Clinger

[BroDeal]

By day he is an non-descript bike racer. By night he dawns his war paint and fights crime as a superhero. He is the Great White Maori.

 

[ChrisE]

By day he is an non-descript bike racer. By night he dawns his war paint and fights crime as a superhero. He is the Great White Maori.

The radio ear plug adds to the mystique. He's getting secret crime-fighting instructions from the bat cave.

 

[hektoren]

Bummer about David Clinger. Not a bad or evil guy, regardless of his having raced for USPS once. His sanction hardly seems like a victory for clean sport, though I would have liked to have seen him get his TUE paperwork in order before he went off and finished top-3 at nationals. Oh well, no mercy, I guess.

The article in Velonews that Joe links to mentions Clinger having used Risperidone, which is an anti-psychotic drug, with these indications for use:
treatment of schizophrenia in adults
treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents aged 13-17 years
alone or in combination with lithium or valproate, for the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults
alone in the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in children and adolescents aged 10-17 years
treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents aged 5-16 years
it has also been used as a control drug for people with Tourette's syndrome and other tic disorders.

Yet, the VeloNews-article states that the drug was taken to help him go to sleep. Risperidone works as an anti-psychotic drug by muting the effect of dopamine and serotonine, and doesn't normally induce sleep, even though drowsiness is a possible side-effect. (The dopamine-high after sex sends me to sleep in 5 minutes, driving my wife up the wall when she wants to talk, so you don't want to kill the dopamine-effect on a person with sleeping-disorders). Risperidone is also directly counter-indicated in a person who does strenuous exercise, because the body's mechanism for controlling the temperature is kicked out-of-whack by the drug.
There's a whole bunch of other medicines any and every doctor would prescribe under normal conditions to a person who just has problems falling asleep. Using Risperidone to induce sleep is a bit like shaving with a shotgun.
Thus, this is probably an indication that Clinger has some other issues as well, and his tattoo may be an indication. Sad story, really.

 

[Escarabajo]

The article in Velonews that Joe links to mentions Clinger having used Risperidone, which is an anti-psychotic drug, with these indications for use:
....

Nice summary. Thanks.

This would prove his other psychological issues

 

[joe_papp]

Ludwig:

With all due respect, I highly doubt that PED's (which ones?) are a gateway drug to cocaine.

WadR, I disagree, as would several former US domestic pro team docs.

 

[BroDeal]

That would explain a lot, but how is the testosterone explained? I cannot help being suspicious that he found a quack to prescribe test, thinking that he would be able to get away with a sketchy medical use explanation.

How does anyone get caught for testosterone anyway? I can understand failing a random OOC test or a test during a multi-day event, but how does a rider get caught at a single day race when he should have stopped use days before so it would clear his system? The same question goes for DHEA, which seems to have a half life of less than twelve hours.

 

[joe_papp]

Joe what social circle was he in? He was riding for a pro squad!As part of any new contract I would put a no tat section in there somewhere.Allen Iverson had to wear arm warmers because his ink had words that most people would find offensive.NBA,NFL,NHL,MLB all have wording that call for the coverage of bad tattoos. What do you really think the outcome of this type of body art? Go into schools and talk bicycle safety? The 5.25 an hour thing was harsh but come on. This type of body art takes 90% of the logical job prospects off the table.Look at it this way, if he wakes up Saturday and says I am going back to college.I want to be a....teacher,lawyer,doctor,technician, pharmacist, dental assistant, whatever those tats are going to make it way harder for him to have a clear head.What team director approved his face as a good idea?

I don't disagree w/ any of this. I just thought that the way in which it was brought up was snarky and that it didn't add a whole lot to the conversation...

 

[joe_papp]

I would think you are the last person to throw judgement around. But hey, I will let it slide since I have enjoyed reading your posts.

judging someone for judging, I guess...

 

[joe_papp]

Joe, we hear alot about links between PED use and substance abuse...like other sportsmen, alot of cyclists seem to use/abuse cocaine. Do you have any thoughts/insights to add to this....is the correlation between PED use and illegal drug use real in your experience?

