Clara Hughes reveals 1994 doping infraction

[LesMcLuffAlot]

Clara Hughes admits to a positive test early in her career. It appears it was all kept hush, hush.

"She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine."

Hopefully the link works outside of Canada..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/olympian-clara-hughes-reveals-doping-infraction-1.3215617

 

[Dear Wiggo]

It's ok. Everyone agreed to stop doping in 2006. Not sure if the women got that memo.

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Clara Hughes admits to a positive test early in her career. It appears it was all kept hush, hush.

"She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine."

Hopefully the link works outside of Canada..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/olympian-clara-hughes-reveals-doping-infraction-1.3215617

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine.

"To this day, I don't know how that happened. I have never talked about it," she said. "I have no reason for it. I have no excuse for it. But it is real. And it makes me sick. It actually makes me sick because I know I didn't do anything, and it is so empty to say that 21 years later."

She insists she has no idea how the stimulant got in her sample. Nonetheless, at the time, she was given a three-month suspension in the off season and says she was advised to keep the matter to herself. So she stayed quiet for nearly two decades, never talking about it, but often mulling over what might have happened.Ephedrine doesn't materialize out of thin air. Hughes knows that. But she says she's always wondered if the positive result was a lab mistake or perhaps an act of sabotage.

"My bottle was on my bike when I went to the porta-john and I remembered going and leaving my bike there. Whether someone did something to my bottle, I will never know. Or whether something [happened] in the lab, I don't know."

Over the years, other athletes with positive drug tests have made similar claims, only to be greeted by howls of skepticism by the public and wider sporting world. That seems to be the reaction Hughes is bracing for now. "There is a huge risk" in talking, she says.

"I still actually don't know how to talk about this. But because I wrote this book, I did feel that I had no choice. Definitely. Maybe that's in some small way part of the motivation [for] writing this as well… finally being completely honest."

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

 

[Fork-in-the-Road]

Jeez , I saw in an interview a few years ago (2012?) that she trained with Michael Barry....

 

[skidmark]

Yeah, Clara Hughes is one of the only athletes I actually believe when she talks anti-doping. She almost reminds me of Lemond, too naive to actually know how the game is played. I could be wrong, for sure, but she is also one of the only pro athletes that I know people quite well who know the athlete and vouch for them (we are from the same city). She has nothing but a solid reputation for honesty, which makes the fact that this is just coming to light now kind of puzzling. I'd be curious to hear more context.

 

[RobbieCanuck]

Jeez , I saw in an interview a few years ago (2012?) that she trained with Michael Barry....

And your point is?

 

[Alpe73]

Clara Hughes admits to a positive test early in her career. It appears it was all kept hush, hush.

"She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine."

Hopefully the link works outside of Canada..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/olympian-clara-hughes-reveals-doping-infraction-1.3215617

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine.

"To this day, I don't know how that happened. I have never talked about it," she said. "I have no reason for it. I have no excuse for it. But it is real. And it makes me sick. It actually makes me sick because I know I didn't do anything, and it is so empty to say that 21 years later."

She insists she has no idea how the stimulant got in her sample. Nonetheless, at the time, she was given a three-month suspension in the off season and says she was advised to keep the matter to herself. So she stayed quiet for nearly two decades, never talking about it, but often mulling over what might have happened.Ephedrine doesn't materialize out of thin air. Hughes knows that. But she says she's always wondered if the positive result was a lab mistake or perhaps an act of sabotage.

"My bottle was on my bike when I went to the porta-john and I remembered going and leaving my bike there. Whether someone did something to my bottle, I will never know. Or whether something [happened] in the lab, I don't know."

Over the years, other athletes with positive drug tests have made similar claims, only to be greeted by howls of skepticism by the public and wider sporting world. That seems to be the reaction Hughes is bracing for now. "There is a huge risk" in talking, she says.

"I still actually don't know how to talk about this. But because I wrote this book, I did feel that I had no choice. Definitely. Maybe that's in some small way part of the motivation [for] writing this as well… finally being completely honest."

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

C'mon, big guy. You spent your life differentiating between those who were lying or telling the truth. This is an easy one. If you just follow me on this one, you'll be golden.

"Clara most likely (deliberately) doped, was suspended, hid it, probably lied about it .... BUT ... I really don't give a shyte. I still have the utmost respect for her."

If you continue your former line, Big Rob, you are definitely, indubitably, irreparably ... vac-u-ous!

