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Sep/16

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WADA Doping Hack Story is Blowing Up

118 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios

Serena[1]Read this: https://www.rt.com/sport/359215-wada-substances-williams-biles/

Well this is BIG. Really BIG. Russian computer hackers penetrated the World Anti-Doping Agency’s athlete database and publicly revealed private medical information about three of the United States’ most famous athletes.

The hackers published documents this week showing that Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Simone Biles received medical exemptions to use banned drugs. The simmering suspicions that the Williams sisters have used illegal PEDs to gain and maintain there edge on their competition have just gained a lot of momentum with this breaking story.
What catches my attention is the “therapeutic use exemption” which is similar to the A and B sample / “inadvertant use” exemption which has been used to protect certain star boxers http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/8522413/erik-morales-fails-drug-test-fight-danny-garcia-barclays-center-saturday-sources-say   –  via USADA which is not the most trustworthy organization — read this http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2015/9/9/9271811/can-boxing-trust-usada
The lingering thought here is: It could be entirely possible that super elite athletes fabricate illnesses and diseases and “syndromes” in order to allow themselves to use illegal PEDs to maintain their edge and to extend their careers and earning power – Anyone who would totally rule out that possibility of sophisticated corruption is either naive or stupid. I need to think about this story further to share more thoughts and comments but one thing is for sure – this could be a turning point in the tennis & PED issue and it’s possible that the powers that be are ready to sacrifice the Williams sisters.

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118 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 13, 2016 at 6:50 pm

    It’s pretty well known in boxing that USADA is likely in the pocket of Al Haymon and Floyd mayweather – the logical conclusion is: Could Serena and Venus and other star athletes use USADA to their advantages? I’d say: YES

  • Thomas Tung · September 13, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    Scoop, it just confirms what my bodybuilder friend (a huge tennis fan) told me — he was absolutely convinced that most of the professionals in major physical sports, tennis included, were on the “magic juice”: he pointed out that their major benefit is endurance and recovery from physical exhaustion, and sports like tennis/cycling are especially suited to PED usage, especially with the ” PED cycling system” fitting in very nicely with the slowdown in the tennis schedule after October/November. He is a BIG Roger Federer fan, but he was even willing to concede that Feds might be on the stuff too (after I jokingly dangled the idea in front of him).

    Here in the good ol’ USA, we truly are the land of plenty, and that definitely includes plenty of doping in professional sports. I FIRMLY believe that many Americans are in a state of denial, having a “romanticized” image of sports (that dates back to its non-professional days, and when folks participated in high school teams or intramurals). Let’s face it: pro sports, tennis FIRMLY included, is big business, and PEDs are a big part of the equation.

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 2:39 am

    Neither Serena nor Venus are or have been using ‘illegal PEDs’ – they are therapeutic drugs for serious conditions.

    Would you prefer Venus retired because of her auto-immune disease or was permitted medication which allows her a normal life and a tennis career at what now seems an entirely appropriate level ?

    I wouldn’t believe a single word coming from a bunch of Russian hackers.

  • Doogie · September 14, 2016 at 6:03 am

    @ bell:

    So taking PED is legal if u have a disease. Other who has not that disease are not allowed to take it.

    If she cannot play without PED she should retire from tennis! Why not?

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 7:37 am

    Venus is not taking medication to purposefully enhance her performance. She is taking it so she can live a normal life.
    There’s a difference.

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 8:10 am

    Thomas: It’s no shock at all that this has leaked – and the USADA is filthy (if you read the boxing articles) – USADA was totally in the pocket of Haymon and mayweather – I’m sure USADA is in the pocket of the Williams sisters – 100% –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 8:11 am

    Would you put it past a star athlete to fabricate an illness disease or syndrome to facilitate PED usage in order to extend his or her career and earning power? I sure wouldn’t – And I would not be surprised if Sharapova was behind this hack job –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 8:13 am

    Well said Doogie –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 8:13 am

    How do you know for sure Catherine? That’s what you and we have been led to believe – Don’t be so naive –

  • Doogie · September 14, 2016 at 10:13 am

    @bell:

    we are not talking about a “normal” life. We are talking about a profesional tennis player, who played in 20015 over 55 tennis matches and traveled around the world.

