Are WADA fit to 'police' doping in sport

[BullsFan22]

It's been 10 years since Operacion Puerto. What really came of it? Sure, guys like Ullrich, Mancebo, Jaksche, Valverde, Basso, etc were suspended, but otherwise, not much. Yes, the Madrid lab is now deemed 'unfit,' but so what? You suspend one or two or three labs and you think that's going to help matters? Who will now come in to help Spain maintain a credible testing program? How about in Russia, Kenya, Jamaica, Turkey, Portugal, Mexico, China, etc? How does WADA really want to tackle issues like this? Bring in their own team of experts to each of the aforementioned countries? I thought they didn't have enough 'funds' to do that?

I think this issue has already been discussed months ago, and articles similar to this one have been shared, but just a reminder.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/12092102/Blood-samples-in-a-Barcelona-freezer-could-spark-biggest-ever-doping-scandal-as-Operation-Puerto-resurfaces.html

 

[thehog]

It's been 10 years since Operacion Puerto. What really came of it? Sure, guys like Ullrich, Mancebo, Jaksche, Valverde, Basso, etc were suspended, but otherwise, not much. Yes, the Madrid lab is now deemed 'unfit,' but so what? You suspend one or two or three labs and you think that's going to help matters? Who will now come in to help Spain maintain a credible testing program? How about in Russia, Kenya, Jamaica, Turkey, Portugal, Mexico, China, etc? How does WADA really want to tackle issues like this? Bring in their own team of experts to each of the aforementioned countries? I thought they didn't have enough 'funds' to do that?

I think this issue has already been discussed months ago, and articles similar to this one have been shared, but just a reminder.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/12092102/Blood-samples-in-a-Barcelona-freezer-could-spark-biggest-ever-doping-scandal-as-Operation-Puerto-resurfaces.html

Not a big deal. You have a Doctor in London supplying 150 UK athletes but no one really gives a ***. Nothing has changed bar the rhetoric.

 

[thehog]

Yes, they are "dismayed", despite ignoring whistleblower evidence for 3 years straight

World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman says he is “dismayed” at the length of time it took for a Spanish court to release 211 blood bags seized during Operation Puerto.

A judge ruled on Tuesday that the bags should be released to sports authorities for those athletes involved to be identified just over 10 years after they were seized from the offices of Dr Eufemiano Fuentes.

WADA appealed an original decision by the Criminal Court of Madrid to destroy the bags back in 2013 and has waited three years for a resolution.

“WADA acknowledges the Madrid Court of Appeal for having reached the decision to provide anti-doping authorities with this crucial evidence,” Howman said in a statement.

“We are dismayed that it took so long to receive the decision but we will now partner with the other parties that have been granted access [to the blood bags], to determine our legal options vis-à-vis analysing the blood and plasma bags.”

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/racing/wada-dismayed-time-took-release-operacion-puerto-blood-bags-233398#uBJtjxEW9U5drH6u.99

 

[fatandfast]

To answer the thread question.. No the UCI can't even properly weigh bikes let alone figure out if they have electronic wheels or a motor in the seat tube. They can't tell if Puerto bags belong in or out of police hands...
But maybe just maybe.. Greg LeMond,'s wife knows...
come on cyclingnews.. really? Kathy Lemon chimes in on mechanical doping? Greg has not swung a racing leg over a bike since 94 and his wife has a story about mechanical doping? I have seen a slow cycling news day or two but this must mean your reporters are asleep.

 

[Anaconda]

“I don’t think that we as a community appreciated what individuals like this can do for us,” said de Pencier. “I think it’s taken us a while to move away from the mindset that it’s doping control tests that are the most effective way of both detecting and deterring doping. I think we’ve learned that that’s not the case.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...istleblowers-seek-protection-doping/85823830/

Honestly its been almost 20 y since festina. Only just figuring out now about the usefulness of investigations and especially those involving the police. So much ineptitude in this "antidoping community" its staggering.

Sad to read the quotes from the whistleblowers like the Stepanovs and Shirley too. Ugh, very disheartening!

