Cristophe Rochus: Doping rampant, mentions Nadal and Soderling

[President]

Credit to MTF for this article

Is doping a reality in tennis ?
Of course it is a reality. I was already saying that more than ten years ago. It is a sport that is more and more physical, so there are inevitably more temptations to take enhanching performance drugs. Now, with the Armstrong issue, we are now admitting it’s not because someone has never been controlled positive that it means that person has never been doping. When one can afford good doctors, to make some personal researches on the subject, and to have some resources, it is possible to take undetectable drugs products. So in my opinion, anti-doping controls are useless and they really don’t prove anything. Regarding Nadal, those rumors are rumors even if everyone wonders the same question : how can you be so strong in Roland Garros and one month later, you are apparently unable to play ? That’s why it looks so suspicious, but we have no proof. Maybe he is really injured.

We have to admit all these breaks, such as Nadal and some others, are really intriguing…
That’s the purpose ! It should not be obvious ! Everyone makes sure it is not clear. The less you lie, the less you give explanations, better it is ! Let’s take Robin Soderling. He has won Bastad in 2011, and ever since that, he has not played tennis. Apparently he is really sick (officially he has mononucleosis) when I am certain he was unbeatable back then. We can’t deny how much it sounds dubious. He was at the peak of his career, and the day after, he suddenly says he can’t play tennis anymore… I really think it’s unbelievable.

What about the federations ? Are they implicated or not?
It is all part of the rumors. We think “Oh wait, it is weird.” There are plenty of strange things happening, and we have the feeling the best players have nothing. It’s like everywhere, there are always people you can buy ! I guess someone like Armstrong might have the resources and the knowledge to pay someone to know how to avoid getting caught. It’s a certain thing : with money, everything is affordable ! Now, there is always a way to slip through the net. That’s the way it works because everyone has a benefit to take from it : the federations, the athletes…

How did you deal, as a tennisplayer, with these issues to keep practising your sport and to make it your job ?
When I entered the top 100, I said in the medias that it was a scandal to see all these doped players, and I received a letter from the ATP threatening me “This is the last time you ever talk about this. You have no proof, you have nothing”. Finally, all players I’ve mentioned got controlled positive. All Argentineans. Rather than all this hypocrisy, I think it would be better to legalize the doping. When I say that, I hear I can’t say that because it’s not a good thing and it’s dangerous anyway. But after speaking with the doctors, we are not even sure these products are dangerous for our health. At that moment, each one, in all honesty, is ready to take the risk or is not. My brother and I have always been clean. We could have taken growth hormones, but we never did it. We thought it was not worthy. Maybe we should have…. Maybe we would have never been caught up… Maybe my brother would be 17 centimenters (6.69 inches) taller and he would have been in the top 10… Everyone has to make choices. Do we really want to be in the worldwide top at all cost or are we content to be just a very good athlete, it’s all personal?

That being said, how can we put an end to all this ? We have the feeling all these doping stories will never end…
It will never end for one reason : sports are entertainment and we always want more. If, after ten stages in the Tour de France, the cyclists are racing at 25km/h (15.53 mph) because they are exhausted, it won’t be alright. If after a five setter which lasted for five hours in the semi-finals, the player says he can’t even get up so he can’t take part in the final, then the entertainment is over. It will never end. Too much money, too much entertainment at stakes. But as a spectator, I don’t mind watching these athletes, even if I know they are doped. For me, Armstrong still remains a great champion… doped or not ! Same for the others. They fought, the efforts are still there…

http://www.rue89.com/rue89-sport/201...s-le-legaliser


Very interesting stuff

[DRII]

Nadal's name is not in the passage you quoted...

[bluetrain4]

I don't doubt that doping happens. In fact, I bet it happens way more than we'd like to imagine. But, other than the players who were actually caught, it's all rank speculation as to who has doped and when, which never leads to any productive discussion.

[President]

Originally Posted by DRII

Nadal's name is not in the passage you quoted...

I just posted the full interview, read again.

[TMF]

Originally Posted by DRII

Nadal's name is not in the passage you quoted...

But he hasn't played tennis since last year Wimbledon.

[joeri888]

Like the UCI, I think it would be completely unacceptable to ban players from a sport in silence. Now if you have a temporary suspension to wait for confirmation of results, that's entirely different, but if there truly are positive doping cases in tennis, imo everything should be done to make sure this becomes clear and becomes a serious issue.

I also think that we should not go the way of a more and more physical sport.

[DropShotArtist]

History repeats itself. This is exactly how it was in cycling. In the beginning no one believed or wanted to believe it. Specially not the ardent fangirls. But smart guys like Rochus and me, we see through the clouds. Nadal is probably the main culprit. Sod mentioning surprised me a bit though.