    And what about Serena? What kind of disease she has?

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 10:28 am

    Scoop – I’m not naive, I’ve been in the world quite a few years, and I find your suggestion that a player would ‘fabricate’ a serious illness in order to gain access to so-called PEDs quite astonishing.

    Apart from the fact that you can’t actually ‘fabricate’ an auto-immune disease if we’re discussing Venus Williams for eg.

    As soon as drugs are mentioned some people here (and on other sites) seem to lose their marbles and not much positive can come out of these conversations since the content is generally pure speculation.

    So that’s it from me.

  • Hartt · September 14, 2016 at 10:33 am

    For a different perspective see Steph Myles’ article on Yahoo. I accessed it through her website, opencourt.ca. She is an experienced journalist, specializing in tennis. Scoop, I think you mentioned that you know her. I don’t think she would be called “naive.”

    Myles goes through the different drugs the Williams sisters had therapeutic exemptions for and the timing of those exemptions. They were for the period 2010 to 2015, with nothing more recent. For example, Serena had a painkiller from Oct. 2010 to March 2011. She did not play during that time, having cut her foot badly and then suffering a pulmonary embolism in March. Somehow I don’t think she faked either of those.

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 11:18 am

    Hartt – thank you for your rational response.(I’ve read Myles’ article too).

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    I know and respect Steph (though we butted heads over the Pierre Duclos mess) but this whole situation smells very bad – USADA is corrupt -read that boxing article at sbnation by tom hauser and you will realize how corrupt USADA is – I believe it’s very possible and probable that the “therapeutic use exemption” was a loophole created to protect high profile cheats – For a player to take advantage of the TUE so frequently over and over should set off alarm bells –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Hartt: The odd part of the cut foot is that she played the exo in Belgium with Clijsters AFTER the cut supposedly happened – and there never was a lawsuit against the restaurant where it supposedly happened – Venus is handicapped by Sjogrens which supposedly fatigues her – how many matches has she been forced to retire in because of fatigue or exhaustion? Zero –

  • Dan Markowitz · September 14, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    Scoop,

    You’re diatribes about conspiracy theories goes way too far. Before you jump to point the accusatory finger at Venus or Serena let’s find out what the drugs are for that they got exemptions. I think the idea Venus would fabricate having a disease to take PED’s, especially at her age and the stage of her career, is very far-fetched. Why would WADA, a Canadian-based company, help Serena and Venus anyway over say, Bouchard? And how can anyone who says Pierre Duclos should be in jail be wrong. The guy tried to hook up with a 14-year-old. That’s not only not wise it’s really sad, especially for someone teaching tennis to teens, who should be very careful in these situations. I once put my hand on the shoulder of a12-year-old girl I was teaching and her mother tried to get me fired.

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    Dan you have no idea how corrupt USADA is – read that boxing article about how USADA protected mayweather and haymon fighters – it’s long but worth reading – Yes I believe top players would fake an illness or syndrome in order to gain approval to use banned drugs – YES I DO – “Conspiracy” is a word in our dictionary and vocabulary for a reason Dan -because a lot of conspiracies and hoaxes are perpetrated – Cheating lying and deception are a part of the sports business industry whether you want to accept it or not –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Duclos was wrong on the first count of trying to hook up with the girl who actually turned the phone texting to a sexual nature – that was his mistake – But then the mother pretended to be the daughter on the phone and the police also pretended to be the daughter on the phone so there was entrapment – Yes what Duclos did was wrong very wrong but what Jared Fogel of Subway raping underage boys and girls was FAR FAR WORSE and his punishment is for far less than Duclos’ sentence of seven years – Duclos never touched the girl –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 1:30 pm

    Another theory to consider because the timing of this is very curious and interesting (the same week Sharapova’s verdict was due but now has been delayed again) – Sharapova could well be behind this hack with her Russian co-horts – and could be playing hardball – Listen We only dropped a fraction of the info and a lot more dirty stuff is ready to be leaked / Reinstate me soon or we will leak it ALL – Anything is possible if you understand how corrupt sports can be with PEDs and huge $$$ involved —

  • Doogie · September 14, 2016 at 6:44 pm

    Anyone read the “medicine” Serena took??

