Rui & Mario Costa will be acquitted

[DAOTEC]

The lab in Gent has proven that the supplement was contaminated.

The Costa bros. have reacted swiftly and considered themself proven innocent

[http://biciciclismo.com/cas]

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well, that confirms what Rui himself has been stating for a while - and I believed him when he stated it on the understanding that, were he lying, he was opening up a much bigger world of pain for himself.

However, though we now have it confirmed that they were innocent, that does not mean that they will be acquitted; as previously discussed, because of being tried according to the rules in place at the time of the positive they could well still be facing at least a year out; no new information regarding the punishment is mentioned at bici. Now that their innocence has apparently been proven, to still get a year's suspension would seem ridiculous, but if there's one thing that being a cycling fan has taught me, it's that nothing is too ridiculous for cycling.

The article even confirms that the Portuguese cycling authority had recommended a reduced ban of four months and 15 days (which would enable them to ride again now) but the national anti-doping council refused on the basis that when the positive tests were taken the minimum punishment was one year, and so they shall receive a minimum of one year:

El Consejo Nacional Antidopaje de Portugal (CNAD) rechaza rebajar la sanci&#243]

 

[BotanyBay]

The lab in Gent has proven that the supplement was contaminated.

The Costa bros. have reacted swiftly and considered themself proven innocent

[http://biciciclismo.com/cas]

 

[TERMINATOR]

The lab in Gent has proven that the supplement was contaminated.

The Costa bros. have reacted swiftly and considered themself proven innocent

[http://biciciclismo.com/cas]

This doesn't make them "innocent" under the WADA Code. They should still get at least a one year suspension just like any other contaminated supplement case (i.e. Moninger, Neben, Flavia Oliveira, Zirbel, etc.).

 

[brianf7]

This doesn't make them "innocent" under the WADA Code. They should still get at least a one year suspension just like any other contaminated supplement case (i.e. Moninger, Neben, Flavia Oliveira, Zirbel, etc.).

WADA state very clear "DO NOT TAKE SUPPLIMENTS" so it isnt ann excuse as far as they are concerned.

WADA will want their pound of flesh out of this it is what keeps them going show no mercey is their motto.
He can sue the suppliment manufacturers for his loss of pay and missed oppertunity so he may not loose money to some degree.

 

[Anonymous]

The lab in Gent has proven that the supplement was contaminated.

The Costa bros. have reacted swiftly and considered themself proven innocent

[http://biciciclismo.com/cas]

I consider them ****ing stupid. They took a supplement called Anadraulic Pump which contained a banned substance. It isn't like they ate meat contaminated with it

It should be obvious to anyone with an IQ north of 60 that taking "supplements" is risky because of the unregulated nature of said products. They should be given a year suspension for being ****ing morons.

 

[joe_papp]

I consider them ****ing stupid. They took a supplement called Anadraulic Pump which contained a banned substance... They should be given a year suspension for being ****ing morons.

+1

You might also be able to sanction them on the basis of "wannabe doping" or "intended to dope but couldn't score anabolics" or something like that. lol

 

[Berzin]

I consider them ****ing stupid. They took a supplement called Anadraulic Pump which contained a banned substance. It isn't like they ate meat contaminated with it

It should be obvious to anyone with an IQ north of 60 that taking "supplements" is risky because of the unregulated nature of said products. They should be given a year suspension for being ****ing morons.

Not feeling the sentiments behind this comment.

Yes, get tough with riders while supplement companies get to keep contaminating their products.

The rules are stupid in this case, and no one should pound their chests in a self-righteous effort to make it seem as if a sanction in a case like this is doing anything to move the fight against doping forward.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

......WADA will want their pound of flesh out of this it is what keeps them going show no mercey is their motto......

Showing mercy to athletes who get busted from contaminated supplements opens the door for supplements to be used as masking agents.

Just another reason for strict liability to be in the WADA code IMO.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Not feeling the sentiments behind this comment.

Yes, get tough with riders while supplement companies get to keep contaminating their products.

The rules are stupid in this case, and no one should pound their chests in a self-righteous effort to make it seem as if a sanction in a case like this is doing anything to move the fight against doping forward.

You guys each have a very good point, but they are separate concerns. Pro athletes should be held to the standard that TFF is talking about here, but at the same time these shady "supplement" makers should be held accountable for what they are selling as well.
Two separate cases, two guilty parties.

 

[hrotha]

Making sure supplements aren't contaminated isn't WADA's job. That's for whatever food standards agencies exist out there.