[joeri888]

Originally Posted by bluetrain4

I don't doubt that doping happens. In fact, I bet it happens way more than we'd like to imagine. But, other than the players who were actually caught, it's all rank speculation as to who has doped and when, which never leads to any productive discussion.

This. And this is why all the testing and stuff should be increased BIG TIME. However, there's no incentive for the ATP or ITF to test more, because it costs money and catching players will cost them more money.

[joeri888]

Originally Posted by DropShotArtist

History repeats itself. This is exactly how it was in cycling. In the beginning no one believed or wanted to believe it. Specially not the ardent fangirls. But smart guys like Rochus and me, we see through the clouds. Nadal is probably the main culprit. Sod mention surprised me a bit though.

Don't be naive. Djokovic 2.0 was because of eating glutenfree? Federer found out 'what was necessary to become a grandslam champ' in 2002 when he started working with some unknown italian coach? You can make a case for any top player, and individuals should be held innocent until proven otherwise. However, that doping is a serious problem in all sports can not be and should not be neglected.

[bluetrain4]

Originally Posted by DropShotArtist

History repeats itself. This is exactly how it was in cycling. In the beginning no one believed or wanted to believe it. Specially not the ardent fangirls. But smart guys like Rochus and me, we see through the clouds. Nadal is probably the main culprit. Sod mention surprised me a bit though.

I agree with the comparison to cycling. And, I'd agree that there are a lot of interested parties who want to stick their head in the sand. I do believe there is significant doping, but I don't have proof of any particular individuals, so where can the discussion go, other than me stating "I do believe there is doping."

As for Nadal, that would obviously be a huge story, but are people forgetting that he had legit injuries? This really could all be knee(s)-related.

[The Bawss]

Oh you have taken down the original interview. I translated the last paragraph anyway.

Dans cet entretien, Rochus, qui a quitté le haut niveau en 2010, défend une légalisation du dopage :

« Plutôt que toute cette hypocrisie, je pense qu’il vaut mieux légaliser le dopage. Quand je dis ça, je m’entends dire que je ne peux pas avoir de tels propos parce que c’est pas bien et le dopage c’est dangereux. Mais en discutant avec des médecins, on constate qu’on n’est même pas sûr que ces produits soient si dangereux pour la santé. A ce moment-là chacun, en son âme et conscience, dit “ moi, je prends le risque... moi, je ne le prends pas... ”. »

During this interview, Rochus, who quit high-level tennis in 2010, is a proponent of legalising doping:

"Instead of all this hypocrisy, I believe it would be better to legalise doping. When I say this, I tell myself that I cannot believe such things because doping is bad and it's dangerous. But after having spoken to doctors, one discovers that we are not even sure these substances and that detrimental to health. Given this information, it's would be up to each individual to decide whether it's worth it to take the risk.


Can't say I agree with him.

[DRII]

Originally Posted by DropShotArtist

History repeats itself. This is exactly how it was in cycling. In the beginning no one believed or wanted to believe it. Specially not the ardent fangirls. But smart guys like Rochus and me, we see through the clouds. Nadal is probably the main culprit. Sod mention surprised me a bit though.

Please...

Rochus basically includes every player taller than he and his brother in his conspiracies (which is nearly everyone including WTA players).

He also heavily insinuates Nole, but I see you ignored that...

[TMF]

I feel for the Rochus's brothers since they are undersize as a tennis player, yet they are clean while many bigger players are doping. Totally unfair to them.

[President]

Originally Posted by DRII

Please...

Rochus basically includes every player taller than he and his brother in his conspiracies (which is nearly everyone including WTA players).

He also heavily insinuates Nole, but I see you ignored that...

I agree with you, that's what I think his mention of the 5 hour semi was referencing. I would have included Djokovic in the title but he didn't actually mention him by name so....

[smoledman]

I always knew Nadal was doping since 2005.

[vllaznia]

Just waiting to read again from Mustard saying that Lance Armstrong is innocent because he didn't fail a doping test.

[heninfan99]

No need. You can just sit in the Djokovic CVAC Egg for the same effects.

[DropShotArtist]

Originally Posted by DRII

Please...

Rochus basically includes every player taller than he and his brother in his conspiracies (which is nearly everyone including WTA players).

He also heavily insinuates Nole, but I see you ignored that...

Fine, Djokovic too! Happy? They're all dopers except for Federer. The field didn't stronger in 2008, it got doper.

[DRII]

Originally Posted by DropShotArtist

Fine, Djokovic too! Happy? They're all dopers except for Federer. The field didn't stronger in 2008, it got doper.

Why would Federer be exempt

Going by outrageous athletic/physical performances he would be at the top including the other Big 4.

[DropShotArtist]

Originally Posted by DRII

Why would Federer be exempt

Going by outrageous athletic/physical performances he would be at the top including the other Big 4.

Look at Federer's huge muscles.