Best excuse or denial for doping!

[Ripper]

Wow, this one is not even that funny because WADA’s handling is bat-sh*t crazy and obviously politically or image protection motivated. Can you imagine the blowback from China and elsewhere if they banned 23 athletes en mass before the Olympics?

This could be a great strategy for large teams. If all athletes dope with the same product you just have a blanket excuse ready (common dining, AC system, whatever) and then if the drugs are detected the IOC or WADA have to deal with a too-big-to-fail problem.

Indeed! What are the odds that TMZ gets gets in the kitchen and all over the place? I mean, "it did not explain how a prescription drug available only in pill form had contaminated the kitchen"

 

[Sciatic]

Indeed! What are the odds that TMZ gets gets in the kitchen and all over the place? I mean, "it did not explain how a prescription drug available only in pill form had contaminated the kitchen"

It’s mind blowing.

 

[Rob5091]

Here's an oldie but goldie that I had not heard about - watch out for lightning!
https://newrepublic.com/article/116303/great-moments-north-korean-sports-beyond-dennis-rodman

• June 2011
  Lightning Strikes Women’s World Cup Team
  Five players on the North Korean women’s World Cup team fail a drug test—the result, North Korean officials explain, of steroids that were mistakenly ingested after lightning struck the athletes during training. The lightning strike is also offered as a reason for the team’s 2-0 loss to the United States.

 

[AmRacer]

Here's an oldie but goldie that I had not heard about - watch out for lightning!
https://newrepublic.com/article/116303/great-moments-north-korean-sports-beyond-dennis-rodman

Makes you produce high watts.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Their 2011 campaign was notable for different reasons - North Korea's women were caught up in football's biggest doping scandal in a generation.

Five of their players tested positive for a rare kind of steroids. North Korea's explanation was even rarer.

They said that the positive tests were caused by a traditional medicine made from the glands of a musk deer., external Officials explained it had been administered to the players after lightning struck their training ground back in North Korea.

North Korea: Women's football's sleeping giant

North Korea lags behind most of the rest of the world in several areas. But the hermit state has had an outsized impact on international women's football.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Sciatic]

Someone else mentioned this in a social media post but I think it bears repeating and enshrining in this thread. There was such beautiful, symmetrical irony in the fact that American distance runner Shelby Houlihan, after serving a 4-year doping ban for Nandrolone—which she famously argued was due to unapproved wild boar offal in her food-truck burrito—made her return to racing at the recent Univ. of Arkansas Invitational meet. For those unfamiliar, the U of Arkansas are the “Razorbacks”, another name for wild boars!! 😆

 

[Sciatic]

Someone else mentioned this in a social media post but I think it bears repeating and enshrining in this thread. There was such beautiful, symmetrical irony in the fact that American distance runner Shelby Houlihan, after serving a 4-year doping ban for Nandrolone—which she famously argued was due to unapproved wild boar offal in her food-truck burrito—made her return to racing at the recent Univ. of Arkansas Invitational meet. For those unfamiliar, the U of Arkansas are the “Razorbacks”, another name for wild boars!! 😆

And then this yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/share/165Jqrigrr/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[Froome]

"Because of cycling before my time, in any sport, if someone is winning, there’s always jealousy and haters ... I tell you now, it’s not worth it. Taking anything to risk your health is stupid.”

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Raymundas Rumsas: "These drugs were for my grandmother."
Cycling official: "Yeah, if my grandmother took those drugs, she could ride the Tour de France too."

 

[Unchained]

Whiskey Defense: Seems Like Another Whopper (Published 2006)

Floyd Landis is asking people to stretch their inner oath of fairness, now blaming a Jack Daniel's binge for his A sample spike a night before Stage 17.

www.nytimes.com

Jack Daniels did it..

 

[Unchained]

Floyd Landis to pay nearly $500,000 to legal defense fund donors | Daily Business Review

Cycling whistle-blower Floyd Landis has agreed to pay nearly $479,000 restitution to legal defense fund donors who contributed before he acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs while racing.

www.law.com

And no I didn't get my money back from Brooklyn Brewery fund raiser..and no I didn't get cash returned from roller races event held at Parkside Lounge!!

 

[Unchained]

Racing in Bars, Going Nowhere Fast (Published 2011)

Roller races, which are nearly as old as cycling itself, are held in New York using an antique set of British-made rollers from the 1960s.

www.nytimes.com

He had the book signing events and Drink Floyd complete with Pink Floyd rainbow pyramid!! I drank gallons of the Koolaid..

Roller Race with Floyd Landis - NYVelocity

It has a name! The party is TONIGHT!! The Chipin has ended, so we’ll see you there tonight. Update November 28: The party is this Thursday! Here’s a link to... Read more »

nyvelocity.com

I feel like I was in a cult!!!

