I don't know what I think about this to be honest. On the one hand it seems so sinister to hide it especially when it could potentially do good by releasing the information - much like gambling, mental health and alcoholism but I guess it has more ramifications and is very much untested.
It's time we talked about doping in football
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Are there any technologies under research which could give real time data from blood? Like some sort of biodegradable tracker that is placed in the bloodstream?
As no one but him can actually prove it, they would be hit by a law suit if they suggested anything.
On top of that, he isn't allowed to talk about it as it's a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality, making him liable if he divulges.
Is someone developing something that would cost sports billions in revenue? Nope...
There's a lot of things that all look very suspicious, from the article posted earlier, the Spanish missing tests and bits like you mention.
Bale's transformation into an absolutely stacked monster was outrageous for another.
In the Seven Deadly Sins book about Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France, when there were a series of people caught for doping a few years earlier and there was going to be a new, cleaner Tour, yet the average speed and times shortened significantly afterwards. When Lance was sprinting up a mountain and doesn't even look tired, maybe it isn't right.
Liverpool vs Man City felt a bit like that for me this year, especially Bernardo Silva:
https://www.mancity.com/news/first team/first team news/2019/january/man city bernardo silva liverpool spotlight
Silva is referred to as 'Superhuman', a 'man possessed' and 'he's probably still running', but no one asks how it is happening. He ran 13.7km and had four interceptions, while still being fit enough to keep going on a technical level and not lose the ball. There were several players in that match running like that while keeping up the skill that didn't look tired, the game was so fast I found it hard to believe. Don't mean to just pick on Silva, but just an example of how performances like that are covered.
Liverpool vs Man City felt a bit like that for me this year, especially Bernardo Silva:
https://www.mancity.com/news/first team/first team news/2019/january/man city bernardo silva liverpool spotlight
Silva is referred to as 'Superhuman', a 'man possessed' and 'he's probably still running', but no one asks how it is happening. He ran 13.7km and had four interceptions, while still being fit enough to keep going on a technical level and not lose the ball. There were several players in that match running like that while keeping up the skill that didn't look tired, the game was so fast I found it hard to believe. Don't mean to just pick on Silva, but just an example of how performances like that are covered.
I'm absolutely convinced that the Spain team and that Barcelona team were doping. The amount of high intensity running they did was unbelievable.
There were Italian football teams who had more pharmacists on their books than actual pharmacies at one point. They were bang at it for years, all the ex-pro's who played over there talk about how they were given 'pill cocktails' in the preseason.
We need a Director of Doping
Guys were getting suspended so people did care about it back then.
Liverpool and City Players looked fresh as feck in the last few week's of a long season.
Very strange.
I think there is something in it... but not at United cos we'd be shit at that too
Very strange.
I think there is something in it... but not at United cos we'd be shit at that too
That's the only thing I wanted to say here
Its primary goal, if possible, wouldn't be to reveal doping, but to aid in medicine.
What made you think that? He isn’t exactly overly big, and he’s never been a very high energy player either. Very curious as to what made you think about him of all people.I actually thought Zlatan was on something, but I grew to like him so much I couldn't be arsed
Under Guardiola City have had those remarkable superhuman performances around Christmas. The season before in was KDB vs Spurs. He ran further and did more sprints than anyone else on the pitch. Watching on here people were saying things like ‘he’s possessed’ etc. He got completely pole axed at one point and sprang right up and continued running at full pelt.
He offered to tell the world about all the other athletes he doped in the court case. The (Spanish) judge said no and ordered all the blood samples destroyed.
Well with all the data collected nowadays, with player history of sprint speeds, distances run etc etc, it will be pretty clear over the next few seasons if any of the Liverpool or City players stats suddenly change quite dramatically, either improving or dropping off.
The way Liverpool outran Barca and their and City's energy, fitness and injury records does look slightly fishy. The points gap is huge to the rest too.
The stats of individual players and teams are now no doubt going to be looked at very closely for signs.
Maybe he'd taken too much pre workout and caffeine?
Or a banana at half time
Ronaldo's neck and skull have pretty much doubled since he was 18.
HGH
HGH
Liverpool, City, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal are all doping. I demand that we strip them of their place in the league and give the title to United.
I know what you mean, but people at 18 (Ronaldo was still quite a slim teenager who hadn't filled out) compared to when they are fully filled out, matured and at their peak for muscularity etc is quite a difference. HGH and steroids can do that though. I think you'd see it in hands and extremities though?
It wouldn't be a surprise to find out that players have been taking small doses of these substances that would boost them by 5 or 10%, unlike bodybuilders and weight lifters who take massive amounts.
I keep picturing Ronaldo with a double size skull now
BrutalFeck off and chase some sheep.
But yeah,
There is certainly doping in football and I have no issue with extraordinary performances being scrutinised, even if I have zero faith in the caf's collective ability to do so accurately.
If we're suggesting that some elite players/clubs are doping though then we also have to be aware of the possibility that (despite our performances in recent years) our own players or past players could equally be guilty. Especially given we know one of our current player has actually served a doping ban already. Any debate on the topic loses legitimacy if it is pointedly directed at our rivals, which is usually the case when this subject comes up.
If we're suggesting that some elite players/clubs are doping though then we also have to be aware of the possibility that (despite our performances in recent years) our own players or past players could equally be guilty. Especially given we know one of our current player has actually served a doping ban already. Any debate on the topic loses legitimacy if it is pointedly directed at our rivals, which is usually the case when this subject comes up.
I definitely think every team has at least one person doping, for sure, but it feels like at the moment we have certain coaches who almost actively suggest it to their players, if not directly, then indirectly. If your coach says you need to run yourself into the ground week in, week out and cover a certain amount of distance, all of which is unnatural, what are you going to do?
