World Triathlon Corporation Enhances Anti-Doping Program
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owner and organizer of the Ironman and 70.3 event brands, announces the launch of a new, comprehensive Anti-Doping Program. Beginning this month, athletes competing in Ironman and 70.3 events are eligible for in and out-of-competition drug testing. Additionally, a Registered Testing Pool (RTP) consisting of professional and elite age group athletes who have qualified for either of the World Championships will be created. From this RTP, athletes will be selected for random testing.
There are so many holes in this announcement that it is not even funny. I guarantee you that they have not thought this out for one minute, and have no idea of the ramifications of what they are trying to do. I applaude that they want to do it, but the folks in charge there have not one clue to the can of worms they have opened up there. They will very soon though, and my guess is that they will have to back peddle severly on this announcement for this year at least…
Let me start the questions, what policy do the AG’er have in regards to there constant whereabouts??Pros have to account for every week of the year, in and out of competition.
What is an elite AG’er?? Those that qualify for Kona, then we are talking about 1500 folds…
What are the banned drugs for AG’er, same as pros??? A ton of them use EPO, testerone, HGH, and many have prescriptions for them. Pros can get TUE’s for some drugs, but not the biggies here. WIll AG’ers have a different list??
Do you bust AG’ers for pot?? We bust the pros for it…
THere are so many more questions that I will leave it to you all to fill in the blanks…Guaranteed that Ironman has not answered any of them, because they have not thought to ask them yet…
it sounds like AG’ers that qualify for hawaii, not every AG at every race
If that is the case, then they should have just said “professionals and those AGers who qualify for Kona or Clearwater,” right? Why introduce the nebulous “elite AGer” term?
Very good that they showing the will to step it up. Will be even better when they implement it.
Questions that come to mind:
Who is paying for this.
All pros qualified for Hawaii? ALL pros? IM Germany has a pretty buffed out testing protocol and because it is so expensive they limit the pro field, because otherwise it would be not affordable. Looking at the number of pros racing Hawaii I would think that testing will cost around 2 to 5 million dollars.
Agegroupers? Holy smokes…really? How? do 1500 agegroupers have to let a central agency know about their whereabouts at all time? Who is paying for that testing?
I would like it very much if they would put the foot down on he pros. Testing the AGers will be more a media-hype then real deterrend.
maybe they are just going to throw it in there with our government run health care, you are required to send your exact location and what you are doing to the “Triathlon Czar”
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Isn’t that what they mean by “either of the World Championships”?
It’s the term “elite age grouper” that is fuzzy, not which races they are referencing. If they mean “everyone who qualfied for either of the World Championships” then they should have left out the “elite age grouper” bit.
I hope they get something started. I am not surprised they do not have all the questions answered who in the real world does when they start out at something. I doubt it will end up having out of competition testing for Elite Agers or World Championship qualifiers, but hopefully it is a start.
Will it work, I do not know but we are never at a loss for critics to jump all over a group trying to improve or show some initiative.
I think this might be a step in the right direction - they just need to answer some lingering questions. I also hope the follow the USADA model and post all test statistics on the internet.
Some other questions. Assume the elite age grouper is a lawyer and heading off to court. Drug Tester shows up at the door. Lawyer heads to court without depositng sample because, after all, that’s what they do for a living. Substitute any other job for this where the elite age grouper actually needs to go to work. Or drive their kid to sports practice or school. Is the elite age grouper/lawyer now going to be suspended?
I don’t think you can run even a marginally effective testing program without having consequences if the athlete refuses to take a test. For a professional athlete, taking tests is part of making a living. But, it’s not exactly fair to penalize elite age groupers in any of these circumstances (or countless others) either. So, the testing program is either going to be ineffective or incredibly unfair.
I think all elite/AG competitors should have to pay for their own extensive testing if they place in the top of their age group. That would help me beat some of them that keep giving me grief as many would be afraid to cross the finish line for fear of the economic consequences. I will gladly pay for any required victory confirmation testing Bring on the testing!
Dave
Bring on the testing!