 

[Nomad]

Tested positive OOC for a SARM (ligandrol). Claims contamination via the transfer of bodily fluids:

Imogen Simmonds tests positive in out-of-competition test, but points to partner - Triathlon Today

Triathlon Today: Your News, Our Passion. Fastest and most accurate independent news outlet for triathlon news, duathlon news and multisport news, offering a great mix of race reports of triathlon events, actual industry news, gear, human interest stories, pro- and age-group profiles, long course...

tri-today.com

"I have an intimate relationship with my partner and my team and I came to the conclusion that the ligandrol must have entered my body through bodily fluids (such as saliva or semen, ed.),” she said. “My partner and I engaged in intimate relations both the day of and day before my 8 December 2024 doping control test – my legal team and I have concluded that this substance got into my system via the transfer of bodily fluid.”

 

[AmRacer]

Tested positive OOC for a SARM (ligandrol). Claims contamination via the transfer of bodily fluids:

Imogen Simmonds tests positive in out-of-competition test, but points to partner - Triathlon Today

Triathlon Today: Your News, Our Passion. Fastest and most accurate independent news outlet for triathlon news, duathlon news and multisport news, offering a great mix of race reports of triathlon events, actual industry news, gear, human interest stories, pro- and age-group profiles, long course...

tri-today.com

"I have an intimate relationship with my partner and my team and I came to the conclusion that the ligandrol must have entered my body through bodily fluids (such as saliva or semen, ed.),” she said. “My partner and I engaged in intimate relations both the day of and day before my 8 December 2024 doping control test – my legal team and I have concluded that this substance got into my system via the transfer of bodily fluid.”

Accidentally 🤔

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Tested positive OOC for a SARM (ligandrol). Claims contamination via the transfer of bodily fluids:

Imogen Simmonds tests positive in out-of-competition test, but points to partner - Triathlon Today

Triathlon Today: Your News, Our Passion. Fastest and most accurate independent news outlet for triathlon news, duathlon news and multisport news, offering a great mix of race reports of triathlon events, actual industry news, gear, human interest stories, pro- and age-group profiles, long course...

tri-today.com

"I have an intimate relationship with my partner and my team and I came to the conclusion that the ligandrol must have entered my body through bodily fluids (such as saliva or semen, ed.),” she said. “My partner and I engaged in intimate relations both the day of and day before my 8 December 2024 doping control test – my legal team and I have concluded that this substance got into my system via the transfer of bodily fluid.”

guess it was some bad seed then

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

Ukraine claims that banned Chelsea football player Mudryk received stem cell injections from the Ukrainian national team's physiotherapist to aid his recovery. The stem cells came from a cow that was likely exposed to the banned substance meldonium.

Ukrainian journalist reveals fascinating new details on Mykhailo Mudryk doping case

Mykhailo Mudryk received a stem cell injection whilst with the Ukraine national team which could have caused his failed doping test according to Ukrainian journalist Igor Burbas.Mudryk has been charge...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Rob5091]

Tested positive OOC for a SARM (ligandrol). Claims contamination via the transfer of bodily fluids:

Imogen Simmonds tests positive in out-of-competition test, but points to partner - Triathlon Today

Triathlon Today: Your News, Our Passion. Fastest and most accurate independent news outlet for triathlon news, duathlon news and multisport news, offering a great mix of race reports of triathlon events, actual industry news, gear, human interest stories, pro- and age-group profiles, long course...

tri-today.com

"I have an intimate relationship with my partner and my team and I came to the conclusion that the ligandrol must have entered my body through bodily fluids (such as saliva or semen, ed.),” she said. “My partner and I engaged in intimate relations both the day of and day before my 8 December 2024 doping control test – my legal team and I have concluded that this substance got into my system via the transfer of bodily fluid.”

and the ITA believed her ....(unless something else happened ...)
https://ita.sport/news/ironman-athl...-no-fault-for-her-anti-doping-rule-violation/

Over the course of the results management proceedings, the athlete was able to establish that the presence of ligandrol in her sample was due to inadvertent contamination through intimate contact with her partner who was taking supplements containing the prohibited substance without her knowledge. The athlete was also able to establish that she bore No Fault or Negligence² for the ADRV and, therefore, no period of ineligibility is imposed³ and the athlete is free to compete effective immediately. As the sample was collected out-of-competition, there are no competitive results to disqualify.