 

[craig1985]

WADA state very clear "DO NOT TAKE SUPPLIMENTS" so it isnt ann excuse as far as they are concerned.

WADA will want their pound of flesh out of this it is what keeps them going show no mercey is their motto.
He can sue the suppliment manufacturers for his loss of pay and missed oppertunity so he may not loose money to some degree.

IIRC, Aitor González (winner of the 2002 Vuelta, a stage at the 2002 Giro and 6th overall, a stage winner at the 2004 TdF, and the overall GC at the 2005 Tour de Suisse) got suspended for taking a contaminated supplement and successfully sued the supplier.

 

[Dallas_]

The company now list metilhexanamina on the product label.
http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=34005

There was no intentional doping. Annul their results from the Portugal time trial championships. Because of WADA rules, they will still get a year.....sad cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Not feeling the sentiments behind this comment.

Yes, get tough with riders while supplement companies get to keep contaminating their products.

The rules are stupid in this case, and no one should pound their chests in a self-righteous effort to make it seem as if a sanction in a case like this is doing anything to move the fight against doping forward.

My sentiment is that using products like that is a known risk. They are not the first catch a positive by using "supplements", and will not be the last. Everyone knows that the "supplement" industry is rife with people putting crap into powdered form that can cause a positive. That stuff isn't made for cyclists, it is marketed for bodybuilders. Bodybuilders are not known to care all that much about the sh!t they put in their bodies when it comes to "supplements" because they don't get pi$$ tested. A professional cyclist, who is making a living from their sport, have a higher standard of conduct when it comes to the things they put in their bodies. Being stupid should not be a defense for taking something that is banned regardless of whether or not you know you ingested it.

 

[Anonymous]

Showing mercy to athletes who get busted from contaminated supplements opens the door for supplements to be used as masking agents.

Just another reason for strict liability to be in the WADA code IMO.

Absolutely, also, producing a tub of powder with a label on it and saying "Hey, I shouldn't catch a positive because the banned substance isn't on the label" and having the WADA agree sets a pretty bad precedent. In that world, I am sure the ethical people in the "supplement" industry would never then knowingly produce products with banned performance enhancing substances in them, and ethical cyclists would never take a "supplement" with unknown contents that could cause a positive that they could get a "Get out of jail free" card for.

They were stupid. They deserve their punishment.

 

[Oldman]

My sentiment is that using products like that is a known risk. They are not the first catch a positive by using "supplements", and will not be the last. Everyone knows that the "supplement" industry is rife with people putting crap into powdered form that can cause a positive. That stuff isn't made for cyclists, it is marketed for bodybuilders. Bodybuilders are not known to care all that much about the sh!t they put in their bodies when it comes to "supplements" because they don't get pi$$ tested. A professional cyclist, who is making a living from their sport, have a higher standard of conduct when it comes to the things they put in their bodies. Being stupid should not be a defense for taking something that is banned regardless of whether or not you know you ingested it.

+1-Thanks, my sentiment as well. Give them a 1 year ban for being stupid and unprofessional. The stuff they took had the body builder name equivalent of the Crack that Belgian took.

 

[hfer07]

You guys each have a very good point, but they are separate concerns. Pro athletes should be held to the standard that TFF is talking about here, but at the same time these shady "supplement" makers should be held accountable for what they are selling as well.
Two separate cases, two guilty parties.

the problem here is that Athlete's supplements are a multi-million industry willing not to disclose what they're really putting on the market-as long as they meet the primary standards for public consumption-and since isn't a formal complain established by consumers- they have "free reign" to do what they see fit....

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

....In that world, I am sure the ethical people in the "supplement" industry would never then knowingly produce products with banned performance enhancing substances in them, and ethical cyclists would never take a "supplement" with unknown contents that could cause a positive that they could get a "Get out of jail free" card for......

Luckily we live in a world full of uber ethical people who wouldn't even dream of doing something like that......

 

[Publicus]

You guys each have a very good point, but they are separate concerns. Pro athletes should be held to the standard that TFF is talking about here, but at the same time these shady "supplement" makers should be held accountable for what they are selling as well.
Two separate cases, two guilty parties.

Easy answer is that Rui and Mario should sue the supplement makers for an amount equal to their lost wages.

 

[Oldman]

Easy answer is that Rui and Mario should sue the supplement makers for an amount equal to their lost wages.

