Re: How to cheat 101

Reposted from rec.sport-rowing
<kdavies@kidare.com> wrote in message
news:0e73d811-3a9e-449d-a4bc-267176e8f733@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Hi all,

We've discussed doping here before, so I thought the group would be
interested to read a detailed account of what Dwain Chambers
(disgraced UK sprinter) did as part of his doping regime. This comes
in the form of a letter from his coach Victor Conte and is part of
Chambers' attempt to 'fess up, right wrongs and have himself
reinstated into the GB team for Beijing.

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olym...cs/7403158.stm :

<quote>
Dear Dwain,

Per your request, this letter is to confirm I am willing to assist you
in providing UK Sport and others with information that will help them
to improve the effectiveness of their anti-doping programs.

The specific details regarding how you were able to circumvent the
British and IAAF anti-doping tests for an extended period of time are
provided below.

Your performance enhancing drug program included the following seven
prohibited substances: THG, testosterone/epitestosterone cream, EPO
(Procrit), HGH (Serostim), insulin (Humalog), modafinil (Provigil) and
liothryonine, which is a synthetic form of the T3 thyroid hormone
(Cytomel).

THG is a previously undetectable designer steroid nicknamed "the
clear." It was primarily used in the off season and was taken two days
per week, typically on Mondays and Wednesdays. Generally, these were
the two most intense weight-training days of the week. The purpose was
to accelerate healing and tissue repair. Thirty units (IU) of the
liquid was place under the tongue during the morning time-frame. THG
was used in cycles of "three weeks on and one week off."

Testosterone/epitestosterone cream was also primarily used during the
off season. It was rubbed into the skin on the front of the forearm
two days per week, typically Tuesdays and Thursdays. The dosage was ½
gram which contained 50mg of testosterone and 2.5mg of epitestosterone
(20 to 1 ratio). The purpose was to offset the suppression of
endogenous testosterone caused by the use of the THG and to accelerate
recovery. The testosterone/epitestosterone cream was also used in
cycles of three weeks on and one week off.

EPO was used three days per week during the "corrective phase", which
is the first two weeks of a cycle. Typically, it was on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. It was only used once per week during the
"maintenance phase" thereafter, typically this was every Wednesday.
The dosage was 4,000 IU per injection. The purpose was to increase the
red blood cell count and enhance oxygen uptake and utilization. This
substance provides a big advantage to sprinters because it enables
them to do more track repetitions and obtain a much deeper training
load during the off season. EPO becomes undetectable about 72 hours
after subcutaneous injection (stomach) and only 24 hours after
intravenous injection.

HGH was used three nights per week, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays. Each injection would contain 4.5 units of growth hormone.
Once again, this substance was used primarily during the off season to
help with recovery from very strenuous weight training sessions.

Insulin was used after strenuous weight training sessions during the
off season. Three units of Humalog (fast-acting insulin) were injected
immediately after the workout sessions together with a powdered drink
that contained 30 grams of dextrose, 30 grams of whey protein isolates
and 3 grams of creatine. The purpose was to quickly replenish
glycogen, resynthesize ATP and promote protein synthesis and muscle
growth. Insulin acts as a "shuttle system" in the transport of glucose
and branch chain amino acids. There is no test available for insulin
at this time.

Modafinil was used as a "wakefulness promoting" agent before
competitions. The purpose was to decrease fatigue and enhance mental
alertness and reaction time. A 200mg tablet was consumed one hour
before competition.

Liothryonine was used help accelerate the basic metabolic rate before
competitions. The purpose was to reduce sluggishness and increase
quickness. Two 25mg tablets were taken one hour before competition.
There is no test available for liothryonine at this time.

In general terms, explosive strength athletes, such as sprinters, use
anabolic steroids, growth hormone, insulin and EPO during the off
season. They use these drugs in conjunction with an intense weight
training program, which helps to develop a strength base that will
serve them throughout the competitive season. Speed work is done just
prior to the start of the competitive season.

It is important to understand it is not really necessary for athletes
to have access to designer anabolic steroids such as THG. They can
simply use fast-acting testosterone (oral as well as creams and gels)
and still easily avoid the testers. For example, oral testosterone
will clear the system in less than a week and testosterone creams and
gels will clear even faster.

Many drug-tested athletes use what I call the "duck and dodge"
technique. Several journalists in the UK have recently referred to it
as the "duck and dive" technique. This is basically how it works.

First, the athlete repeatedly calls their own cell phone until the
message capacity is full. This way the athlete can claim to the
testers that they didn't get a message when they finally decide to
make themselves available. Secondly, they provide incorrect
information on their whereabouts form. They say they are going to one
place and then go to another. Thereafter, they start using
testosterone, growth hormone and other drugs for a short cycle of two
to three weeks.

After the athlete discontinues using the drugs for a few days and they
know that they will test clean, they become available and resume
training at their regular facility.

Most athletes are tested approximately two times each year on a random
out-of -competition basis. If a tester shows up and the athlete is not
where they are supposed to be, then the athlete will receive a "missed
test". This is the equivalent to receiving "strike one" when up to bat
in a baseball game. The current anti-doping rules allow an athlete to
have two missed tests in any given eighteen-month period without a
penalty or consequence. So, the disadvantage for an athlete having a
missed test is that they have one strike against them. The advantage
of that missed test is the athlete has now received the benefit of a
cycle of steroids. Long story short, an athlete can continue to duck
and dive until they have two missed tests, which basically means that
they can continue to use drugs until that time.

In summary, it's my opinion that more than fifty percent of the drug
tests performed each year should be during the off season or the
fourth quarter. This is when the track athletes are duckin' and divin'
and using anabolic steroids and other drugs. Let me provide some
rather startling information for your consideration. If you check the
testing statistics on the USADA website, you will find that the number
of out-of-competition drug tests performed during each quarter of 2007
are as follows: in the first quarter there were 1208, second quarter
1295, third quarter 1141 and in the fourth quarter there were only
642.

In late 2003 I advised USADA about the importance of random testing
during the fourth quarter of the year. They did initially seem to
follow my advice because they increased the number of fourth-quarter
tests in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

However, they failed to continue this practice in 2007. Why would
USADA decide to perform only 15% of their annual out-of-competition
tests during the fourth quarter? Let's not forget that this is the off
season before the upcoming summer Olympic Games. This is equivalent to
a fisherman knowing that the fish are ready to bite and then
consciously deciding that it is time to reel in his line and hook,
lean his fishing pole up against a tree and take a nap.

On several occasions, I have provided detailed information to both
USADA and WADA in an attempt to help them establish more effective
testing policies and procedures.

I certainly have more information that I would like the opportunity to
provide to you and UK Sport, but I will leave that for another time.

Hopefully, this information will be helpful and I am available to
assist you further upon request.

Yours sincerely,

Victor Conte

</quote>