Interesting Article on Doping Incident involving some top WTA players

B

backhander

Rookie
A while back I had asked a question about Henin-Hardenne's energy zapping virus and someone had mentioned that they thought it was a result of her using performance enhancing drugs. Obviously this was just an assumption and there are no facts to it (I don't think so anyways) but there is an article here implicating a female player who played in Belgium has been caught using performance enhancing drugs, however the article does not specify who, kind of makes you wonder though, here it is.....

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Dechy, Kuznetsova Say No Word on Positive Doping Tests
WTA Tour Has Not Been Notified of Positive Result From Women's Tennis Trophy
By DENNIS PASSA, AP SPORTS

MELBOURNE, Australia (Jan. 16) - Two of the four players implicated in a Belgian-based women's tennis doping case said Monday they had not been informed of any positive tests and denied taking performance-enhancing drugs.

The WTA Tour also said it had not been notified that any of its players had tested positive to a banned substance following reports from Belgium that one of four players tested in December had returned a positive result.

The testing took place during the Women's Tennis Trophy on Dec. 18 and 19, an exhibition at Charleroi involving Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium, Russians Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nathalie Dechy of France.

On Saturday, Belgian's sports minister, Claude Eerdekens, said one of the players at the tournament had tested positive to a banned substance, but did not name the player or the substance.

Two of the players - Dechy and Kuznetsova - said at the Australian Open they have not been notified of any positive tests. Henin-Hardenne is not playing at Melbourne due to an injury, and Dementieva does not play her first-round match until Tuesday.

An International Tennis Federation spokesman said Monday at the Australian Open that the testing was done by the Belgian government.

The ITF, WTA Tour and the ATP Tour's testing is jointly commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but the Belgian testing was not a WADA test, the spokesman said.

The ITF spokesman said if a player tests positive to a WADA test, a second sample is tested to see if the same result comes up. If it does, the player is notified and he or she has a chance to defend the claims at a hearing.

"It appears the Belgian sports minister has decided to make an announcement after the first stage," said the spokesman.

The ITF would not comment on the report even if it was notified by Belgian authorities because it would need to check on the testing procedures and then allow the player involved to defend the claims, the spokesman said.

Kuznetsova, last year's U.S. Open winner, won her first-round match Monday, beating Jessica Kirkland of the United States 6-1, 6-1.

"I've never used any drugs to improve my performance," said Kuznetsova, who said she was tested 11 times last year, including four times during the Fed Cup final won by Russia in Moscow in November.

"I have not been notified of any positive test, and I think it is unfair that it's come out the way it did."

Dechy told French radio that she had not been informed of any positive tests.

"We had a random test and, after, all they told us was that if there was a problem we would be contacted within two to three weeks by the laboratory and the government," said Dechy.

"I have had absolutely no news nor has the French federation, so that's all I can say.

"I know there is zero problem, we are regularly tested in France, and I have always had good results so I believe I'm clean. As for the others, I have no idea."

Henin-Hardenne played only nine tournaments last year due to an energy-sapping virus. She pulled out of the Australian Open, where she was defending champion, last week with a slight fracture in her right knee.

On Monday, Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard said he was aware of media reports that a player failed a doping test. He said the claims faced serious legal ramifications because of breaches of testing protocol.

"I didn't know it had got into the media yet," said Pollard. "I did hear it yesterday, but obviously their government did not abide by the protocols.

"There are processes that then have to take place to prove it is positive. They have got the second test (to be tested) and then they need an explanation from the player and you cannot start to release names until all evidence has been heard."

"If you breach protocols then the danger is the whole exercise becomes useless under law."

=========================================
 
The Belgium doping agency representative also stated that H-H was not implicated, but that it was another player.
 
UHS said:
The Belgium doping agency representative also stated that H-H was not implicated, but that it was another player.
Click to expand...

Using nothing but past events as a guide, other sports governing bodies from other countries have in the past keep positive drug tests quiet for as long as possible. Also that virus Henin-Hardenne has/had is according to some sources one possible symtom of illegal substance use. This is no way makes her guilty but there is suspicion in some quarters. It's also well known by physicians and sports scientists that overtraining can paradoxically lower the body's immune system so an athlete while getting fitter in one sense becomes more suseptible to virus's like colds and worse.
 
this is a disturbing trend among sports forums like talk tennis...there has been no news about which player it was...or about what the substance was...it could be caffine..which knowing how strong they like their kaffee over here...would make sense...all kidding aside...having followed the cycling world for some time...and the series of injuries and withdrawls that go along with that brutal sport...in my opinion, I find it highly unlikely that J-HH's problems last year were caused by drug use. The injuries she would be sustaining would relate to torn tendons, muscles, things of that nature. The drugs used to promote endurance do not have side affects that weaken the immune system. If anyone were to actually look in any excercise science textbook, one would find J-HH's symptoms fit a classic case of over-training. Very likely considering the work she put in to become #1.

