Anyone else have an eerie feeling there will be a tennis doping scandal unveiled?

[fps]

Originally Posted by hedera

I think that would be pathetic. Taking away someone's titles ages after they've won them is just stupid, imo. If they didn't get caught back then, they shouldn't suffer the consequences now. The authorities should do a better job if they insist on these anti-doping rules. Same with Lance Armstrong. He's been stripped all of his titles and what happens if the guy who inherits them now is found out to be a doper too, say, five years from now? Are they going to continue with the circus forever?

All this doping scandals reveal is that the authorities are doing a pretty bad job, whether it was intentional or due to negligence. Nobody ever talks about that.

Yeah, they should continue with the circus forever, so drugs cheats know the risks they're running. If Lance Armstrong wasn't American you can bet he would have far fewer followers with this attitude to his institutionalised cheating.

I'm really worried about tennis now, finding out one of the top guys had been taking something all these years in full knowledge that a) it was banned or b) if identified it would immediately be banned would be crushing.

[Richie Rich]

if anyone thinks that drugs are not being used in tennis by some players they are naive. it's either being covered up or the drug programs are so sophisticated they can't be detected.

i just can't believe tennis is the only "clean" sport out there. would not be a surprise to me if any of the top men or women were eventually found out like lance armstrong.

[als47]

If everyone dopes, I'm fine with the winner doing it (which is why I can't really get fussed about Lance Armstrong... I think everyone in cycling does it, so the guy who wins is still the best). But I don't get the feeling that EVERYONE in tennis is doping, so it would be a much bigger deal to me if something came to light. I'd like to believe there isn't anything there, though.

[dominikk1985]

I think in the future Doping will Play a bigger role in Tennis.

Tennis used to be a skill Sport but with the slow Courts, modern Rackets and modern swing technique Tennis becomes more about hitting a Topspin as hard as you can as often as you can.

so the percentage of skill will go down and athleticism go up. you still Need the skill but the top guys are Close in skill so that athleticism becomes the deciding factor.

[zam88]

Yeah, i do.

And no one is immune to being accused.


It wouldn't shock me if any of the top 4 had used PEDs/doped

I'd be crushed if it were Roger, I'd be ecstatic if it were Nadal and they gave all those French Open titles to Roger, and Djokavic '11 screams of peds.. but until proven otherwise i'll assume really actually transformed himself completely in a matter of a few months.

[GoaLaSSo]

I really hope there is no witchunt in tennis like there is in cycling. This lance armstrong business has been so so silly. The PEDs these people use do help, but they are not a magical winning injection/pill. The hard work is still there and if you didn't dope in lance's day there is no way to compete at the top of competition (look at all the guys that have been caught or suspected). Lance may not be a perfect guy, but he was still a pretty good guy. His best friends and long time teammates turned on him to save their own asses or to get their 15 minutes of fame. How would you react to them? I can understand some of the court testimonies from people under oath, but it is very selfish and unloyal to rat on him outside of the setting considering all he stood for and all the good he had done. I do think it was a bit arrogant for lance to keep denying it all these years, but I don't like him any less for it.

I really don't want any tennis players to get in trouble retroactively. I have no problem making testing more extensive and making it so the field can no longer dope, but it is dumb to make an example of the great athletes of any sport. These people are not great because they dope. If doping was wiped entirely from the sporting world, many of the same athletes would be in the same place.

[West Coast Ace]

Originally Posted by GoaLaSSo

I really hope there is no witchunt in tennis like there is in cycling.

I worry about this too. Some of the WADA guys have completely gone bonkers in their quest to embarrass top athletes. In 2022 I don't want some guy trying to make a name for himself testing <insert Top 4 guy's name here> save samples and claiming to find something. How could one create a defense? Do they have to keep a journal of every food they consumed; medication they took? (and in Gasquet's case, every hot chick he got chummy with in Miami)

[mcenroefan]

The only serious way to enforce an anti-doping policy is to:

1. do regular blood testing and
2. Stockpile the top players blood samples for testing in later years (as new tests become available) with the threat of stripping titles and reclaiming prize money if tests reveal a transgression.