 

[Anaconda]

WADA and Sir Craig (finally) looking pretty found out these days.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/14/athletes-letter-doping-wada-ioc-russia-decision

The Guardian has also learned there are growing frustrations with Reedie – who combines his role as the head of Wada with being a vice-president of the IOC – from within the anti-doping movement. Among the criticisms it is claimed that:

• Reedie’s dual roles at Wada and the IOC have created a conflict of interest as global sport decides what to do with Russia’s athletes before the Olympics.

• Reedie “marginalised” Scott when she called for an investigation into other Russian sports after *** Pound released his first report into corruption in athletics in November, according to one source, and has treated her “abysmally” says another.

• Wada failed to do enough to reach out to Nikita Kamaev – the former head of the Russian anti-doping agency who is now dead – or the former head of the Moscow lab Grigory Rodchenko when he fled Russia. One well-informed source told the Guardian Kamaev had “corroborating evidence” that backed up Rodchenko’s claims of Russian state interference in sport.

 

[BullsFan22]

Re:

WADA and Sir Craig (finally) looking pretty found out these days.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/14/athletes-letter-doping-wada-ioc-russia-decision

The Guardian has also learned there are growing frustrations with Reedie – who combines his role as the head of Wada with being a vice-president of the IOC – from within the anti-doping movement. Among the criticisms it is claimed that:

• Reedie’s dual roles at Wada and the IOC have created a conflict of interest as global sport decides what to do with Russia’s athletes before the Olympics.

• Reedie “marginalised” Scott when she called for an investigation into other Russian sports after **** Pound released his first report into corruption in athletics in November, according to one source, and has treated her “abysmally” says another.

• Wada failed to do enough to reach out to Nikita Kamaev – the former head of the Russian anti-doping agency who is now dead – or the former head of the Moscow lab Grigory Rodchenko when he fled Russia. One well-informed source told the Guardian Kamaev had “corroborating evidence” that backed up Rodchenko’s claims of Russian state interference in sport.

I wouldn't trust Beckie Scott. The woman went from a nobody, finishing in the 40s, 50s and 60s to contending and winning medals a few years later, beating the same women that she vehemently criticized and ones that were caught. And Radcliffe, where to begin with her, she is even less trustworthy. I don't need to go into detail about her 'pal mares' and PR's, do I? Beckie Scott is like Seppelt, barks a lot, but only in the direction of Russians. When do you ever hear of those two talking about other doping cheats/countries?

 

[thehog]

Re:

WADA and Sir Craig (finally) looking pretty found out these days.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/14/athletes-letter-doping-wada-ioc-russia-decision

The Guardian has also learned there are growing frustrations with Reedie – who combines his role as the head of Wada with being a vice-president of the IOC – from within the anti-doping movement. Among the criticisms it is claimed that:

• Reedie’s dual roles at Wada and the IOC have created a conflict of interest as global sport decides what to do with Russia’s athletes before the Olympics.

• Reedie “marginalised” Scott when she called for an investigation into other Russian sports after **** Pound released his first report into corruption in athletics in November, according to one source, and has treated her “abysmally” says another.

• Wada failed to do enough to reach out to Nikita Kamaev – the former head of the Russian anti-doping agency who is now dead – or the former head of the Moscow lab Grigory Rodchenko when he fled Russia. One well-informed source told the Guardian Kamaev had “corroborating evidence” that backed up Rodchenko’s claims of Russian state interference in sport.

Before the "Russia" story broke Reedie was already providing conform to Russia:

Details of a ‘reassuring’ email sent by the British head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to Russia’s most senior anti-doping official highlight why some senior figures in Russian sport feel ‘comfort’ that WADA is not intent on a particular clampdown on Russian doping.

As the Mail on Sunday revealed last week, Sir Craig Reedie, the president of WADA, sent a message to Russia’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko to say WADA had no intention of doing anything to disrupt the men’s friendship.

After admitting in the email he was ‘not involved in the daily work’ of Pound’s commission, Sir Craig none the less offered his opinion to Zhelanova, from his official WADA email account: ‘It is my view that the content of the [ARD] television programmes was based on a period of time that pre-dates the changes in legislation and the investment in [Russian anti-doping] that have been made.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-3207651/WADA-president-Sir-Craig-Reedie-s-comfort-email-Russia-s-senior-drug-buster-reveals-toothless-clampdown-doping.html#ixzz4BeMYCiqM

His email to Zhelanova was, sources say, just one of several messages sent via different email addresses and / or messaging devices. Asked to confirm this, WADA said: ‘WADA maintains diplomatic relations and dialogue with all countries and sports on an ongoing basis and through a number of different means of communication.’