 

[Sciatic]

and the ITA believed her ....(unless something else happened ...)
https://ita.sport/news/ironman-athl...-no-fault-for-her-anti-doping-rule-violation/

It’s so weird how these sports tribunals/courts do not operate like law courts in requiring defendants to provide replicable proofs or verifiable alibis. If this was a criminal case (in most countries) wouldn’t the defendant’s attorney have to provide documentation/research that a significant enough amount of the illicit product can be carried in semen and then show up in a drug test?
That’s what seems ridiculous about this excuse, though it’s not as fun as the contaminated burrito or chimeric twin defenses.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It’s so weird how these sports tribunals/courts do not operate like law courts in requiring defendants to provide replicable proofs or verifiable alibis. If this was a criminal case (in most countries) wouldn’t the defendant’s attorney have to provide documentation/research that a significant enough amount of the illicit product can be carried in semen and then show up in a drug test?
That’s what seems ridiculous about this excuse, though it’s not as fun as the contaminated burrito or chimeric twin defenses.

Little bit more reading suggests that they did go further than simply proposing this as a possibility: there was precedent, and there was medical evidence that his concentration was very much higher than hers,

Imogen Simmonds Cleared of Doping Allegations

A doping investigation has found Ironman triathlete Imogen Simmonds' positive sample for Ligandrol was “due to inadvertent contamination.”

www.triathlete.com

 

[Sciatic]

Little bit more reading suggests that they did go further than simply proposing this as a possibility: there was precedent, and there was medical evidence that his concentration was very much higher than hers,

Imogen Simmonds Cleared of Doping Allegations

A doping investigation has found Ironman triathlete Imogen Simmonds' positive sample for Ligandrol was “due to inadvertent contamination.”

www.triathlete.com

That’s not what I mean at all. To replicate that her excuse was valid scientifically, they would need to demonstrate that a person with a known amount of that specific substance could, via depositing semen during intercourse, result in the substance being metabolized in a way that it would then show up in a blood or urine test of the other partner. They don’t do that. In fact, they cleared the athlete of wronging not because of the science but rather under the language that the athlete could not have “reasonably known or expected” that the drug would get into her system that way. Baloney. Why wouldn’t every female cyclist, runner, etc who gets busted get the penalties lifted by claiming the drug was transferred through unprotected intercourse?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

That’s not what I mean at all. To replicate that her excuse was valid scientifically, they would need to demonstrate that a person with a known amount of that specific substance could, via depositing semen during intercourse, result in the substance being metabolized in a way that it would then show up in a blood or urine test of the other partner. They don’t do that. In fact, they cleared the athlete of wronging not because of the science but rather under the language that the athlete could not have “reasonably known or expected” that the drug would get into her system that way. Baloney. Why wouldn’t every female cyclist, runner, etc who gets busted get the penalties lifted by claiming the drug was transferred through unprotected intercourse?

So the principle of strict liability, that athletes are accountable for any banned substance found in their system, includes this form of introduction. I guess the whole point of the rule is that you don't have to identify or specify a means of introduction.

 

[Unchained]

Lazkano
" I don't remember taking a test 3+ years ago..... "

 

[houtdffan]

and the ITA believed her ....(unless something else happened ...)
https://ita.sport/news/ironman-athl...-no-fault-for-her-anti-doping-rule-violation/

how in the world is that no fault or negligence. Athlete was intimate with someone known to them. They should have known what their partner was taking.

I could see no significant fault or negligence, but not no fault

 

[Rob5091]

Another "No Significant Fault" decision -
https://ita.sport/news/the-ita-ackn...pholding-the-appeal-of-wrestler-riza-kayaalp/

On 6 March 2025, the ITA reported that the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD) had imposed a four-year period of ineligibility on Rıza Kayaalp and disqualified all results obtained by the athlete from 28 May 2024.

Following the appeal filed by the athlete against the CAS ADD decision, on 28 October 2025, the CAS panel confirmed that Mr Kayaalp had committed an ADRV by taking the prohibited substance Trimetazidine and maintained the disqualification of all results obtained from 28 May 2024, as imposed by the CAS ADD.

However, the CAS also found that the athlete did not act intentionally and that he bore No Significant Fault or Negligence. Consequently, the CAS decided to reduce the period of ineligibility to 18 months, running from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2025, considering this sanction “appropriate and proportionate”.

https://www.dailysabah.com/sports/t...wins-doping-case-cleared-for-2026-return/news

Kayaalp explained that his positive test stemmed from Vastarel, a medication he used for an ear condition that caused tinnitus.

 

[Sciatic]

Another "No Significant Fault" decision -
https://ita.sport/news/the-ita-ackn...pholding-the-appeal-of-wrestler-riza-kayaalp/

https://www.dailysabah.com/sports/t...wins-doping-case-cleared-for-2026-return/news

Perfect. So by this standard, if there was adequate testing in the days of the old East German doping program most of the athletes could get off lightly because they didn't know what they were getting and were told it was just vitamins or whatever?