As someone who thinks drugs are pandemic in sports today, I believe men's tennis is one of the few sports that hasnt been too badly touched by them. Anyone who has any background in excercise, at a recreational or professional level, can tell that most of the top 100 players could use a couple good runs, not a shot in the arm of some magic substance. There is no drug for the agility and quickness needed on a tennis court...small doses of steroids to help players recover...well, thats the real problem maybe...something not ever talked about in the "it was in my fruit punch" nandrolone scandal of last year.

Its a lousy shame this kind of stuff has to keep popping up...big-babes and all...
 
backhander said:
Dechy, Kuznetsova Say No Word on Positive Doping Tests
WTA Tour Has Not Been Notified of Positive Result From Women's Tennis Trophy
By DENNIS PASSA, AP SPORTS

MELBOURNE, Australia (Jan. 16) -
........The ITF spokesman said if a player tests positive to a WADA test, a second sample is tested to see if the same result comes up. If it does, the player is notified and he or she has a chance to defend the claims at a hearing............

..........On Monday, Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard said he was aware of media reports that a player failed a doping test. He said the claims faced serious legal ramifications because of breaches of testing protocol.........

......."If you breach protocols then the danger is the whole exercise becomes useless under law.".............
Click to expand...

I am all for due process and all but is'nt this what they all say? "Breached protocols."
 
The Australian article gives more details...Jan 17

Asthma drug at centre of scandal
Ean Higgins and Chip Le Grand
January 18, 2005
ONE of three of the world's top women players faces possible sanctions including suspension following a positive test for a banned drug used to treat asthmatics.

In a nail-biting wait for the mail, US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, fellow Russian and world No.6 Elena Dementieva and France's Nathalie Dechy are expected to find out this week which one of them faces a setback to her career, following tests by Belgian authorities at an invitation tournament.

Belgian Sports Minister Claude Eerdekens last night told The Australian that letters had been mailed on Friday to the three players, plus Belgian's own leading player, former world No.1 Justine Henin-Hardenne, to inform them whether or not they were clear of drug tests.

The four competed at an invitational tournament in Charleroi just before Christmas.

Eerdekens, however, excluded Henin-Hardenne from suspicion.









"Our policy is not to reveal the name of the athlete before the end of the complete procedure, but I can say that Henin-Hardenne is not concerned at all in this," Eerdekens said.

The player who tested positive has 15 days from last Friday to decide whether to seek a re-test.

If any such re-test proved positive, or the player did not elect to take it, the result would be publicly announced, he said, on either February 5 or 6, a week after the Australian Open final.

The doping scandal overtook all other news at the Australian Open yesterday, for the second consecutive year.

Last year, Briton Greg Rusedski confirmed he had tested positive to the banned substance nandrolone. Rusedski was eventually cleared of any drugs offence.

Kuznetsova was the only player of the three on court yesterday. After quickly dispensing with her first round opponent in straight sets, she spent almost as long fielding questions about the Belgium tournament and whether she could have taken something to run foul of tennis's anti-doping code.

The Russian said the first time she heard about a positive test was when she was told by a reporter on Sunday.

She said the timing of the reports was unfortunate, but she believed she had little cause for concern.

"It is really a funny situation," Kuznetsova said after making short work of her first-round opponent, American Jessica Kirkland. "Nobody told me anything.

"I think this announcement shouldn't be made at all now for the moment because it's the Australian Open.

"They don't know anything for sure yet.

"I think definitely it is unfair to every player because every one of us is thinking 'what is going on?'

"I'm not worried that much about it because the truth anyway comes out. I am definitely not using anything to push myself up ... I'm pretty sure about this. I'm pretty calm."

Kuznetsova said she had not been contacted by Russian officials about a positive test. She said she was tested 11 times last year, including four times while playing in Russia's Fed Cup team, and that the WTA's strict anti-doping program made her careful about food and medicine she took.