These two steps would lead to a much cleaner field of competitors.

[TMF]

Originally Posted by zam88

Yeah, i do.

And no one is immune to being accused.


It wouldn't shock me if any of the top 4 had used PEDs/doped

I'd be crushed if it were Roger, I'd be ecstatic if it were Nadal and they gave all those French Open titles to Roger, and Djokavic '11 screams of peds.. but until proven otherwise i'll assume really actually transformed himself completely in a matter of a few months.

They are NOT going to award all the FOs to Roger if Nadal was found using PED. I know it sucks because Roger was likely to win all of those FOs. If Nadal's titles are stripped, no one gets the title. Unlike Lewis and Johnson, who lost his Gold Medal after tested positive and Lewis got the Gold.

[Steve0904]

Originally Posted by GoaLaSSo

I really hope there is no witchunt in tennis like there is in cycling. This lance armstrong business has been so so silly. The PED's these people use do help, but they are not a magical winning injection/pill. The hard work is still there and if you didn't dope in lance's day there is no way to compete at the top of competition (look at all the guys that have been caught or suspected). Lance may not be a perfect guy, but he was still a pretty good guy. His best friends and long time teammates turned on him to save their own asses or to get their 15 minutes of fame. How would you react to them? I can understand some of the court testimonies from people under oath, but it is very selfish and unloyal to rat on him outside of the setting considering all he stood for and all the good he had done. I do think it was a bit arrogant for lance to keep denying it all these years, but I don't like him any less for it.

I really don't want any tennis players to get in trouble retroactively. I have no problem making testing more extensive and making it so the field can no longer dope, but it is dumb to make an example of the great athletes of any sport. These people are not great because they dope. If doping was wiped entirely from the sporting world, many of the same athletes would be in the same place.

I will say simply that I agree 100%.

[vandre]

already had one. obviously you've forgotten about the wayne odesnik "incident".

[GoaLaSSo]

Originally Posted by Steve0904

I will say simply that I agree 100%.

I wish more people did. Too many fickle people have jumped on the lance armstrong is evil and a disgrace bandwagon. Cycling as a sport has lost a lot of credibility because of it. Tennis could be next. Think about how lax doping regulation used to be. There has been all kinds of doping since the 70s or possibly even earlier. Then there are things like the egg and hyperbaric chambers that give a similar "unfair edge."

I'm sure there is some new doping technique available now that regulations won't catch for another few years. Having frequent and extensive blood tests would be a good solution, but I honestly don't know what can be done realistically.

[v-verb]

Originally Posted by The Bawss

Can we PLEASE stop going on about Djokovic's 2011 season!? Come one people he went gluten-free, hello? There are probably loads of medical reports that gluten-free diets boost performance by about 100%. I can't believe the sheer number of jealous haters on here.

LOL too funny!!!!!

[Phoenix1983]

I don't think any big name will be revealed as a doper.

That doesn't mean none of the big names has doped, but tennis is too image-conscious to ever publicly state that any of them have.

[dudeski]

Come on everyone! I am sure the fact that Nadal went from being unable to play well for more than 3 sets at 2005 Miami final to being able to dominate peak Coria few weeks later in 4 set MC final and 5 set Rome final was totally due to natural causes.

[Legend of Borg]

Mariano Puerta ring a bell?

[90's Clay]

It would take an outside entity coming in and giving a thorough investigation..

Tennis doesn't police itself very well with the drug use of its players.

Only lower tier forgettable guys have popped positive for drugs.. The upper tier guys haven't been caught yet.

Agassi was on meth and it was all swept under the rug

[FedSampras1]

Nadal and Serena are certainly on PEDs, both are the biggest cheaters of the sport, along with Armstrong

[Crisstti]

Way to start a thread about nothing...

There's no comparison with cycling anyway.

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by Crisstti

Way to start a thread about nothing...

There's no comparison with cycling anyway.

Behind the scenes, I'm sure tennis has a whole lot more in common with cycling than you think