Spanish to sue French broadcaster over Nadal drug skit!

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

It's pretty obvious. Hopefully lawsuit only draws attention to it

[Lsmkenpo]

Originally Posted by Biscuitmcgriddleson

They were just more vocal about it. I am sure Italy(Giro d'Italia) and Spain(Vuelta a Espana) as well as other countries that have a big interest in cycling know about the rampant doping that occurs. I agree that a majority stood by Armstrong in the absence of a smoking gun, but by 2000 a great deal of Americans had come to recognize the use of steroids in baseball, especially following Barry Bonds' bulking up to an obscene level given his prior physique.

Thats all well and good except you seem to be ignorant of an important fact, Armstrong had testicular cancer he had a medical exemption to use steroids up to the testing limits so it is a moot point, there was nothing to find in regards to steroid use, yes he used steroid and yes he was allowed, he can't even live a normal life without them, his body doesn't produce testosterone.

[BrooklynNY]

This skit was hilarious.

[merlinpinpin]

double post

[merlinpinpin]

Originally Posted by corners

The French have been much more aware of doping than people in most other countries because of their hosting of the Tour de France. In the early days of Lance Armstrong's dominance many French were very suspicious of him. In those days Americans were generally very critical of the aspersions cast on Lance by the French media. There was no smoking gun so most Americans chose to stand by their cycling hero. Of course, this was also the period when the American media, and sports fans generally, were totally oblivious or in denial about PEDs having taken over baseball. But we know where that went, and that the French were right about Lance all along. This doesn't mean Canal+ is right about Nadal, but they must figure they are pretty good at sniffing out rats at this point.

It's also worthy of note that the French anti-doping agency is much more efficient than WADA. Recently, they were invited to 'operate' at RG. That was in 2009, for those who are interested, ie the year when Nadal and Djokovic had that extremely suspect semi in Hamburg (at the time, rumours amongst the coaches in the RG alleys were that the ITF had asked them to 'calm down' after this match). Interestingly, three things happened during this edition:
- Djokovic was crushed early by Kohlshreiber
- Nadal lost to Söderling (his only loss in RG) and then didn't go to Wimbledon, supposedly because of 'his knees' (for a guy who was still running around like crazy, of course), after an exhibition on grass in which he kept repeating 'I can't play, my knees, I can't play' in which sounded like a PR operation
- After that, the French anti-doping agency was never invited again at RG, and things promptly got back 'in order', with Nadal winning everytime

So yes, rumours abound about Nadal (but don't worry, Djokovic is soon getting there, I saw a French article on the AO final (link below) in which they are openly questioning whether such a physical intensity for 6h is humanly possble without outside help.

And remember that France has the dubious honour of hosting the most doped-up sporting event ever, ie the Tour de France. French people now seem to think that, when something smells fishy in sports, it's generally safe to assume that there *is* something fishy behind it. Cycling showed that extensively (and is still doing it), and blatant cover-ups such as Operation Puerto only fuel the rumours, they sure don't stop them. After all, who were the "top tennis players" (plural) that Fuentes was refering to in 2006? The list is obviously not that long...

http://www.menly.fr/buzz/news/67541-...ale-australie/

[merlinpinpin]

Originally Posted by Lsmkenpo

Thats all well and good except you seem to be ignorant of an important fact, Armstrong had testicular cancer he had a medical exemption to use steroids up to the testing limits so it is a moot point, there was nothing to find in regards to steroid use, yes he used steroid and yes he was allowed, he can't even live a normal life without them, his body doesn't produce testosterone.

EPO sure wasn't part of what he was allowed to use, though...

[volleygirl]

Originally Posted by merlinpinpin

EPO sure wasn't part of what he was allowed to use, though...

Countries want sports heroes so its always tough to accept and admit that they are cheating. I dont know about Nadal and others in tennis but Armstrong, Canseco, Clemens, Bonds, McGuire, Sosa and so many others were all cheating and some of them people still try and defend because they like them and want them to be clean.

[devila]

maybe it's not cute if french players take steroids at the french open. federer doesn't substitute for monfils or gasquet in france. pobrecito.

[volleygirl]

Originally Posted by kishnabe

If Nadal was on something they would have caught him by now.

The cheaters with the BIG bucks are going to guys who are ahead of the tests. Bonds, Clemens and the multi millionaires in baseball preved that so your comment is naive.

[Dilettante]

What exactly do baseball players dope for?

[volleygirl]

Originally Posted by Dilettante

What exactly do baseball players dope for?

