I'd clicked the right video - only to realize its not about what it appeared to be about in my notification. Good to know, next video!

[@cory7328]

I need that podcast. I binged the entire back log. I am having withdrawals.

[@6thwilbury2331]

Running an Olympic marathon on rat poison and brandy? I must say that story sounds... pretty good.

[@winkwink6478]

You guys rock! 👍

[@crypticcorgi8280]

I frighteningly knew someone who said that she drove better drunk. I was a timid kid who took the ride with her because I was too afraid to say no. But now I would have definitely spoken up.

[@ThisNameIsBanned]

Being slightly drunk simply makes the person "fearless" , a little bit at least and ups the mood, so in case they are very nervous it helps them to reduce the stress. If you get more drunk it becomes a problem for your movement etc. so the beneficial "little bit drunk" cannot be ignored, even if the effect is small and the negative might outweigh the benefits.

[@thatgirlinokc3975]

Thanks for another great video!🤗❤

[@joshuaerwin8728]

In my experience a small dose of alcohol really can be a 1up on a person who hasn't, barley feeling it can block the thoughts/pain that may hold you back. But go to far getting "drunk" and you get the opposite effect

[@Stigstigster]

I already liked the presenter but when he said it was 42 degrees "out" I got really happy.

[@lykaiosonyx298]

7:43 i had to pause here and comment about how painful that was to watch/listen to

[@skizzik121]

Man I love that picture of the insufflation of the lane marker. As a fan of coke and track it pretty much sums up my records in highschool

[@chickenmonger123]

skizzik121 Coke? What did you go to a private school or something?

[@Jay-ln1co]

We need super olympics, where you'll get disqualified if you don't dope, and everyone's free to push themselves as far as they can.

[@LambentLark]

Have they ever heard the term "unreasonable expectations"?

[@digitalblasphemy1100]

PLEASE do an episode on puberty. I want to which animals go through it, what it entails, etc. etc.

[@fionafiona1146]

Since blood tests are performed, testing for STDs in the Olympic Village would be advisable.

[@declanmckendree9238]

What is the meaning and significance of the Olympic rings and their colors? I've always been quite curious about that. Btw I'm a huge fan of all of your channels and I love the content you put out. Keep up the great and fantastic work. My fiance and I learn quite a bit from your videos and are very much entertained.

[@FragEightyfive]

Every competition should have an open "unlimited class". Lets see what the human body/mind is capable of.

[@bobsmith-ru7xp]

I've heard people talk about giving strychnine to fighting chickens as a performance enhancer.

[@marshallbaldwin395]

I don't remember when but sometime in the 60s or early 70s British transport were testing how much alcohol It took to mess up a bus driver and they did find a pretty specific amount that did them better tight quarters drivers

[@marsovac]

While not enhancing performance per se, alcohol has been proven to lower the perception of pain. In some cases this could prove an advantage.

[@Dr_Do-Little]

This was... Pretty good!

[@peoplecallmepeechez]

That colored tape actually has a purpose and effect. It's supposed to be used for recovery mostly though. It's called KT tape

[@only1sn1not1taken]

I bowl better while drunk. Now to hear you say what the theory is behind it...bowling would definitely fit into that sort of category and makes a lot of sense.

[@BoDiddly]

I played Pool and Music better when I was slightly drunk, but there is a fine line between "slightly drunk" and "plastered".

[@krystofdayne]

You really have to either turn up or completely turn down your background music in these vids 😅 some minutes into the video I'll kinda notice it, but not actively and then it's like this bug in my ear and it just drives me nuts until I figure out that's it's coming from your video and not, like, my upstairs neighbor 😂

[@danielnees9356]

I kept stopping the video because I thought someone behind me was playing music haha

[@reasonablespeculation3893]

Does comprehension of information go up as background music volume goes up? Is the music for entertainment?

[@danielnees9356]

No of course not and I understood what he said completely. It was just an amusing but unecessary distraction is all

[@ValdVincent]

Being drunk does also nul pain, has been know to help people in fights. Not to sure how much impact that would have on these things thou.

