Contador tests positive for banned substance

[redrhodie]

From Velonews "In the past the drug was popular amongst athletes before testing was introduced. Djamolidin Abdoujaparov was banned for life after testing positive for the drug at the 1997 Tour de France. It is now easily detectable and tends to remain in the body for an extended period of time, making it a poor choice as far as performance enhancing drugs go."

So, if the team ate the supposedly tainted meat, and this drug stays in the body for a long time, shouldn't some of his teammates have tested positive for the same drug during the race? Were none of them tested for the rest of the race?

I read that such low levels as were found in Contador's blood could be because he doped with his own tainted blood. This makes as much sense (okay, more) as food contamination, but how do they prove either?

[Norse]

So, if the team ate the supposedly tainted meat, and this drug stays in the body for a long time, shouldn't some of his teammates have tested positive for the same drug during the race? Were none of them tested for the rest of the race?

I thought I read that Contador asked who else on the team was tested that day and the response was, only Vino, and Contador said something like "Great, he's the only one who didn't eat the meat."

[NoNo]

I read that they supposedly detected traces of plastic in the sample as well, lending to the theory that he used is own blood taken earlier in the year when he was doping. Then there were people saying that it's not possible to detect plastic in the blood. I don't know enough to really say either way, but I think the reusing his blood theory makes a bit more sense than tainted steak.

[emily_in_nc]

After believing Floyd when he said he didn't dope and feeling duped later, I am now very cynical about these things and believe that where there is smoke, there is most likely fire. I don't care for Contador, and if he did dope, he should have his TdF title stripped away. I know this wasn't the way Andy wanted to be named champ, but I'll be happy for him anyway, if it does happen.

[tzvia]

I read that they supposedly detected traces of plastic in the sample as well, lending to the theory that he used is own blood taken earlier in the year when he was doping. Then there were people saying that it's not possible to detect plastic in the blood. I don't know enough to really say either way, but I think the reusing his blood theory makes a bit more sense than tainted steak.

I had read this too, and also that the plastic was of a type only used in blood bags (a softener actually). Sounds to me like he may have been doping during training and then drew blood for use later at the TDF. As the amounts found were very low, below what the usual test would detect, it may have been undetected by any test that Contador's team would have done on the blood. This positive came in a sample taken after a rest day, which seems a likely time to blood 'refuel'. The doping would have been happening to enhance training benefits way before the tour and its trace, along with this plastic softener, sounds bad for Contador. His dinner wasn't served in a blood bag.

[KnottedYet]

Wouldn't it be nice if this level of scrutiny, financing, public discussion, scientific analysis, concern, media coverage, and forum and personal conversations were directed at something like preventing teen suicides? Or fighting diabetes?

I have pretty much washed my hands of professional racers. There is no joy in it for me any more.

[pll]

The rumor of the plastic residue findings comes from a reporter, Damien Ressiot, from L'Equipe, who mentioned it in a discussion forum (here it is), not even a editorial note in L'Equipe's web site. What irritates about this entire doping/anti-doping business is that it is handled in such an amateurish manner:

• Is there a standard protocol to handle the samples? Laboratories in Cologne, Paris and Barcelona are mentioned in different stories (those samples earn frequent flier miles).
• Shouldn't there be an official notification to the riders and their national federations right away? The finding for Contador was in July, he was notified in August; Mosquera found out through the press. And the issue of plastic traces is an unconfirmed rumor, posted in a bulletin board.

The takeaway for me is that I am not persuaded any rider is clean, and I don't trust the UCI either.

[malkin]

I'm waiting for Contador to say that he ate the meat, but he didn't inhale.

[Possegal]

So, if the team ate the supposedly tainted meat, and this drug stays in the body for a long time, shouldn't some of his teammates have tested positive for the same drug during the race? Were none of them tested for the rest of the race?

Given how low (and extremely sub-therapeutic) the levels were, and that in 2 days it was gone from his system, any other team member would have had to have been tested within those couple of days and I too have read that only Vino was and he didn't eat with them.

I once had a HORRIBLE reaction to a glass of milk. It was in fact an allergic reaction to penicillin that had been given to cows and made it to the milk. Even more unusual in that milk you buy at the store isn't just from one cow, but from lots of cows. So for there to have been enough penicillin in there for me to react, was really a highly unlikely, yet real, occurrence. I'm just saying, stranger things have happened than contamination through food or supplements.

I'm not a fan of his, but I HATE the way this is playing out in the media. Let science play out, let the tests be done that are able to be done and let the experts discuss and debate. Case in point - the whole "plastic" thing. I don't believe that is something in the battery of things they test for and I read that the methodology for that hasn't been validated, yet the media is convicting him on that 'fact'. Also no talk about any of the markers their protocols do test for to show an autologous transfusion. Not that things are full-proof, not saying that. Just saying what is leaked to the public has a lot of missing pieces right now. Do they just have urine from him those days? More I don't know. (oh, lots more of course, goes without saying )

I'm certainly skeptical, but as a scientist, I'm also never going to judge my data, before there actually are data to judge. (well, except for the chimera thing, cause that was so laughable that my cycling + scientist friends and I still get a good chuckle out of it).

[jobob]

Given how low (and extremely sub-therapeutic) the levels were, and that in 2 days it was gone from his system, any other team member would have had to have been tested within those couple of days and I too have read that only Vino was and he didn't eat with them.

Well put, PG.