Yes. That and their suspension may make riders and supplement hacks both think a little deeper. It's not easy or cheap to sue or defend against lawsuits. Unfortunately the supplement companies are more likely to fold into bankruptcy and start over.

 

[joe_papp]

I found that it was difficult to consume enough protein during stage racing and hard training blocks from prepared food alone. The protein was necessary to facilitate recovery. Irrespective of my having doped, given that it's illegal for me to take an amino acid IV now and I can't consume enough protein immediately after the race anyway, I probably would believe that I had a not unreasonable justification (not for doping but) for taking some kind of protein shake or amino acid supplement or whatever.

Whether the supplement is manufactured by Hammer Nutrition or GNC, am I really stupid for trying to meet a nutritional need with a supplement? After all, I'm now banned from using my preferred IV amino acid drip (Freamine, for example) and I can't eat enough because of GI distress or more innocuous loss of appetite. But I can stomach a recovery drink or handful of capsules. There's a big difference b/w that and injecting HGH in the hotel - certainly more than 1 year's worth, in the absence of WADA-certified supplements. Just my $.02.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Tough love

Whether the supplement is manufactured by Hammer Nutrition or GNC, am I really stupid for trying to meet a nutritional need with a supplement?

Yes. No wiggle room. WADA is not in the supplement vetting business. Giving a free pass to a combination of stupidity and a poorly labeled supplement sets up too many awful precedents. The higher one goes in many pro sports, the more difficult it becomes. This includes vetting supplements if you insist on taking them.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

Why not just take whey or egg albumen in a shake and some innocuous amino acids, rather than some questionable sexy-looking protein mix in a fancy tub with more questionable ingredients than a McDonalds burger?

 

[Granville57]

It should be obvious to anyone with an IQ north of 60 that taking "supplements" is risky because of the unregulated nature of said products.

Why not just take whey or egg albumen in a shake and some innocuous amino acids, rather than some questionable sexy-looking protein mix in a fancy tub with more questionable ingredients than a McDonalds burger?

I raised similar issues in regards to the case against Flavia Olivera.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/12/news/court-of-arbitration-for-sport-reduces-flavia-olivera-suspension_152082]http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...port-reduces-flavia-olivera-suspension_152082[/URL]

I personally don't know anything about her. She was defended vehemently by many who did. But no one seemed willing to rationally address my argument:
In her case, the "supplement" in question was called Hyperdrive 3.0+
What does it take to ask oneself, Hmmm, considering that I am an athlete that is subjected to testing for banned substances, perhaps a product with the name Hyperdrive 3.0+ is something worth avoiding.

It would seem to be little more than common sense.

 

[Anonymous]

I found that it was difficult to consume enough protein during stage racing and hard training blocks from prepared food alone. The protein was necessary to facilitate recovery. Irrespective of my having doped, given that it's illegal for me to take an amino acid IV now and I can't consume enough protein immediately after the race anyway, I probably would believe that I had a not unreasonable justification (not for doping but) for taking some kind of protein shake or amino acid supplement or whatever.

Whether the supplement is manufactured by Hammer Nutrition or GNC, am I really stupid for trying to meet a nutritional need with a supplement? After all, I'm now banned from using my preferred IV amino acid drip (Freamine, for example) and I can't eat enough because of GI distress or more innocuous loss of appetite. But I can stomach a recovery drink or handful of capsules. There's a big difference b/w that and injecting HGH in the hotel - certainly more than 1 year's worth, in the absence of WADA-certified supplements. Just my $.02.

There are plenty of protein powders that are not risky if this is your purpose. I couldn't determine if your previous post was sarcastic, and I now see that it was. Fine, they need to do some research if they are trying to merely use the "supplement" for recovery and replacement. A simple Google search for "Protein powder no WADA banned substances" that took .15 seconds produced this product:http://www.nutrilitehealth.com/products/product.aspx?itemno=106411

Hey, you need "supplements?" Fine, do some research. I realize that "Nutrilite Health" doesn't sound as sexy as "ANDRO PUMP 5000" or "MONSTER MASS" or "Anabolic Innovations Healthy Cheat Foods Pancake Mix" or whatever, but when IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure you don't test positive, a little research goes a long way.

If you want the WADA to make up a safe list, fine, that will help. However, right now, those guys took a banned substance in a protein "supplement" and should pay the price. Is it as bad as HGH? No. Are they freaking stupid? Yes. Should the defense "I took a supplement and didn't know the substance was in there so don't punish me" be allowed under WADA...well, I guess if you trust riders to do the right thing in that world, then you trust them much more than I.