Tennis

[blackcat]

Is this a Krickstein love-in going on? You're in danger of morphing into fanboys. Or perhaps lulled into complacency by the ITF, which hasn't outed a single doper in 2014 despite plenty of activity going on elsewhere.

Krickstein deserves the love. hence, i reckon the term love-in is unwarranted.

 

[blackcat]

Djokovic has gone silent on his "gluten free diet". He won't answer questions on it any longer.

It is an arms race, with one athlete finding new drugs, then leaving the other behind, then the others trying to catch up.

When Djokovic lost to Nadal at the 2010 USO, I am pretty sure he decided to go "Armstrong" (all the way) on the juice ,because it was obvious to him that Nadal already was on the full program.

Nadal was full *** since he was 14 thanks to uncle Toni

 

[Granville57]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/11325850/Serena-Williams-stops-match-for-a-coffee-after-losing-first-set-0-6-and-recovers-to-win.html

Serena Williams interrupted her Hopman Cup match against Flavia Pennetta to ask the umpire if she could have a coffee. An espresso was duly delivered to the court and Williams recovered from losing the first set 6-0 - known in tennis as a "bagel" - to win the next two 6-3, 6-0.

I just asked them to get me a shot of espresso. I asked them if it was legal, because I've never done it before."

Williams joked she must have been given "miracle coffee".

Indeed.



Chris Froome approves this message.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Man, what a joke. Doping aside for a minute.
Whats next, flying in Alaskan crab meat? Pennetta, being Italian, could probably see the urgent need for a fix, but she should have walked out.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/11325850/Serena-Williams-stops-match-for-a-coffee-after-losing-first-set-0-6-and-recovers-to-win.html






Indeed.



Chris Froome approves this message.

Amazing that someone in her position claims to not know if it's legal for her to consume caffeine.

 

[Benotti69]

Williams so arrogant to even joke about it being a 'miracle coffee'.

 

[Granville57]

It gets better. I just saw a clip about this on the evening news. I thought this whole story was more amusing than anything else at first, until I saw the footage.

As the clip was rolling on the news, the anchorman says, light heartedly, "she ordered and espresso, which we see her drinking here."

Really? Is that what we see?
I can't tell what the hell she is doing.

WTF?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAq-Hv5cnRA

 

[bewildered]

i doubt serena would dope for this. It's the Hopman Cup , like an exhibition, a fun event less important than the lowest ranking tour event. There are no ranking points. It's mixed teams. About as serious as mixed doubles.

when she asks 'is it allowed?' she might be asking whether it's allowed to order an espresso to the court in the middle of a match, which is a legitimate question she wouldn't know the answer to, as opposed to ignorance as to whether caffeine is permitted.

Edit: I would also add that it is not uncommon to see tennis players cover up their food and drink. I have seen Murray do this before against Djoko in the AO SF 2012. That tournament was fishy of course for performances but I think it might have to do with endorsement contracts if they are consuming a rival product or if they don't want to be seen endorsing a product they are not paid to endorse, have an official drinks partner etc.

 

[Granville57]

I would also add that it is not uncommon to see tennis players cover up their food and drink...I think it might have to do with endorsement contracts if they are consuming a rival product or if they don't want to be seen endorsing a product they are not paid to endorse, have an official drinks partner etc.

I don't doubt any of that for a second. And that's certainly what I thought. I just found it amusing as hell when the newscaster said"...which we see her drinking here." Because we can't really see anything in that clip other than a deliberately masked container that she is drinking from.

But if espresso is the difference between winning and losing at the elite level, then I have to wonder just what all those "sports drinks" have been trying to prove.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Don't worry, if you test positive the WADA code now allows you to apply for a retrospective TUE.

And the ITF are more than happy to help

http://www.itftennis.com/media/194233/194233.pdf

 

[Granville57]

http://www.itftennis.com/media/194233/194233.pdf

This is interesting, as we just had a discussion about this a week or so ago.

Players may not photograph or record sample collection sessions.

From the Brits don't dope? thread

Suprised there's not a rule against photographing the test or tester.

 

[sniper]

I don't doubt any of that for a second. And that's certainly what I thought. I just found it amusing as hell when the newscaster said"...which we see her drinking here." Because we can't really see anything in that clip other than a deliberately masked container that she is drinking from.