"It (the program) doesn't allow us to take anything, so when you're sick ... we cannot even take normal pills that everybody's taking," Kuznetsova said.

Dementieva and Dechy, who are due to play their opening matches today, have claimed they have no knowledge of a positive test.

"I haven't heard anything and nor have the French federation," Dechy said. "I think I am clean. I have no idea about the others."

Because the Charleroi tournament was not sanctioned by the WTA, the tests were carried out by Belgium's national anti-doping agency rather than tennis's regular testers. All four players were drug-tested at the event.

Eerdekens said the banned drug was a legitimate medication for asthma, but was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it increased breathing capacity.

He would not say whether Dementieva, Dechy or Kuznetsova was known to be asthmatic but he said: "The player had a cold, a bit of the grippe."

Apart from the player concerned, the report of the positive test result had been mailed to the player's own national tennis federation, and the International Tennis Association, Eerdekens said.

It would be up to those associations to take any punitive action, he said, which could theoretically include suspension.

But Eerdekens added: "It will depend on the case the player makes, whether they can say they needed the medication and might have taken too much.

"I am not shocked, because it was not one of the more serious drugs."
 
I think anti-doping is going to extreme these days. Taking steroid is doping, taking stimulant is not doping. They should separate the two cases, and give it a different name. However, most people don't know the difference. The common cold medication has those stimulants. The poor girl from Romania got stripped her gymnastics gold medal because she took cold medication. The same with Coria.
 
Andy Zarzuela said:
Poor Kim Clijsters, maybe she really is better than Justine. Maybe she deserves those 3 Grand Slams.....
Click to expand...

This is just poor taste and very immature. It is not surprising from this poster though.
 
I know that ALL sportsmen and sports-women eat something close to doping to improve their physics. Otherwise how world records in different sports such as running, swimming and etc are improving and improving continiously during centuries ? I can' say that a human being becomes healthier year by year during these centuries because our ecology becomes worse and worse and I can't believe that the reason is that the people becomes healthier.

The reason of this doping scandal is simply to press russians because there are so many russian WTA player- stars and rookies. Regardng Kuznetsova - she is very good girl, without envy to other tennis-player, good friend as I heard, and I wish if this is true about her.
 
She will go through this the old fashion way -- 1 spoon of denial 1 spoon of 'how are we supposed to take care of ourselves when we have a cold and one spoon of 'it's not me it's my trainer'.
 
I agree, Aykan...so does ITF...ABC Sports.

ITF slams drug test outing of Kuznetsov

ITF slams drug test outing of Kuznetsova
The International Tennis Federation has criticised Belgium's Sports Minister for revealing that the US Open tennis champion, Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, tested positive for a banned substance last month.

The Belgian Sports Minister revealed the world number five tested positive to ephedrine at an exhibition match in December.

But the International Tennis Federation said the case against Kuznetsova had not been proved, and she should not have been named.

Anti-doping coordinator Jonathan Harris said the Russian was entitled to continue playing at the Australian Open.

"The ITF and tennis believe that provisional suspensions are not correct and we believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty," Mr Harris said.

The ITF said it must wait for the Belgian authorities to provide evidence of the positive test before starting its own investigation. cont'd google sports
 
Doping

I really hope this isn't going to cast a black cloud over the tennis world now...like it's doing in baseball. The last thing tennis needs is this...it already suffers from a lack of fandom, etc. Anyway, even though the Russian players are under speculation and aren't cleared, I hope the amount of drugs coming up as positive is minimal....it is possible to trace drugs used legally and sometimes mistakes are made.
I remember Rusedski was under criticism at this time last year and the focus was on steroid use in mens' tennis. It just makes me so mad to see players being blamed for this after drug tests.
 
stupid belgian monkies with dirty tricks...
can't get over the loss of Justine and Kim....

Anyway... they have succeded, disregarding wich way the matter concludes,
it just bound to take its toll on Kuznetsova game at the Open.
 
david aames said:
She will go through this the old fashion way -- 1 spoon of denial 1 spoon of 'how are we supposed to take care of ourselves when we have a cold and one spoon of 'it's not me it's my trainer'.
Click to expand...

You know the drill, David. I agree that this is exactly the way it will play out. Filthy drug cheats...
 
See...the crowd is already chanting; "witch...witch...burn the witch".
And this one has readily lit the match...
 