 

[classicomano]

Clara Hughes comes clean: "someone spiked my bottle with Ephedrine while I was in the loo."

I cant even.

 

[WillemS]

Ah, using the pre-emptive strike tactic as a pr-stunt.

With her book due tomorrow, she can use all the media attention she can get and outing a doping story, especially one wherein she's the victim, does just that. Moreover, as there are likely a lot of people in on the "secret ban", it's best to get "your side" of the story out before it leaks and becomes unmanageable.

 

[King Boonen]

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

21 years later... Yeah, sounds like you don't know many honest people.

 

[Benotti69]

Clara Hughes admits to a positive test early in her career. It appears it was all kept hush, hush.

"She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine."

Hopefully the link works outside of Canada..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/olympian-clara-hughes-reveals-doping-infraction-1.3215617

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine.

"To this day, I don't know how that happened. I have never talked about it," she said. "I have no reason for it. I have no excuse for it. But it is real. And it makes me sick. It actually makes me sick because I know I didn't do anything, and it is so empty to say that 21 years later."

She insists she has no idea how the stimulant got in her sample. Nonetheless, at the time, she was given a three-month suspension in the off season and says she was advised to keep the matter to herself. So she stayed quiet for nearly two decades, never talking about it, but often mulling over what might have happened.Ephedrine doesn't materialize out of thin air. Hughes knows that. But she says she's always wondered if the positive result was a lab mistake or perhaps an act of sabotage.

"My bottle was on my bike when I went to the porta-john and I remembered going and leaving my bike there. Whether someone did something to my bottle, I will never know. Or whether something [happened] in the lab, I don't know."

Over the years, other athletes with positive drug tests have made similar claims, only to be greeted by howls of skepticism by the public and wider sporting world. That seems to be the reaction Hughes is bracing for now. "There is a huge risk" in talking, she says.

"I still actually don't know how to talk about this. But because I wrote this book, I did feel that I had no choice. Definitely. Maybe that's in some small way part of the motivation [for] writing this as well… finally being completely honest."

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

No she is not. She was dishonest by keeping quiet about this for 20 years. The cynics in the clinic are not dopers so your pathetic attempt at shooting the messengers fails. She was a successful cyclist at the height of EPO too.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

21 years later... Yeah, sounds like you don't know many honest people.

I'm honest. I am going to open up about my positive test from 20 years ago, a short time before my book is released. I assure you the confession and book release are completely unrelated events.

 

[King Boonen]

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

21 years later... Yeah, sounds like you don't know many honest people.

I'm honest. I am going to open up about my positive test from 20 years ago, a short time before my book is released. I assure you the confession and book release are completely unrelated events.

Yes, at a time when doping is a huge topic and people are taking a more active interest in it, it would be in no way beneficial for an athlete basically no-one has heard of to suddenly be an easy person to call for an opinion. While she is flogging a book. But of course, we're the cynical ones...

Benotti, Robbie said she is one of the most honest people he knows. You can't evaluate that, it might be true. All you can do is feel sorry for him if she is.

 

[Fork-in-the-Road]

Jeez , I saw in an interview a few years ago (2012?) that she trained with Michael Barry....

And your point is?

Search 'clara hughes doping' on Google. She seems fairly economical with the truth in the other CBC interviews she did when commenting on doping scandals.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

21 years later... Yeah, sounds like you don't know many honest people.

I'm honest. I am going to open up about my positive test from 20 years ago, a short time before my book is released. I assure you the confession and book release are completely unrelated events.

Yes, at a time when doping is a huge topic and people are taking a more active interest in it, it would be in no way beneficial for an athlete basically no-one has heard of to suddenly be an easy person to call for an opinion. While she is flogging a book. But of course, we're the cynical ones...

Benotti, Robbie said she is one of the most honest people he knows. You can't evaluate that, it might be true. All you can do is feel sorry for him if she is.

It's basically one man's attempt at preemptively shaming anyone in calling out the inconsistencies of this story.

 

[durianrider]

4th at the worlds during the height of the EPO era. Claims someone spiked her drink bottle with some banned snuff powder.

Some suckers will believe that story though. xD

 

[PremierAndrew]

Clara Hughes admits to a positive test early in her career. It appears it was all kept hush, hush.

"She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine."

Hopefully the link works outside of Canada..

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/olympian-clara-hughes-reveals-doping-infraction-1.3215617

To put this in its proper context, this is fuller report of the doping infraction.