But if espresso is the difference between winning and losing at the elite level, then I have to wonder just what all those "sports drinks" have been trying to prove.

a big WTF indeed.
good point Granville.
Seeing how coffee makes you win a tennis match, I don't doubt real peds made hesjedal go backwards

Some two years ago or so, Del Potro was playing at Wimbledon with a back injury, and almost had to abandon his match. The doctor came on and gave him some pill, after which he won the match (quarter finals I think). In the post match bbc interview, he frankly spoke about how that pill had pepped him up. Must have been some magic pill, he said.
The best thing? Sue Barker thought it was funny as hell.

 

[zebedee]

Yes, there's no specific rule against it but then again, neither is there a rule aginst getting married during a changeover or playing a guitar solo. I presume the doper Williams did it partly to break the concentration of the other doper, Pennetta, having just been trounced six love. It certainly worked.

To me, the real significance of this incident is just how sloppy the professional game has become, the women's game in particular. What with: towelling down (another cheat, particularly when a receiver does it to slow the server); fake medical timeouts; contrived exchanges over umpiring decisions; blatent disregard for 'play shall be continuous' - now known as the 20 second rule; the blind eye paid to the ridiculous level of screaming that goes on in WTA matches plus of course their celebrity coaches who come on to administer 'advice' during changeovers, the game is slowly morphing into a rather faux extension of showbiz. Under the cloak of this casual, cavalier attitude of players, smilingly overlooked by tolerant, obliging officials, comes the dark side, the doping that goes on underneath, the bit the public are never allowed to see.

If I want real showmanship I'd rather pay fifty quid to go and watch Muse perform live. When it comes to tennis I want to watch players who perform and suffer for their money rather then the kind of indulgent 'stuff' thrown up by Williams and her fellow dopers.

 

[sniper]

...
Some two years ago or so, Del Potro was playing at Wimbledon with a back injury, and almost had to abandon his match. The doctor came on and gave him some pill, after which he won the match (quarter finals I think). In the post match bbc interview, he frankly spoke about how that pill had pepped him up. Must have been some magic pill, he said.
The best thing? Sue Barker thought it was funny as hell.

unsurprisingly, Ferrer (Del Potro's opponent that match) didn't mind either, even though Del Potro played his best tennis after the injury break.

As the doctor treated world No.8 Del Potro with what he later described as “magic pills”, Ferrer sat quietly deep in thought. After the match he said that he didn’t change the way he played and that Del Potro’s injury was not a disruption.

“No, I think it doesn't affect,” said Ferrer. “He was fell off, but, you know, the first game I won finally because I had breakpoint down. And finally, I think Del Potro, he play better than me. He deserve to win today.”
http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2013-07-03/201307031372868157702.html

#raisinganeyebrowortwo

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yes, there's no specific rule against it but then again, neither is there a rule aginst getting married during a changeover or playing a guitar solo. I presume the doper Williams did it partly to break the concentration of the other doper, Pennetta, having just been trounced six love. It certainly worked.

To me, the real significance of this incident is just how sloppy the professional game has become, the women's game in particular. What with: towelling down (another cheat, particularly when a receiver does it to slow the server); fake medical timeouts; contrived exchanges over umpiring decisions; blatent disregard for 'play shall be continuous' - now known as the 20 second rule; the blind eye paid to the ridiculous level of screaming that goes on in WTA matches plus of course their celebrity coaches who come on to administer 'advice' during changeovers, the game is slowly morphing into a rather faux extension of showbiz. Under the cloak of this casual, cavalier attitude of players, smilingly overlooked by tolerant, obliging officials, comes the dark side, the doping that goes on underneath, the bit the public are never allowed to see.

If I want real showmanship I'd rather pay fifty quid to go and watch Muse perform live. When it comes to tennis I want to watch players who perform and suffer for their money rather then the kind of indulgent 'stuff' thrown up by Williams and her fellow dopers.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[sniper]

Don't worry, if you test positive the WADA code now allows you to apply for a retrospective TUE.

And the ITF are more than happy to help

http://www.itftennis.com/media/194233/194233.pdf

good link.
TUE-related paragraphs:

New discretion to grant a TUE for use of a prohibited substance
retroactively (i.e., after the Player has started using it/tested positive for it) where ITF and WADA agree fairness so requires.

Review Board process now includes provision for Player to apply for
retroactive TUE after adverse analytical finding has been issued.

Disputes between ITF and NADOS as to whether TUE should be granted are now to be resolved by WADA (and ultimately CAS).

I doubt any such disputes will ever emerge.