Screen name of "Zverev" = not exactly the most impartial observer when it's Russian players who are involved in a drug cheating.
 
Does it make sense: Kuznetsova used cough drug to win offseason charity event?

"WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott ....had tried without success to speak with Eerdekens and called the Belgian's announcement "premature, highly irresponsible and damaging to the sport. It's something that could possibly be a common cold remedy, and the player might be innocent. Yet he's gone ahead and publicly tainted the sport."

Ephedrine is often contained in cold remedies. It also is used in weight-reducing formulas, and some athletes take it to get a short-term energy burst and to increase alertness.

There are a few countries in the world, not many, where the government kind of holds themselves out and says, 'Regardless of your sport's anti-doping program, we have the right to test whenever and wherever we want.' This case highlights the problems with that," Scott told the AP.

"It just shows you the kind of damage a politician can do whenever they use anti-doping for grandstanding or political use in the home country."
 
Phil said:
Screen name of "Zverev" = not exactly the most impartial observer when it's Russian players who are involved in a drug cheating.
Click to expand...

No, not impartial.
How can you be if someone is trying to destroy nice girl's career?
I have my favourites. I am not Russian, though.

But when Russian is involved there is always more media frenzy than it should be. Echo of Cold War, probably.
 
redclay said:
As someone who thinks drugs are pandemic in sports today, I believe men's tennis is one of the few sports that hasnt been too badly touched by them. Anyone who has any background in excercise, at a recreational or professional level, can tell that most of the top 100 players could use a couple good runs, not a shot in the arm of some magic substance. There is no drug for the agility and quickness needed on a tennis court...small doses of steroids to help players recover...QUOTE]

I do have a background in exercise science and there are a number of substances that could potentially help a great deal with quickness and agilty. You are right, that steroids may also be used simply to effect great training volume.
Click to expand...
 
wrongly accused, but Sports Minister won't apologize! eurosport Jan 18

Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was wrongly accused of failing a dope test on Monday, will not receive an apology from the Belgium sports minister Claude Eerdekens. He announced that the U.S. Open champion had tested positive for ephedrine at an exhibition tournament in Charleroi in December.




AUS OPEN: Scott "outraged"

"I will never offer an apology," said Eerdekens.

"This product is banned and it is up to her to explain why it is there."

Under Belgian law, doping tests can be conducted at any time, including training sessions and exhibition tournaments.

The University of Ghent, which is accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), analysed the samples from the doping test.

Late on Monday, Eerdekens issued a statement saying that Kuznetsova had tested positive for ephedrine, a stimulant commonly found in cough and cold remedies.

WTA TOUR DEMAND APOLOGY

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) chief executive Larry Scott , convened a meeting of journalists at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, clearing Kuznetsova of any offence because the drug was not banned when taken out of competition.
 
This is getting silly. The product is only banned in competition, and this was at an exo before Christmas. The Belgian sports ministry seems oblivious to confidentiality and proper procedures. The player has no case to answer unless it was an official test.

I really hope this doesn't affect Sveta's performance in Melbourne. I don't normally even watch women's tennis, but it makes me want to support her.
 
I wonder whether this would have been leaked/announced in the same way if Henin-Hardenne had been implicated? Hmm.
 
Exactly, Rhubarb! Claude Eerdekens should be sanctioned by the WTA for his lack of professionalism. His indiscreet behaviour and blatant favouritism towards Henin is inexcusable. He has failed to act as an honest official with no stake in the determinations and release of the results.
 
Wrongly accused? What the hell are they talking about? She tested positive during the tennis season for Ephedrine, which is as of today a banned substance on the tour. She has some explaining to do when the second sample is confirmed to be positive. End of story.

Dechy and Dementieva do deserve an apology for the way this whole thing has been handled but Kuznetsova? It's amazing to see how much spin WTA has put on the story... Sony Ericsson can be proud of Larry Scott.

pound cat said:
wrongly accused, but Sports Minister won't apologize! eurosport Jan 18

Svetlana Kuznetsova, who was wrongly accused of failing a dope test on Monday, will not receive an apology from the Belgium sports minister Claude Eerdekens. He announced that the U.S. Open champion had tested positive for ephedrine at an exhibition tournament in Charleroi in December.




AUS OPEN: Scott "outraged"

"I will never offer an apology," said Eerdekens.

"This product is banned and it is up to her to explain why it is there."

