How Anti-Doping works: The Secret War on Drugs

[@gtn]

Do you believe anti-doping efforts are effective enough in professional sports? What more could be done to prevent doping in sports?

[@kevinb6835]

It will never be effective enough :D its like Cheaters in Gaming or Virus in Computers ^^ They will always find a way to hide it... or even the money talks sometimes:D

[@shaunkiyabu2707]

Nope, simple solution for this sport, eliminate world championship events and make them a regular event, eliminate pro categories and prize pools. Eliminate the motivation to cheat. Probably need to eliminate sponsored athletes as well (if you are sponsored you can’t compete). Short of that there will always be cheating. Anti doping testing and deterrence is always a reactive response and will always be behind the cheaters.

[@erictravis5995]

I would also love to see a massive age group testing net at an upcoming 70.3 championship - I.e. test all the top 10% just once and ban the cheaters from future events. Maybe it would scare others from future cheating…

[@PerryScanlon]

The science shows that the policies are designed to allow cheating.

[@PerryScanlon]

To beat the passport, just read these: "Acute hyperhydration reduces athlete biological passport OFF-hr score" Bejder 2016 (primary biomarker) And "Tracking immature reticulocyte proteins for improved detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) abuse" Cox 2021 (look at the charts to see secondary biomarkers)

[@3WalkingPoles]

I was tested once, after finishing one of the 70.3's - they checked if I'm still alive. 😁

[@gtn]

We suppose you tested positive 🤣

[@nickc4716]

Very well hydrated Mark😀

[@gtn]

[@FabioFerraro76]

Good video. It would also be interesting to have a video on all the well known flaws of doping controls, like samples and data manipulation, micro-dosing that can be done during the windows between testing, corruption, etc…

[@gtn]

Thank you for the idea, we'll see what we can do

[@haaziqreza2918]

Fun fact: The Nikki Hamblin in the video is the same Nikki Hamblin that ran the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 5000m. You might remember the incident when she fell, alongside Abby D'Agostino in the race and then helped each other to finish the race🥲

[@kevinwilliamson1883]

I've competed at the US National Champs a few times and was told by an official that they catch several Age Group athletes each year, which is simply crazy to my mind. Why would you dope in an Age Group event??

[@tinyrunner88]

So interesting! Thanks for this video.

[@gtn]

Thank you for watching ❤

[@utuber221]

Tamper proof containers? Tell that the the FSB who figured out a way to open them during the Sochi games😅

[@Cosmic54Vortex]

They opened the bottle but still left small scratches. Who ever figured it out was smart

[@eagleironic5815]

Great video! Though I was under the impression there were 11 anti doping violations? Maybe a difference in the way anti doping agencies explain it?

[@markallen8203]

Really interesting video

[@gethind-j2390]

Needs one system, any professional organisation that has a commercial interest cannot in any way be guaranteed to be independent.

[@jonathanzappala]

In what world does this happen without commercial interest? It’s not going to pay for itself. Who do you propose pays for it? Taxpayers? What’s a different from countries funding it vs Ironman or WT?

[@PhilDowson-hq3dj]

That's what the ITA essentially is. The Governing Bodies sub contract out so they don't have the commercial conflict of testing and having a cause to hide tests. Ironman is the only private organisation that is using this

[@gethind-j2390]

@@jonathanzappala fund it from the competitors.

[@bpfastfeet25]

I've always wanted a video/article dedicated to explaining the process behind maintaining the banned substances list itself. Caffeine is permitted and enhances performance, likely because it's dangers or contraindications are mild. But as I understand it, health risks aren't the only criteria used to place a substance on the banned list. Any interest in making such a video GTN/GCN?

[@andreemurray7039]

It's a pity people cheat but it has gone on for years sadly Armstrong cast a large shadow

[@larrylem3582]

Now do part 2 that explains, compares, and contrasts the situations with the Chinese swimmers, Thomas Rodriquez, and Erriyon Knighton.

[@noneims]

Micro dosing EPO still can't be caught 😢

[@douglasbooth6836]

You don’t need epo.