My anecdotal experience, derived from a variety of sources, would confirm the correlation between PED use and recreational drug use. As for causation, or whether one is responsible for or a catalyst of the other...I'll leave that up to the researchers to determine.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

The article in Velonews that Joe links to mentions Clinger having used Risperidone, which is an anti-psychotic drug.....

I don't think it's fair to armchair diagnose psychosis, unless you can be utterly sure there is no other explanation for that prescription. Other explanations are not limited to 'helping him sleep' as stated in the article.

From Wiki "risperidone has also been used off-label for the treatment of anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder; severe, treatment-resistant depression with or without psychotic features...." Just because Wiki says it doesn't mean it's true of course, but the important point is that the FDA do allow drugs to be prescribed for purposes other than the uses on the label. So unless you're his doctor and know he was prescribed it for psychosis then I don't see how you can be utterly sure.

The guy already has to face the stigma of a history of drug problems, and the stigma of having a facial tattoo.....lets give him a break and not add the stigma of psychosis to the list.

And about that tattoo (which is NOT a moko!)....I agree with the 'only get one chance to make a first impression' stuff. Facial tattoos can be incredibly intimidating, unless the wearer compensates with friendly and relaxed body language and facial expressions. Hopefully Clinger learns to do that quickly and it wont be a big disaster for him.

 

[cotterpin]

A former Coors Classic winner and I have a mutual friend and from what I have been told recreational and performance enhancing drugs had a hazy line of separation. I don't know exactly what goes into 'pot belge' but I doing pain killers and stimulants for the ride and either downers to chill out ,or maybe maybe more of the same to go out and 'party' was standard procedure back in the day.Anybody else see the '85 Coors Classic crit stage in Reno after the road race earlier in the day? 40+mph solo by an unnamed Team Slurpee rider (friggin' incredible!!!!)

 

[Ripper]

The article in Velonews that Joe links to mentions Clinger having used Risperidone, which is an anti-psychotic drug ....

I don't think it's fair to armchair diagnose psychosis, unless you can be utterly sure there is no other explanation for that prescription. Other explanations are not limited to 'helping him sleep' as stated in the article....

Ironically, Velonews calls it Resperdone, a presumed spelling mistake, but then has a quote saying it contains Modafinil, which is incorrect. From VN: "a drug he was taking - Resperdone (sic) - as a sleep aid, for a month and a half before the 2009 USA Elite Road Nationals also contained the Prohibited Substantce Modafinil, until he looked into it after the Positive Test". There's no doubt the guy is battling some demons of some sort. Add it all together, and he is likely better off not racing as a pro. There are a few uses for Respiredone, but 'sleep aid' is not one.

On another note, I thought he had started the slow process of having the tat removed?

 

[BikeCentric]

If you guys have read Joe Parkin's "A Dog in a Hat" he talks about stimulant abuse in the kermesses he was racing. Most all those crits didn't have testing so there were tons of guys on stimulants. Parkin said something along the lines of "there is a very fine line between guys who do speed to do well in races and guys who race so they have an excuse to do a lot of speed."

 

[Dr. Maserati]

My anecdotal experience, derived from a variety of sources, would confirm the correlation between PED use and recreational drug use. As for causation, or whether one is responsible for or a catalyst of the other...I'll leave that up to the researchers to determine.

Here is what Sandro Donati of CONI said about cocaine:
"There is a problem in a high percentage of sports regarding cocaine and other recreational drugs,” said Donati. “In particular, there is a connection between the use of testosterone, steroids, and cocaine.”

 

[313racer]

Chase,

Clinger was on testosterone and anti-psychotics which I don't believe have any thing to do with weight loss. All of which were doctor prescribed. Bummer that he didn't have the paper work in order, but at the end of the day his therapy trumps anything he does on the bike.
I know I would not want to race on anti-psychotics. Plus anti-psychotics actually cause weight gain.
I wish him the best on his road to recovery.

