Paralympics?

[jamiephillips]

I've got a question... Do they have the same (albeit ineffective) testing procedure as the main Olympics?
The reason I ask is because I've noticed that a lot of world records are being broken.
Or is it that the categories are ultimately unfair and a relatively able athlete can dominate a category?
Or is it that the amount of TUE's makes the Paralympics impossible to police?
Is it unethical to question the paralympics?
Anyone else?

 

[JibberJim]

I've got a question... Do they have the same (albeit ineffective) testing procedure as the main Olympics?
The reason I ask is because I've noticed that a lot of world records are being broken.

They don't get to compete that often in paralympic events to set records, the partially sighted 100m runner Jason Smith set a new WR at 10.54 yesterday, yet his PB is 10.22 but that wasn't run in a paralympic event so doesn't count.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

The doping controls for paracycling events at least is pretty similar, certainly the doping control people were in force when I raced last year's UCI Paracycling Road World Cup, and most of the podium went through control, chaparones etc.

Not sure if there were many random tests.

There was no doping control at any of the road nationals I've done, nor regional championships. When para and elite track nationals (Australia) were run same time, then doping control would be there.

Other than that, there are very few para events.

 

[oldcrank]

Didn't they also recently rejig the categories, Alex?
If this is the first major meet with new categories
that would explain some of the new records.
Over the years there have been a number of drug
suspensions for Paralympic athletes and I believe
at least some (maybe most) have been from out
of competition tests.

 

[barn yard]

the nature of 'para sport' in general seems to be that there is a fair bit of reclassification that takes place, and also athletes switch sports entirely quite often

combine that with actual para events not happening all that often and you have a situation where a lot of records get broken every 4 years

 

[dake36]

Related article from today's Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/02/paralympic-doping-risk-games-money

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Didn't they also recently rejig the categories, Alex?
If this is the first major meet with new categories
that would explain some of the new records.
Over the years there have been a number of drug
suspensions for Paralympic athletes and I believe
at least some (maybe most) have been from out
of competition tests.

Yes, good point, the cycling categorisation was changed, in 2010 I think, brought down to 5 categories plus the visually impaired/tandems. Previously there were separate cerebral palsy and locomotor disability categories.

I was originally classified in 2009 (my amputation was in 2007), then had to do it again in 2011 as the category system had changed (although my leg had not grown back in the interim ).

However I don't know about other sports and what, if any, categorisation changes have occurred.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

Pistorious competing in both games lends credence to the idea that the Paralympics should be either abolished, or be removed from the "Olympic" sphere.

 

[Kender]

4 paraolympians sanctioned by USADA this year

http://www.usada.org/sanctions/

that answer your question?

 

[sittingbison]

4 paraolympians sanctioned by USADA this year

http://www.usada.org/sanctions/

that answer your question?

Its a witch hunt! #unconstitutional!!

We all admire the paralympians tremendously. But human nature is such that some people cheat. Then we have the Spanish paralymic basketball team

 

[babastooey]

Something tells me that the rewards for winning at the Paralympics are much less lucrative than at the Olympics, and the ratings are probably far below the Olympics, therefore, fewer people probably care about whether or not there is a tight doping control.

I'm not saying that is right, but that is probably the reason why.

 

[rogerfoster]

Probably the procedures must be same. Well, You are right the cheating in games is on rise and many unethical ways are being adopted to win.