Yep, it's a huge process, which is important as it protects all of the parties involved.

I'd be in favor of lots of things that increase testing and encourage clean racing, but as has been called out between a lack of transparency and vendors at two different major tri expos this year - we have a number of problems that are coming together to hamper clean sport.

Another example: the @IMtrue twitter account seems to have more posts in the days *just* prior to Kona, than the rest of the year combined. That is a problem. That account should be active promoting and educating 24x7x365.

I will never understand why people dope and why people give a shit about people who dope. The elites dope. Period. If you're an age grouper as most of us are, who really gives a shit? Aren't age groupers out there to just beat themselves?

Wow, that would be great. I'm pretty convinced that I'd be surprised by the number of guys using T boost in tri.

Hello turningscrews and All,

turningscrews wrote: "What planet do you live on?"

Currently on space ship Earth ..... although after just reading the 'The Three-Body Problem' trilogy ..... (spoiler alert) I am not so sure.

Do you think there should be more drug testing?

Are there any recent polls of triathletes on these questions:

.......Should triathlon have more or less drug testing?

.... What percentage of triathletes should be drug tested?

...... How much are you willing to pay for additional triathlete drug testing?

And of course ...... how would race promoters answer the same questions since that is where the rubber meets the road.

For my part I am happy to go along with whatever the majority would vote for (and the triathlon race promoters implement ..... or not) and if my costs do not exceed $200 I would not squawk too loud ...... since in view of the big picture of entry fees and travel and time for preparation that would not be excessive. I do not like giving blood (if more than a few drops) less than 3 weeks before a race .... but I do not know if anyone else is concerned.

What are your answers and thoughts?

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

chain of custody

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

it's all just narrative control. The shark has already been well and truly jumped.

IMO we need to take it out of WTC's hands, meaning you and me and a few other like minded athletes. It's not hard to do... couple of meetups a year and monthly conference calls.

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Sad to see that there is an issue with Carta. I was on the podium with him in Austria where he qualified as 3rd in M40. I knew about his doping past (http://www.dopeology.org/people/Maurizio_Carta) but hoped that ethics come with age as the infraction was 11 years ago.
Obviously I am too naive and again it appears that 'once a cheater, always a cheater' is true in lots of cases :-(

Speaking about myself: I have only been tested twice: once in Kona right after my first AG win and a second time in Kona during registration 2 years ago. First time was urine sample, second time was blood sample.
I think a good criterion to determine the sample group for athletes to be tested is consistency, or rather inconsistency. Over the years, my results have been pretty regular (apart from declining slightly because of aging and a very busy professional life last couple of years). I see the same with guys around me that I know reasonably well: all very consistent. Dan Stu is also very good example: no spikes - always same outstanding level over the years.

It is a tough debate but I stopped caring after the Toni Colom issue. More dirty athletes are entering the scene, I guess we have to live with it and bring rotten tomatoes to award ceremonies (just aim at the right person)...
Doping and drafting seem to be 2 issues WTC refuses to take seriously among amateur athletes. They keep paying anyway.

Sam Gyde

I'd like to know that the people I'm competing against are clean. If you're an AGer in the running for a Worlds spot and miss it by a few places, wouldn't you want to know that those in front of you were clean?

IIRC a race promoter who paid for drug tester to show up for his gran fondo (there were cash prizes - somewhere on the East Coast US? ) said it cost about $1000 per tested athlete ( and they caught someone cheating ). Maybe one could reduce the cost a bit if you tested everyone but it's closer to doubling the entry fee for Kona versus $50.

I will never understand why people dope and why people give a shit about people who dope. The elites dope. Period. If you're an age grouper as most of us are, who really gives a shit? Aren't age groupers out there to just beat themselves?

So, if you were trying to get a slot for Hawaii, and everyone in your age group was on drugs and you failed to qualify, you would be perfectly happy with a PB?

I don't believe that for one second.

Because all sport is based on rules, and enforcement of those rules. As soon as you start selectively ignoring rule enforcement, things can unravel pretty quick. If you want to strike a rule from the books - fine - you can argue for a change to all-drug competition. But it's fundamentally corrosive to have a written rules that says, "No drugs" and an unwritten rule that says, "Wink, wink - everyone does it and we don't really care."


Some probably do. Some probably don't.


Personally, I get the most enjoyment out of beating other people, though PRs are nice too. So I give a few shits.

My appologies, I didn't consider those trying to qualify for Kona.