Under Belgian law, doping tests can be conducted at any time, including training sessions and exhibition tournaments.

The University of Ghent, which is accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), analysed the samples from the doping test.

Late on Monday, Eerdekens issued a statement saying that Kuznetsova had tested positive for ephedrine, a stimulant commonly found in cough and cold remedies.

WTA TOUR DEMAND APOLOGY

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) chief executive Larry Scott , convened a meeting of journalists at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, clearing Kuznetsova of any offence because the drug was not banned when taken out of competition.
Click to expand...
 
david aames said:
Wrongly accused? What the hell are they talking about? She tested positive during the tennis season for Ephedrine, which is as of today a banned substance on the tour. She has some explaining to do when the second sample is confirmed to be positive. End of story.
Click to expand...

? From what I understand, it's a banned substance only during *competition*. This was at an exhibition in December, not during the tennis season. And it seems there is no second sample, because they didn't take one.
 
Belgians Invited Russian player to Belgia in order to take part in the competition conducted with the aim to help orphans. The fact that they used this invitation during such a match is not ethic !!!

According an announcement of ITF ephedrine is not considered as banned substance by ITF, it may be regarded as banned by Belgian commitee, but not by ITF.

I don't understand why didn't that minister announce this a week ago ? Again I consider that it was done by the aim to press Russian players and to hurt their psichology during AO and to tell that belhians champions are real but russians are not.

Hell, they have half-live Henin who became 1-st racquet and won USA Open and etc ONLY BECAUSE of the absence of Serena and Venus Williams at those moments, and what they image about themselves?

Sharapova, Kuznetsova and Myskina became champions not because somebody was absent.

I'm not russian but wish Kuznetsova and other russian girls to win at AO. I think that minister must apologize, such things must not be done during tournaments especially during Grand Slams.
 
pound cat said:
Eerdekens said the banned drug was a legitimate medication for asthma, but was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency because it increased breathing capacity.

He would not say whether Dementieva, Dechy or Kuznetsova was known to be asthmatic but he said: "The player had a cold, a bit of the grippe."

But Eerdekens added: "It will depend on the case the player makes, whether they can say they needed the medication and might have taken too much.

"I am not shocked, because it was not one of the more serious drugs."
Click to expand...

All this fuzz over Kuznetsova having used some nose spray due to a cold?....pfffft

As for Mammadov, this is a pointless discussion. You could also say Sharapova, Kuznetsova and Myskina became champions because Henin and Clijsters were absent. *Shrug*.....Does it matter? Discussions like this lead to nothing.

Regards
 
Oh interesting, now there is an off-season in tennis? Listening to the players all year long you wouldn't think so. How convenient.

I say, give those guys a one-year probation period where they would be tested day in day out and then we can compare their results with the previous season. No convenient 3 months suspensions and protected rankings. Let them play, just have someone stand behind them everytime they pee.

rhubarb said:
? From what I understand, it's a banned substance only during *competition*. This was at an exhibition in December, not during the tennis season. And it seems there is no second sample, because they didn't take one.
Click to expand...
 
Aykhan Mammadov said:
I know that ALL sportsmen and sports-women eat something close to doping to improve their physics. Otherwise how world records in different sports such as running, swimming and etc are improving and improving continiously during centuries ? I can' say that a human being becomes healthier year by year during these centuries because our ecology becomes worse and worse and I can't believe that the reason is that the people becomes healthier.
Click to expand...

Humans (as a whole) are getting healthier. Better food and healthcare has made a big difference in the size and strenght of humans. This alone can account for world records steadily improving.
 
I think excessive testing would be ridiculous (not that this incident hasn't made it so already). Anti-doping procedures are supposed to stamp out cheating, not to oppress tennis players taking medication for colds during off-season.
 
This is one area this board and the public continue to amaze me, buying into WTA spin. "Ephedrine is not doping"! "It's over the counter" and therefore "a joke".

The performance enhancing benefits of ephedrine are dramatic and undisputable. It's over the counter? YES, it can be bought over the counter. If you do need it for a cold(and you don't) but if you do, there are procedures to go through involving a doctor! The players know this! Hassle? Sure, but if you have legitimate reason, wouldn't you go throught the hassle or is your career and reputation not worth it? The athletes I used to train, popped the stuff like candy, ephedrine/caffeine/aspirin stacks or sudafed, whatever they had on them at the time.