In his email on April 30, Sir Craig wrote: ‘On a personal level I value the relationship I have with Minister Mutko and I shall be grateful if you will inform him that there is no intention in WADA to do anything to affect that relationship.’

 

[BullsFan22]

Re: Re:

WADA and Sir Craig (finally) looking pretty found out these days.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/14/athletes-letter-doping-wada-ioc-russia-decision

The Guardian has also learned there are growing frustrations with Reedie – who combines his role as the head of Wada with being a vice-president of the IOC – from within the anti-doping movement. Among the criticisms it is claimed that:

• Reedie’s dual roles at Wada and the IOC have created a conflict of interest as global sport decides what to do with Russia’s athletes before the Olympics.

• Reedie “marginalised” Scott when she called for an investigation into other Russian sports after **** Pound released his first report into corruption in athletics in November, according to one source, and has treated her “abysmally” says another.

• Wada failed to do enough to reach out to Nikita Kamaev – the former head of the Russian anti-doping agency who is now dead – or the former head of the Moscow lab Grigory Rodchenko when he fled Russia. One well-informed source told the Guardian Kamaev had “corroborating evidence” that backed up Rodchenko’s claims of Russian state interference in sport.

Before the "Russia" story broke Reedie was already providing conform to Russia:

Details of a ‘reassuring’ email sent by the British head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to Russia’s most senior anti-doping official highlight why some senior figures in Russian sport feel ‘comfort’ that WADA is not intent on a particular clampdown on Russian doping.

As the Mail on Sunday revealed last week, Sir Craig Reedie, the president of WADA, sent a message to Russia’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko to say WADA had no intention of doing anything to disrupt the men’s friendship.

After admitting in the email he was ‘not involved in the daily work’ of Pound’s commission, Sir Craig none the less offered his opinion to Zhelanova, from his official WADA email account: ‘It is my view that the content of the [ARD] television programmes was based on a period of time that pre-dates the changes in legislation and the investment in [Russian anti-doping] that have been made.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-3207651/WADA-president-Sir-Craig-Reedie-s-comfort-email-Russia-s-senior-drug-buster-reveals-toothless-clampdown-doping.html#ixzz4BeMYCiqM

His email to Zhelanova was, sources say, just one of several messages sent via different email addresses and / or messaging devices. Asked to confirm this, WADA said: ‘WADA maintains diplomatic relations and dialogue with all countries and sports on an ongoing basis and through a number of different means of communication.’

In his email on April 30, Sir Craig wrote: ‘On a personal level I value the relationship I have with Minister Mutko and I shall be grateful if you will inform him that there is no intention in WADA to do anything to affect that relationship.’

Good. At least he is being consistent there, providing comfort for everyone. If you ban the Russians, you have to ban others with similar problems and similar histories of doping.

 

[Benotti69]

In his email on April 30, Sir Craig wrote: ‘On a personal level I value the relationship I have with Minister Mutko and I shall be grateful if you will inform him that there is no intention in WADA to do anything to affect that relationship.’

So good of Reedie to put his personal relationships ahead of his Job. Sport stinks.

 

[blackcat]

doping ftw and other acronyms

 

[Benotti69]

NYTimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/sports/olympics/world-anti-doping-agency-russia-cheating.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Even With Confession of Cheating, World’s Doping Watchdog Did Nothing

 

[thehog]

Re:

NYTimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/sports/olympics/world-anti-doping-agency-russia-cheating.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Even With Confession of Cheating, World’s Doping Watchdog Did Nothing

Cookson, Coe and Reedie.Who put these idiots into sports administration?

Oh, the British Government via UK Sport, good work!

 

[arcus]

The handling of the Puerto blood bags may become a defining moment for WADA... It's on opportunity for them to show that they have resolve and genuine intent to fight for the clean athlete. If, on the other hand, they cave-in about the 'statute of limitations' issue, and don't find a way to expose the cheating athletes, I don't see how they can be regarded as serious players in the fight against doping.

