The EWS got under the UCI flag and due to more stringent controls is plagued by a slew of doping issues. The first case was from Nov 2018.
- Richie Rude and Jared Graves.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html
- Both are sponsored by the same Nutritional supplier... but contamination through that source seems unlikely
The defense of Rude is"funny"... someone snuck him a contaminated bottle.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/richie-rude-announces-return-to-ews.html
Sure man...
- And now there's a third big name being caught: Martin Maes.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/martin-maes-tests-positive-for-masking-agent-at-ews-rotorua-and-tasmania-receives-90-day-ban.html
Interesting enough Martin Maes has story that is pretty credible and transparent, which is unique for me (these stories are never believable...). The substance was applied by an independent doctor at a (non-UCI race) for treatment of an inflamed wound. The doctor acted almost certainly in good faith and fully takes the blame. Maes and his team asked the doctor if this treatment was allowed, the doctor "was sure it was", not strange he thought as this is indeed a standard medication and he does not seem like a doctor who dealt with doping regulation before.
But then Maes and his team dropped the ball utterly and completely. Instead of immediately checking and applying for a TUE they let it go. Allegedly Maes even mentioned it every time he got tested, which adds insult to injury.
After the positive they realized their mistake and applied for a TUE, something which rightly got rejected (it was months later... amateur hour). The UCI decided for a painful slap on the wrist: short ban and annulling the EWS victories where he was positive.
I expect more people to run into issues as clearly the sport is rather "unused" to testing and the responsibilities that causes for the athletes. And it's pro-athletes being pro-athletes
- Richie Rude and Jared Graves.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/exclusive-richie-rude-and-jared-graves-failed-drug-test-at-ews-france.html
- Both are sponsored by the same Nutritional supplier... but contamination through that source seems unlikely
The defense of Rude is"funny"... someone snuck him a contaminated bottle.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/richie-rude-announces-return-to-ews.html
Sure man...
- And now there's a third big name being caught: Martin Maes.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/martin-maes-tests-positive-for-masking-agent-at-ews-rotorua-and-tasmania-receives-90-day-ban.html
Interesting enough Martin Maes has story that is pretty credible and transparent, which is unique for me (these stories are never believable...). The substance was applied by an independent doctor at a (non-UCI race) for treatment of an inflamed wound. The doctor acted almost certainly in good faith and fully takes the blame. Maes and his team asked the doctor if this treatment was allowed, the doctor "was sure it was", not strange he thought as this is indeed a standard medication and he does not seem like a doctor who dealt with doping regulation before.
But then Maes and his team dropped the ball utterly and completely. Instead of immediately checking and applying for a TUE they let it go. Allegedly Maes even mentioned it every time he got tested, which adds insult to injury.
After the positive they realized their mistake and applied for a TUE, something which rightly got rejected (it was months later... amateur hour). The UCI decided for a painful slap on the wrist: short ban and annulling the EWS victories where he was positive.
I expect more people to run into issues as clearly the sport is rather "unused" to testing and the responsibilities that causes for the athletes. And it's pro-athletes being pro-athletes