[@michaelvrbanac6923]

You don't know what you are opining about as to EPO​@@douglasbooth6836

[@maxv9870]

Interesting

[@peachxblue]

I feel like they should make it more efficient after competition, so athletes can go home and get some sleep sooner. Sucks for them to have to be up sooo late after working so hard to get the test…or can the DCO come back to their house w them and wait for the athlete to need to pee while they nap and shower etc?

[@desroin]

I think what some of the age groupers who do dope forget is that they're also committing several actual crimes especially in Germany. Not only is the handling of some of these substances illegal to begin with, but using any such substance with the intent of competing at a sports competition is also a crime in itself. Hence if you get caught you have way more things to worry about than just being banned from competing in the sport you're supposed to love ^^'

[@Ivan_Nano]

Who do they keep the athlete always on sight while urinating? Do they go into the bathroom with them? How can they prevent the athlete having clean urine stored in the bathroom and just giving them that?

[@jeroencox6264]

yes they watch them pee

[@jamescunnama3583]

Yes, sample collected in full view, pants to knees, shirt to chest, full view. Glamorous job...

[@CoupleTriLife]

Do they physically have to watch the urine exit the peepee hole into the pot?

[@CoupleTriLife]

Or could you have your back to them while you do it? #nevercouldbeaproanyway #stagefright

[@lukecampbell985]

Yes. There are records of athletes using filling the pot with a different persons urine. The most adventurous way was by taping a condom under their penis and splitting the end so that someone else’s urine came out into the container.

[@bretzky9261]

Half life of EPO is still only 4 hours. Gives athletes a 10% boost and is almost undetectable. Most pro triathletes take it because they'd be dumb not too.

[@ralfmimoun2826]

Also don't google "microdosing"...

[@JimCullen]

Im curious, do retired pros stay registered? For how long?

[@jamescunnama3583]

For my NADO, you can notify them of retirement. They'll (most likely) remove you from RTP, but Pro may not return to competition (unretire) without minimum 6 month notice.

[@bbnd5476]

Which study are you referring to which claims 11% of AG athletes dope? The German one that counts creatine and caffeine as doping?

[@douglasbooth6836]

It doesn’t work.

[@MrMeowNow]

Happened to me at 10pm... lolz

[@gtn]

The person taking the test might have been looking for somewhere to have dinner?

[@jlore6344]

Is that poor lady frowning because she saw Mark actually fill that jar?

[@LiberaTeTutemetExInferis]

Good thing you just re decorated ....

[@KlemenSuligojTri]

I'm here for the whiny comments about age groupers doping

[@PerryScanlon]

Of course they do. Web sites sell stuff.

[@shaunkiyabu2707]

Only way to stop doping is to remove prize pools, qualification requirements for events (world championships) and ban sponsored athletes. Take the incentives out of the sport and cheating will stop, short of that there will always be dopers.

[@gtn]

Do you think that in competitions without prizes, athletes wouldn't seek to use drugs to enhance their performance?

[@shaunkiyabu2707]

@@gtn what would be the motivation? A faster time? Whooptie doo. Risking adverse health effects for a faster time (maybe) when things like strong swim currents, headwinds on bikes etc play an even bigger role. It is hillariously stupid. Great, you got an arbitrary time at the expense of risking strokes cancer, heart conditions etc. and at the end of the day you still have to look at the person in the mirror.

[@mumblesmoaner8996]

So basically micro dope EPO & very little chance of getting caught. Why not release athletes blood counts or compare with amateur athlete (not that these don’t dope) & Joe Bloggs ? Then we’d know 👍 not going to happen though as too many peeps with too much skin 💰 in the game ☹️

[@JZTechEngineering]

Ametuer riders dope more than pros and genetics play a huge part of that

[@Foxtrottangoabc]

And that's the ilegal stuff . Then there is this TUE exemptions that are seemingly legal cheating and wide spread 😅

[@nikanj]

Of course anti-doping measures are a great thing but sometimes overly restrictive drug tests can be harmful for a sport. For example, even though there are no performance benefits to THC the Australian Olympic Committee banned the drug. Out of the 47 female candidates for the Australian Olympic break dancing team only one tested negative for THC.