I had to turn off the broadcast listening to Mary Carillo hit new lows trying to spin this one. I agree the announcement was handled poorly but listening to them then say well it's not banned for out of contest anyway! Well why the hell isn't it? Great example guys. Hey, let's get even more people training on it! It's not dangerous at all is it? It's not giving an advantage it is?

Oh, by the way tennis guy, Coria was caught for Nandrolone, not cold medication!
 
If Ephedrine becomes prohibited then the world will invent something new, endless number of substances may be invented by scientists in order to improve condition of sportsmen. So the dispute is meaningless.

At every given time we must base on the list of substances officilaly banned by ITF or WTA ruling the world of woman tennis, no matter is she cold or not, what means banned in all cases. In this particular case we must rely on offical announcement of ITF which spokesman emphesized that Kuznetsova is not guilty. And just ITF invited belgian minister to apologyse officially.

I heard from sportsmen that in the world of big sport everybody uses condition-improving substances, probably not all of them is banned and can be banned because new are always in the process of developing.
 
Forgot to say.

I'm for pure sport, against any kind of doping. I'm also against politics, nationalism in tennis. For me no matter is it full russian , full belgian or american final. Because tennis is the sport of personals not teams or countries.
 
Nandrolone is steroid, ephedrine isn't. Stimulants like ephedrine are allowed as long as they are not present during formal competition in all Olympic sports. There is a big difference between steroid and stimulant.

It is odd for a regional sports authority testing athletes in exhibition tournaments outside of anti-doping program. I don't think we know the full story yet. SK had been tested 11 times in 2004 during formal competition.
 
Aykhan Mammadov said:
Forgot to say.

I'm for pure sport, against any kind of doping. I'm also against politics, nationalism in tennis. For me no matter is it full russian , full belgian or american final. Because tennis is the sport of personals not teams or countries.
Click to expand...

That's a nice thought Aykahan, I also dream of a world like that. However, the reality is that all world class sports(and most sports even down to the local level, at least in Canada anyways) are now saturated with drugs. It's seems it will get worse(if that's possible) long before it will get any better.
 
The tennis guy said:
Nandrolone is steroid, ephedrine isn't. Stimulants like ephedrine are allowed as long as they are not present during formal competition in all Olympic sports. There is a big difference between steroid and stimulant.
.
Click to expand...

You are the one that said Coria got caught for ephedrine. I pointed out it was Nandrolone.

Personally, if I was allowed a 1 performance enhancing drug, side effect free, for tennis, I'd choose Ephedrine over steroids any day. Ephedrine has direct game day enhancing benefits, so directly relevant to tennis demands. Having said that, I've used ephedrine(although never in the dosage that tends to recommended) and know first hand the benefits, I have never used steroids despite being in an environment surrounded by them for years.
 
it's really clear to me. players get tested all year around, but when not in competiton, stuff like ephedrine is not on the list of banned substances, so this is the end of this story. i mean..why would she feel the need to be temporaily enhanced for a charity evenT? gimme a break.... if a banned substance is found even on an off week/off season, they then go thru the procedure. i have no idea if this person is an 'enhanced' person or not, but in this case she was done a majour disservice..i mean, here is this person doing a charity event and this happens to her..clearly this has had an adverse affect on her, and the belgium dude should be stripped of whatever his title is and be given a full frontal cortex lobotomy.;O is there doping in tennis..darn right there is..how much or how many is just wild speculation, but if football players are willing to take all the associated risks for the 'rewards', it's foolish not think tennis players would do even more so because of the individuality of the sport.
 
I think Claude Eerdekens is probably trying to steer the press away from a society collumnist's story that alleges that he and a blond, underaged, teenage boy were seen emerging out the back door of the 5-star Conrad Brussels hotel late one night last week.

Kuznetsova, on the other hand, was merely bIowing her nose.
 
It is obvious for me that such persons as Eerdekens simply can't be ministers of any country, because such peoples all the more concerning sports must have responsibility and understanding that they may push out the sportswoman influencing her psichology.

I don't believe that the minister didn't know this either he is very unexperienced, and I don't understand why didn't he tell this before, say a week before AO? So I'm coming to conclusion that this was done intentionally. But I don't know reasons.
 
I agree with most of what you say NBJ. Having said that I'm outraged and surprised to learn that ephedrine is not banned out of competition. As far as the Belgium Dude ;-) goes....I would guess there's more to the story as to his motivations for getting this publicity.
 
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