 

[arcus]

Re:

NYTimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/sports/olympics/world-anti-doping-agency-russia-cheating.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Even With Confession of Cheating, World’s Doping Watchdog Did Nothing

Again, this puts the spotlight intensely upon WADA and creates a political environment that they (presumably) can't escape...

They have to be ruthless about pursuing Puerto cheats. If they don't nail all of them, they might as well pack-up and leave.

 

[thehog]

Deadspin sums it up nicely;

WADA, which is funded by the IOC and various governments, is at best a toothless organization with no investigatory powers run by people with massive conflicts of interest, and at worst a smokescreen designed to create the illusion that the IOC cares about doping while secretly working to maintain the status quo.

 

[thehog]

And this;

Still, there did not appear to be an appetite to look deeper into Russia, especially after a new president came on board in 2014. His name was Craig Reedie, a longtime I.O.C. official who had been involved with WADA from the start. When Mr. Reedie took over as head of the agency, things changed, several staffers said.

At the same time, Russia began giving an extra donation to WADA, with no reason earmarked on WADA’s financial statements — an unusual move. In all, in the past three years, Russia has given an extra $1.14 million on top of its annual contribution, which was of $746,000 in 2015. A spokesman for the agency confirmed Russia’s contributions and said countries that choose to make additional donations have never received special treatment.

 

[sniper]

Re:

NYTimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/sports/olympics/world-anti-doping-agency-russia-cheating.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

Even With Confession of Cheating, World’s Doping Watchdog Did Nothing

Screw me.

“I want to cooperate with WADA,” the email said.

But WADA, the global regulator of doping in Olympic sports, did not begin an inquiry, even though a staff lawyer circulated the message to three top officials, calling the accusations “relatively precise,” including names and facts. Instead, the agency did something that seemed antithetical to its mission to protect clean athletes. It sent Ms. Pishchalnikova’s email to Russian sports officials — the very people who she said were running the doping program.

 

[Ricco']

This is like a mafia snitch going to the police just to let the Don know that he passed over information about him.

 

[thehog]

Re:

This is like a mafia snitch going to the police just to let the Don know that he passed over information about him.

It's impressive. WADA took bribes from Russia, handed back their own athletes if they had intel.

It's not like the mafia, it is the mafia!

 

[Benotti69]

Re: Re:

This is like a mafia snitch going to the police just to let the Don know that he passed over information about him.

It's impressive. WADA took bribes from Russia, handed back their own athletes if they had intel.

It's not like the mafia, it is the mafia!

It is worse than the mafia.

 

[sniper]

Re: Re:

...
It is worse than the mafia.

the mafia is no match for wada when measured by levels of hypocrisy.

 

[thehog]

Re: Re:

...
It is worse than the mafia.

the mafia is no match for wada when measured by levels of hypocrisy.

The real issue is that WADA is funded by public money. Tax payer money from Government and sporting agencies and the IOC. With that budget they have be willfully allowing doping to prosper, allowing side deals and reassuring countries that they will be looked after etc. They are actually doing the direct opposite that they are funded to do.

No wonder Cookson wanted to make peace with them. Its cuts both ways.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Re: Re:

The real issue is that WADA is funded by public money.

Yes, but no. The IOC is an NGO as are the sports federations. They accept donations from countries, but that is different. In some countries some public money funds a NADO, but that's it. We all know sports are politically popular and the budgets aren't huge, so voters tend to be okay.

Sure, throw a few cyclists and track and field athletes out, but nobody touches football.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Re: Re:

This is like a mafia snitch going to the police just to let the Don know that he passed over information about him.

It's impressive. WADA took bribes from Russia, handed back their own athletes if they had intel.

It's not like the mafia, it is the mafia!

I spent a long time explaining that WADA has no power to do anything beyond what a federation requests. WADA forwarding the allegations to the org with authority, the Russian federation, is the WADA compliant way to handle a whistleblower.

The sports federations have acted as if WADA has some power from the start. A reading of WADA's standards make it clear they don't. And now, finally, the realization the federations are actually in charge, and grossly negligent, is reaching a broader audience.

We're finally getting a good picture of just how hard Reedie has worked to let the federations run wild. Rio should be full of world records.

Prediction: Russian athletes attend.