Canadian Olympic medallist Clara Hughes has acknowledged a doping infraction early in her international cycling career.With a memoir due out Sept. 8, Hughes granted her first interview to CBC News, telling The National's Adrienne Arsenault that she could have taken the secret to her grave.

Instead, Hughes decided to risk harsh public judgement and open up about the 1994 incident.She says a few months after cycling's world championships in Sicily, she got a call from Pierre Hutsebaut, Canada's national team director, telling her that her sample from the time trials had tested positive for the stimulant ephedrine.

"To this day, I don't know how that happened. I have never talked about it," she said. "I have no reason for it. I have no excuse for it. But it is real. And it makes me sick. It actually makes me sick because I know I didn't do anything, and it is so empty to say that 21 years later."

She insists she has no idea how the stimulant got in her sample. Nonetheless, at the time, she was given a three-month suspension in the off season and says she was advised to keep the matter to herself. So she stayed quiet for nearly two decades, never talking about it, but often mulling over what might have happened.Ephedrine doesn't materialize out of thin air. Hughes knows that. But she says she's always wondered if the positive result was a lab mistake or perhaps an act of sabotage.

"My bottle was on my bike when I went to the porta-john and I remembered going and leaving my bike there. Whether someone did something to my bottle, I will never know. Or whether something [happened] in the lab, I don't know."

Over the years, other athletes with positive drug tests have made similar claims, only to be greeted by howls of skepticism by the public and wider sporting world. That seems to be the reaction Hughes is bracing for now. "There is a huge risk" in talking, she says.

"I still actually don't know how to talk about this. But because I wrote this book, I did feel that I had no choice. Definitely. Maybe that's in some small way part of the motivation [for] writing this as well… finally being completely honest."

Clara is one of the most honest people I know. The cynics in the Clinic will crucify her but that's all they know how to do!

Honest enough to claim someone else spiked her bottle and she was an innocent victim?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Who?

 

[nayr497]

Oh boy...the ol' someone spiked my bottle while I was doing my business. That's an awesome excuse.

 

[the delgados]

No one ever found out about the positive, so she should drop the "victim" part of the story.
The evil perpetrator will be relieved to know h/she didn't spike the bottle with a bad batch.

Clara is universally beloved in Canada, not only for her cycling exploits but her candour in talking about mental illness.
No doubt she's aware she'll get even more love and sympathy from everyone except Cycling Canada by the way she tells the story.
But hey, I guess burning a few bridges is worth it if more people buy the book.

"Clara is the most honest person I know."

I can't tell you how many times I heard that from people in Toronto before he came clean. Hell, even Clara went on air and said the same thing after Floyd's revelations.

 

[King Boonen]

Re:

Who?

Some Canadian nobody doper trying to spin a story.

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Re: Re:

Who?

Some Canadian nobody doper trying to spin a story.

Six Olympic medals across two disciplines (cycling and speed-skating) and she's a nobody? Wow, you have high standards...

John Swanson

 

[fmk_RoI]

An unsurprising response from the Clinic, focusing on the wrong side of the story.

First, 1994 was a long time ago. It was a lot easier to use a product containing something like ephedrine without realising it.

Second, the real story is Hughes getting a three-month off-season ban and being told to keep quiet about it. Remember, those were the days when the UCI was totally non-transparent when it came to who'd been busted for doping, when you had to look at the monthly tables of FICP points and compare one with another to see who'd had a points deduction. It's a part of UCI history often forgotten. For sure, under Cookson, the UCI has become less transparent as regards doping sanctions than it was under the previous regime. But it's not as bad as it was when Uncle Hein was first finding his feet. Let's just hope that such a regime is never allowed to return.

 

[the delgados]

fmk_Rol:
There are many parts to this story, honesty being one of them.
The majority of posts in this thread are in response to someone at the top of page 1 who attempted to shut down critical analysis of Clara's account by basically accusing everyone here of being on a witch hunt.
Sorry, but that's not gonna fly, and folks here have a right to question certain aspects of her account and the motivations for doing so.
That said, your take on the story is interesting as well. In fact, today Cycling Canada put out a press release pointing out the same thing.
They admitted their mistake saying the rules were different back in the day.

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Did everyone just gloss over the fact that this is something that Clara is revealing in her *autobiography*? As in, it would have stayed well buried and hidden unless she herself brought it up?

John Swanson