[@DrTittieSprinkles]

6:45 Oilchanges

[@Fomantistoboggan]

If you want to know more about the 1904 Olympic marathon look up pretty good by Jon Bois at SB nation.

[@hilliard665]

Blows my mind just how much and what drugs they were using and how long ago.

[@kylethornberry7074]

9:40 some folks call it stanazolol i call it winstrol

[@KneeDeepInTheDead81]

Whistley boi!

[@emanuelmartinez7267]

I had a friend in highschool who would always smoke a blunt before heading to the basketball court. When he was sober dude was shit but when he was stoned dude was a beast on the court lol crossovers, no look passes, always in position and raining threes lol He currently plays PF/C for St Francis idk how well they test their guys but I guarantee dude still blazes lol

[@matthewgilbride8212]

Kenesiology tape isn't about the colour it's for holding together muscles that don't quite feel right (or worse)

[@AmsterdamHeavy]

lol, Ben Johnson and his jaundice eyes

[@eddixon2015]

You did Thomas Hicks kind of dirty here.

[@argotera1]

Honorable mention: Ross Rebagliati.

[@HiekerMJ]

I used to hear stories/discussion from my Canadian friends about the 1950/60s about the correct amount of beer to consume between target shooting rounds. Excepting that this: a) a clever marketing move on the part of Breweries b) Utter B(eer)-S but a good story to tell Noobs c) The sport back then was super male-macho dominated - the thought of alcohol being allowed on a Canadian shooting range by inside or outside anybody today is just incredible and abhorrent...You would dismissed from the club and all the local ones would be told very quickly as to why: expect never to be allowed to join any, ever. In the 21C it is almost the other extreme: the _lack_ of a drinking culture - even after shooting in social situations - has been the attraction for some amateur competitors who have struggled with addiction.

[@j35u554v35]

better perfromance under influence of alcohol is also known as "Ballmers Peak" :D

[@Beryllahawk]

The only time I've seen anyone play anything better drunk was when they were playing Cards Against Humanity, mkay?

[@LincolnRon]

Despite so many people claiming they dance better when they are drunk. Every single person I've seen that makes that claim is a much worse dancer when they are drunk than when they are sober.

[@MastaSmack]

Also, a lot of times, I will smoke weed before playing a video game like Battlefield because it heightens my senses and paranoia, so I notice footsteps a lot easier.

[@robertmontgomery7158]

Why the background music?

[@infern0127]

Oh yeah yeah

[@Amy-zb6ph]

There's nothing better than alcohol for reducing anxiety. I wouldn't do it for a sporting event but I frequently play and sing in a band when I'm pretty tipsy. The only thing it really changes about the music is my level of comfort and the likelihood that I will try something more creative in the way I sing. It also helps me improvise when someone I'm playing with inadvertently changes the song a little bit.

[@Amy-zb6ph]

Oh and it can also numb pain, especially muscle aches, so maybe that's why it get used in sports.

[@drivemyexotic5274]

That skull is still there...staring at us.

[@darthmagnum2007]

Yeah, Im just OK at Pool/Billiards, But my teammate keeps telling me i get scary good at a certain point in the night. Focus, accuracy and concentration suddenly spike and I seem immune to taunts from the opponents, because of course we play in a bar. He calls it my "Drunk Zen". I don't know if that is insulting or amazing, but I know it works! It usually occurs in waves. Half way between drinks two and three, then again after number four.

[@laztoth3104]

🍺🍺 🍺. Ha Ha I would have!!! Drank a whiskey!!!!!

[@lisamo1013]

At 8:28 he it's actually 61% like the subtitles say not 6% like he says.

[@nofanfelani6924]

They started to ban drugs because it's bad for the athletes, but only started to really take it seriously when it's threatening the reputation of the olympics it self.