 

[zebedee]

The misuse of TUEs in tennis is a minor scandal in itself. It's a situation worsened by the ITF's general lip service approach to anti-doping and its disregard for transparency. It won't publish any kind of meaningful data around TUEs. Its arrogance and love for secrecy forbids the public a peek behind the curtains to get a handle on what medicines or methods are being applied for and the number of players involved. Respect for player confidentiality they say, which means in practice we don't even get to see even an aggregated figure for the dubious use of prohibited drugs or medical procedures, other than a single figure for the total TUEs dished out.

It's worth remembering that a few years back the tennis doping website, THASP, did their own crude analysis. They drew the conclusion that half the top fifty players were able to legally enjoy the benefits of doping courtesy of the ITF-granted TUE. When questions were raised the ITF flatly refused to engage on the issue. Best we stay ignorant, I suppose.

 

[sniper]

The misuse of TUEs in tennis is a minor scandal in itself. It's a situation worsened by the ITF's general lip service approach to anti-doping and its disregard for transparency. It won't publish any kind of meaningful data around TUEs. Its arrogance and love for secrecy forbids the public a peek behind the curtains to get a handle on what medicines or methods are being applied for and the number of players involved. Respect for player confidentiality they say, which means in practice we don't even get to see even an aggregated figure for the dubious use of prohibited drugs or medical procedures, other than a single figure for the total TUEs dished out.

It's worth remembering that a few years back the tennis doping website, THASP, did their own crude analysis. They drew the conclusion that half the top fifty players were able to legally enjoy the benefits of doping courtesy of the ITF-granted TUE. When questions were raised the ITF flatly refused to engage on the issue. Best we stay ignorant, I suppose.

would love to hear/learn more about WADA's involvement (or lack of involvement) in all this. They must know doping in tennis is widespread and ITF are consistently turning a blind eye and/or handing out silent bans.
Are WADA silently allowing for this to happen, or are they simply unauthorized/unable to do something?
The new rules (as stipulated in that link above) do suggest that from now on WADA needs to be involved in (all?) of ITFs TUE decisions (or at least the backdated TUEs need to be run past WADA).
But it's not hard to imagine there are corrupt individuals and perhaps entire units within WADA facilitating the abuse of TUEs.

 

[zebedee]

would love to hear/learn more about WADA's involvement (or lack of involvement) in all this. They must know doping in tennis is widespread and ITF are consistently turning a blind eye and/or handing out silent bans.
Are WADA silently allowing for this to happen, or are they simply unauthorized/unable to do something?
The new rules (as stipulated in that link above) do suggest that from now on WADA needs to be involved in (all?) of ITFs TUE decisions (or at least the backdated TUEs need to be run past WADA).
But it's not hard to imagine there are corrupt individuals and perhaps entire units within WADA facilitating the abuse of TUEs.

Under 'the rules' the ITF informs WADA of each and every grant of a successful TUE application made to the ITF. So, in theory, they know everything.

Knowing a little as we do of how WADA is structured and governed, how can you possibly take it that seriously? After all, your very own Hein Verbruggen held office as a WADA council member. The place is riddled with spies, fakes and phonies who undermine and pervert its ostensible role.

 

[blackcat]

Don't worry, if you test positive the WADA code now allows you to apply for a retrospective TUE.

And the ITF are more than happy to help

http://www.itftennis.com/media/194233/194233.pdf

good to see you back MJM

now we need brodeal coming back

 

[Bicycle]

Cilic withdraws from Australian Open with injury. He's pretty much sunk without trace since his surprise US Open win.

 

[sniper]

Under 'the rules' the ITF informs WADA of each and every grant of a successful TUE application made to the ITF. So, in theory, they know everything.

Knowing a little as we do of how WADA is structured and governed, how can you possibly take it that seriously? After all, your very own Hein Verbruggen held office as a WADA council member. The place is riddled with spies, fakes and phonies who undermine and pervert its ostensible role.

agreed, well said

Cilic withdraws from Australian Open with injury. He's pretty much sunk without trace since his surprise US Open win.

silent ban? Or cycling up for next big performance?

 

[The Hitch]

Why would the ITF ban Cillic?

 

[Ticker]

Why would the ITF ban Cillic?

Failed test maybe?

 

[bewildered]

he's a slam winner now. less chance of getting outed.

he played right up to the end of last season and played in the the IPTL in december. Presume there's no testing in IPTL but can't be @arsed to check. Last time he was caught he stopped playing immediately and we found out 3 months later. Don't think anyone would dope for IPTL or bother with it if in the middle of a program