What happened to the expose that one of the papers did a few years back? The one about the French doctor doping Leicester and a few other football teams?
Seemed to have a lot of legs before quickly being swept under the carpet.
Pep was caught doping whilst playing was he not? Even Bayern's doctor brought up doping when pressed about his relationship with pep completely out of the blue.
I think it's wrong to say it's just one or two teams doing it, but it's obviously rife from where I'm standing and it's clear that one or two teams tend to use these methods more prevalent than others.
There too much face for UEFA or FIFA to lose if doping was found to be widespread, it'd mean a complete rebuild of football as we know it, less money involved and less interest, hence these stories about doping keep getting shunted to the side and quickly forgotten.
Seemed to have a lot of legs before quickly being swept under the carpet.
Pep was caught doping whilst playing was he not? Even Bayern's doctor brought up doping when pressed about his relationship with pep completely out of the blue.
I think it's wrong to say it's just one or two teams doing it, but it's obviously rife from where I'm standing and it's clear that one or two teams tend to use these methods more prevalent than others.
There too much face for UEFA or FIFA to lose if doping was found to be widespread, it'd mean a complete rebuild of football as we know it, less money involved and less interest, hence these stories about doping keep getting shunted to the side and quickly forgotten.
Wouldn't surprise me at all if PEDs were ubiquitous in football.
He was cleared on a technicality. The chances of his tests actually being false positives were given at between 1 in a 1000 and 1 in 10000 at his hearing by WADA. This is a much better overview.
http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2017/04/25/sharapova-guardiola-doping-darkness-and-light-250401/
Cheers.
That the FA were being unfair giving him such a long ban when others had received shorter ones.
Running 11k in 90 minutes as a midfielder is not unnatural.
"Each team has at least one person doping" is ridiculous as well, either you think it's organized or it isn't present at all. Based on what would that person be chosen? Why would only that person be willing to accepting the risk he's taking for his career? Such a weird claim based on nothing.
I doubt there's anything widespread going on. The top teams don't even have to run that hard because they control the pace.
And if there is anything going on it's everyone. There's zero chance City are doing it but we're not.
And if there is anything going on it's everyone. There's zero chance City are doing it but we're not.
Honestly, there's so many occurences and facts about either players themselves caught or shady stuff (shady like seeing your woman in panties leaving your bedroom with a stranger telling you "there's nothing")... With so little impact or aftereffect (even more for "big names") I can't believe players aren't doping or teams aren't doing it.
Then there's stuff like Ronaldo (the brazilian) which to me and from my "search" screams to me "doping horse" but anyway on those things, we're on pure speculation.
What bother me, is that I can live with doping in sports I mean I was outraged younger but now I don't care that much... What I can not understand is why we can't question and even more when we are able to come with some facts that at least can make you ask question...
Like living in France and telling people that Zidane was very probably doped during World Cup 1998 and French Senat did a report that explicitely said that HCT level in Didier Deschamps is clearly significant of a doping level and openly said himself he used creatine... It's all good and all to talk about doping until you touch the loved ones
Then there's stuff like Ronaldo (the brazilian) which to me and from my "search" screams to me "doping horse" but anyway on those things, we're on pure speculation.
What bother me, is that I can live with doping in sports I mean I was outraged younger but now I don't care that much... What I can not understand is why we can't question and even more when we are able to come with some facts that at least can make you ask question...
Like living in France and telling people that Zidane was very probably doped during World Cup 1998 and French Senat did a report that explicitely said that HCT level in Didier Deschamps is clearly significant of a doping level and openly said himself he used creatine... It's all good and all to talk about doping until you touch the loved ones
I am 99.99999% sure that there is a culture of doping at City. Whether the players know they're being doped or not is a different matter.
I'm also 75% sure the same thing is happening at Liverpool and I'm 100% sure that many players throughout the top leagues are pumped to the eyeballs on stuff.
I'm also 75% sure the same thing is happening at Liverpool and I'm 100% sure that many players throughout the top leagues are pumped to the eyeballs on stuff.
Yes, a tough one, unless there is some evidence to back it up.
Agree with this
If one team are doing it then you can bet that every team is. No way would the rest of the league let City get away with their finances/doping in a collective. The only reason they do is because the rest of the league isn't exactly squeaky clean either in the way they operate.
In terms of releasing that people are doping - it's the same reason clubs don't say people are taking drugs and pass it off as a minor groin injury. The media would be on it, sponsorships would be on it, fans would be on it. It would be an ethical nightmare for them and could seriously harm football economy.
In terms of releasing that people are doping - it's the same reason clubs don't say people are taking drugs and pass it off as a minor groin injury. The media would be on it, sponsorships would be on it, fans would be on it. It would be an ethical nightmare for them and could seriously harm football economy.
Yeah, I would agree with this sentiment. I mean, personally, I don’t care about doping but I would think that it is very naive to not think that it is widespread in a sport that generates so much money.Honestly, there's so many occurences and facts about either players themselves caught or shady stuff (shady like seeing your woman in panties leaving your bedroom with a stranger telling you "there's nothing")... With so little impact or aftereffect (even more for "big names") I can't believe players aren't doping or teams aren't doing it.
Then there's stuff like Ronaldo (the brazilian) which to me and from my "search" screams to me "doping horse" but anyway on those things, we're on pure speculation.
What bother me, is that I can live with doping in sports I mean I was outraged younger but now I don't care that much... What I can not understand is why we can't question and even more when we are able to come with some facts that at least can make you ask question...
Like living in France and telling people that Zidane was very probably doped during World Cup 1998 and French Senat did a report that explicitely said that HCT level in Didier Deschamps is clearly significant of a doping level and openly said himself he used creatine... It's all good and all to talk about doping until you touch the loved ones