Are you kidding? A baseball player who hits 30 HRs a year may make $8-12 Mill a year. A player who hits 50-70 HRs makes $20-30 mill a year so they figure the odds of getting caught are tiny but the payoff is huge. Ban them for life the 1st time caught and it would stop it.

[Dilettante]

Originally Posted by volleygirl

Are you kidding? A baseball player who hits 30 HRs a year may make $8-12 Mill a year. A player who hits 50-70 HRs makes $20-30 mill a year so they figure the odds of getting caught are tiny but the payoff is huge. Ban them for life the 1st time caught and it would stop it.

I don't know anything about baseball. How do drugs help to hit more HRs? Is it about muscle more than about skill?

Tennis is about skill, I know that.

[Lsmkenpo]

Originally Posted by Dilettante

I don't know anything about baseball. How do drugs help to hit more HRs? Is it about muscle more than about skill?

Tennis is about skill, I know that.

Hitting a baseball takes more skill than anything else in sports.

[volleygirl]

Originally Posted by Dilettante

I don't know anything about baseball. How do drugs help to hit more HRs? Is it about muscle more than about skill?

Tennis is about skill, I know that.

Theres definitely a skill to hitting a baseball but the PEDs the baseball elite were using a decade ago made the hitters almost like Superman. Barry Bonds went from hitting around 28-33 hRs a year to a point where no one wanted to pitch to him. He hit 73 HRs in a year where he also walked almost 200 times also. He probably wouldve hit 100 HRs if the pitchers truly pitched to him and he did all this at an age where most players are retiring, not having the best season in the history of the sport. The PEDs wont turn an ordinary Joe into a pro, but will turn a very good player into an all star, and will make an all star an ungodly freak on the field.

[Lsmkenpo]

People are talking about steroids and blood doping, but the drug that is most beneficial to enhance skill right away in sports that require a high level of focus and hand eye coordination are the stimulant drugs, in pro baseball players pop Adderall like M&Ms to help with batting.

When you see someone as fidgety and energetic as Nadal, you have to wonder if he uses stimulants.

[Biscuitmcgriddleson]

Originally Posted by Lsmkenpo

Thats all well and good except you seem to be ignorant of an important fact, Armstrong had testicular cancer he had a medical exemption to use steroids up to the testing limits so it is a moot point, there was nothing to find in regards to steroid use, yes he used steroid and yes he was allowed, he can't even live a normal life without them, his body doesn't produce testosterone.

Had no idea you needed your testes to make EPO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythropoietin). I guess you're ignorant of the fact that testosterone ISN'T the only way to dope in cycling. If he was granted a medical exception for testosterone use, that would be the only steroid that he could use. Also, the one time he tested positive for steroids it wasn't for testosterone, it was for a corticosteroid, something that isn't produced in your testes.

[Biscuitmcgriddleson]

Originally Posted by merlinpinpin

EPO sure wasn't part of what he was allowed to use, though...

Come on merlinpinpin, Lsmkenpo has taught us that testes produce all PEDs naturally and since Lance lost one of his testes he can use them all to his heart's content.

[Biscuitmcgriddleson]

Originally Posted by Lsmkenpo

Hitting a baseball takes more skill than anything else in sports.

Ehhhh. Not really.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Dilettante

I don't think that was it, although it eventually added. It was something previous to the Federer and Nadal 2005 semifinal. RG crowd attitude towards Nadal seemed cold and even slighty hostile from the begining of the tournament. I'd say even before the Nadal-Grosjean match was played. I really never understood what it was, but I remember it perfectly. Something strange was in the air and never disappeared.

What was it? I don't know.

The umpire refused to come down and check a mark after Nadal broke Grosjean in the opening game of the second set to go a set and a break up. The crowd starting booing and whistling and held up play for 10 minutes. Nadal got impatient after a while and started making shushing gestures at them, while Grosjean milked the crowd's reaction for a few minutes. It rattled Nadal for a while as Grosjean came back to win the second set, but Nadal then cruised through the next 2 sets to get the victory.

I should also mention that in the previous round, Nadal had comfortably beaten Gasquet in straight sets, much easier than the pre-match expectations were, as Gasquet had pushed hard in the Monte Carlo semi final that year.

[Biscuitmcgriddleson]

Originally Posted by Lsmkenpo

People are talking about steroids and blood doping, but the drug that is most beneficial to enhance skill right away in sports that require a high level of focus and hand eye coordination are the stimulant drugs, in pro baseball players pop Adderall like M&Ms to help with batting.

When you see someone as fidgety and energetic as Nadal, you have to wonder if he uses stimulants.

Adderall and other stimulants will enhance your attention span, not your hand eye coordination.