 

[usedtobefast]

A former Coors Classic winner and I have a mutual friend and from what I have been told recreational and performance enhancing drugs had a hazy line of separation. I don't know exactly what goes into 'pot belge' but I doing pain killers and stimulants for the ride and either downers to chill out ,or maybe maybe more of the same to go out and 'party' was standard procedure back in the day.Anybody else see the '85 Coors Classic crit stage in Reno after the road race earlier in the day? 40+mph solo by an unnamed Team Slurpee rider (friggin' incredible!!!!)

pot belge= cocaine,speed,heroin in just the right amount of each.

 

[cotterpin]

"pot belge "in my neighborhood was called a speedball ...I like the part about the "right amounts". But to get back on topic I wish the best for Mr. C.linger ; sounds like he's got a lot to overcome.

 

[hektoren]

The guy already has to face the stigma of a history of drug problems, and the stigma of having a facial tattoo.....lets give him a break and not add the stigma of psychosis to the list.
.

What I actually said was that "this is probably an indication that Clinger has some other issues as well" (other than having problems getting enough sleep.)

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

OK fair point. Perhaps I should have considered your summary comments more carefully.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Some quick comments: Clinger got the tattoo in honor of the Maori warriors of Polynesian descent in New Zealand. So there is at least some logic to his initial decision.

Anyone wondering about PED's connection to recreational use need to read Willy Voet's book.

I believe it was Laurent Roux who ultimately admitted to basically being a recreational drug user when going from EPO & steroids to Pot Belge (and selling/sharing with others), to cocaine, etc. Also, someone may need to clarify, but I believe Laurent Brouchard admitted to basically being a Pot Belge user beyond it's use as a PED.

 

[buckwheat]

Ludwig:

With all due respect, I highly doubt that PED's (which ones?) are a gateway drug to cocaine.

Trust me, they are. Take a modafinil. It makes you a different person.

All drugs that "work" are gateway drugs to other drugs. Just the way it is.

 

[flicker]

Tough road ahead for Clinger. I had a feeling he would fall. It is a slippery slope between PEDs and recreational drugs and vice versa. Look at Frank Van Der Brouke.

 

[hektoren]

Some quick comments: Clinger got the tattoo in honor of the Maori warriors of Polynesian descent in New Zealand. So there is at least some logic to his initial decision.

That an American-born, has-been, top-cyclist of non-Polynesian descent, with the better part of his career behind him, could believe that a fitting and necessary tribute to the Maori-tribes of Polynesian descent in New Zealand (as if that's the thing you'd expect any American at a level beyond the odd spectator to the film "Once were warriors" to want to support) is having a revolting and in-your-face tattoo stenciled onto his face, is, quite frankly, beyond me and probably a bit disturbing.
He might have "Have-a-nice-day" inscribed on his foreskin to honor the tireless burger-flipping employees of McDonald's, "Because you're worth it" around his kisser to honor L'Oreal, and I'd be less surprised, quite frankly speaking. More in context, sort of.

In itself, the word Maori means "Normal". Nothing normal about Clinger. He's quite extra-ordinaire, and his medications prove the point.

 

[Berzin]

"Gateway Drug"-how stupid. Does anyone own up to their personal failings and shortcomings anymore?

If you're an out-of-control crackhead with a personality disorder and impulse control issues, then a candy bar will act as a "gateway drug" for you.

It's a slippery slope from that pack of M&M's to hard core drugs, yessiree.

Clinger is living proof.

 

[the delgados]

Trust me, they are. Take a modafinil. It makes you a different person.

Thanks for the heads up!

I'm far from an expert on anything, but I guess I'm trying to say that I doubt there is anything specific to, say epo, that would make someone reach for the blow.

Again, I'm guessing, but I think there are a lot more factors at play.

I've read before that cycling releases endorphines that simulate the experience of being high. And as someone who has experience both in intense training and, uh, being high, it really makes sense.

I'm far removed from training 600 km per week, but I remember feeling withdrawls when I took a day off the bike.

Is cycling a gateway drug?