[@teresaellis7062]

This is a depressing history lesson. 😞

[@annettefournier9655]

Yup, my riding instructor suggested I take a shot of coniac ( I can't even spell it, let alone drink it), before lessons and competitions. I left my house at 7 am for 8: 30 am lessons. Really? Jump out of bed and do a shot?!

[@MyronTheHen]

Cognac*

[@annettefournier9655]

@@MyronTheHen 👍

[@xqiuvmah]

I'm always better at cornhole after I have a small buzz on

[@keithmcintyre6403]

Truth, I know I play better pool if I have a certain amount of alcohol in me....any less or more, I'm not playing in that "zone". I use to joke, on any given night, I could beat anyone in that pool hall, if I had a three beers, and no more.

[@capacamaru]

Is it really abuse if you are getting exactly what you want out of it?

[@bat4280]

11:43 - A.K.A the Drunken Master theory

[@silkwesir1444]

no, that's not the same

[@joelhall5124]

It's not actually banned anymore. But the idea of what constitutes a PED is arbitrary and vague.

[@andrelunaisatuna]

I bet Karl loved writing this

[@frankbauerful]

I definitely play better when I'm drunk. What I play? The bagpipes.

[@oslonorway547]

Still waiting for *(Today I Found Out): That time Simon was asked if he had **_any other prior acting_** experience, cos his employer thought he was **_J😉hnny Sins._*

[@billuminati3867]

I didnt even know you could italicize an emoji, bravo _👏_

[@oslonorway547]

@Jeremy Honeycutt LOL Been here for years, _Senpai_ knows my name.

[@puyearprod.929]

We watch too much porn. I like Kissa Sins

[@1minutestories]

*ohh yeah yeah*

[@mynameisntimportant9341]

I play beer pong better drunk haha

[@shaldar44]

Noted editor Daven "Hiskey" talking about performance enhancement by drinking beer 🍺

[@shiniestaipom123]

If we going to consider alcohol doping then entire countries will be banned

[@Magmafrost13]

"Look what humans can do without drugs" is great and all, but you know what would be more entertaining? A "look what humans can do *with* drugs" competition

[@minuteman4199]

I am surprised that you never mentioned Ross Rebagliati, the Olympic snowboarder who was disqualified for having performance enhancing marijuana in his system.

[@server0752]

Sugar!!

[@100tijs]

Video suggestion: Why does your nose run when you have a cold?

[@coolnegative]

hopefully persistence works, so here it goes again; who's Jimmy, and why is he always crackin' corn? what the heck is crackin' corn anyway?

[@brokenwave6125]

We should stop being so naive and just accept that performance enhancements of all types are used. If we want to be adults about it we will just have "clean" events alongside the normal events. Like in bodybuilding. There's already basically a nonofficial category of clean body builders. I don't see a problem with that. Adults should have every right to use drugs in general, including in sports...both of which are going to happen whether its considered ok or not.

[@dynamicworlds1]

The problem is that then you don't have a competition of athletics as much as who is more willing to sacrifice their health to win

[@MrWildbill]

While not predictable in timing nor sustainable I hit a point usually 2-3 beers in to play pool where I play substantially better than when I am sober, especially on bank shots off multiple rails. Sadly it does not last long, couple games tops. I also had noticed in my bar/clubs days there was also point where my pick up game was exceptionally effective. There is also an optimum level for sex although that is hard to measure objectively, but it is the most fun :)

[@davidmcguire6043]

Steroids should be MANDATORY at the Olympics.

[@nicolaiveliki1409]

It's not that I play better when I'm drunk, it's that other peoples' skills suffer more from alcohol intoxication than mine do ;-)

[@wasmadeinthe80s]

What do the colors of the Olympic symbols signify?

[@6thwilbury2331]

Insert "can't tell if serious" GIF here...

[@JonClemence]

To be fair, I've used the colored tape before when my back was sore. I was expecting absolutely no effect, but to my surprise it does actually help. Also to be fair, I'm not an Olympic athlete. :)