    This medicine is for people who has cancer! And only for them – it is morphium. Ultra strong morphium!

    I ask again – what kind of disease Serena has/had??

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 7:07 pm

    Doogie this stinks really bad on Venus/Serena – but there are no real journalists today – no one digs into the really crooked stuff on the power people in tennis or in boxing – they are afraid to rock the boat and get ostracized by the WTA or ATP – just the way it is —

  • Doogie · September 14, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    @scoop

    Lets be honest – no one wants to know the truth. Politicans, journalists, sportsmen, doctors, all are in the same boat.

    The “stupid” people does not care about it. Sport go with doping, was in the past and will be in the future too.

    I am bit worried (although I know some tennis players from Austria who are/were def doped or took drugs) that in reality tennis is very close to cyclist or athletics in terms of doping. Sad it is :((

    Nevertheless I still believe Fed is the only one who did not use doping.

  • Dan Markowitz · September 14, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    You think Stan is doping with his mensch of a coach, Magnus Norman, guiding him? I don’t know or Nishikori, that guy has a waist like a fashion model. Way too complex an issue or situation to guess on, but if the testing is getting tougher, and they did catch Sharpie, it’s a good chance they’re clamping down.

  • Hartt · September 14, 2016 at 9:35 pm

    Kvitova was named in other information released by the hackers. She takes asthma medication. Do people here think she should quit tennis because she has asthma?

  • scoopmalinowski · September 14, 2016 at 10:24 pm

    Doogie. Fans dont really care. But it dies seem like this new leak was outed as part of a political infighting situation involving sharapova and williams is my suspicion. Maria desperately wants a shortened ban. And i believe would go to great great lengths to manipulate that.

  • scoopmalinowski · September 14, 2016 at 10:28 pm

    How come venus is the only pro athlete in history to be afflicted by sjogren syndrome? Why has venus never appeared exhausted on court which is a symptom of sjogrens? Curious that serena never talks about sjogrens.

  • Andrew Miller · September 14, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    Kozlov is doping.
    Listen, in the name of “you guys are tennis reporters” let’s stick to the facts and stay away from the reckless speculation, which sometimes goes into overdrive. Speculation isn’t passion, it’s storytelling based on innuendo and a lack of facts. Sometimes a useful exercise but only an exercise. Once you start trafficking in bad information you become unreliable. Sorry, this isn’t Wayne Odesnik with a bag full o nandrolone or whatever it was. It isn’t Agassi on the crystal meth to stave away his misery. Or Gasquet with his the cocaine was on the girls lips I swear! It’s prescription medication reported and approved.
    And I know people with Sjogrens, it sucks. Venus’ way up and way down performance matches up well with the disease, getting over-tired in matches and for the most part not being able to summon the goods. The real failing here is on bad reporting – there was some terrible reporting by outstanding tennis writers on the disease when Venus was diagnosed, who thought well you can just bounce back from it. It’s taken an awful long time for Venus to get more of a bounce in her step, and she’s not in the slam threat category anymore and probably won’t be until the end of her final act in tennis.

  • Andrew Miller · September 14, 2016 at 10:34 pm

    Scoop, Venus is tired all the time. I was SHOCKED she couldn’t out-last Konta, who to me is a very marginal player. Venus lost all the fight in the third set, which she should have run away with but instead became incredibly sluggish.

    Again, I know people with Sjogrens and it sucks, and the way Venus has her ups and downs is Sjogrens. Some parts of matches she’ll look like herself from the 1990s, and then she’ll look like someone who should have retired in the 1990s.

  • Thomas Tung · September 15, 2016 at 12:27 am

    My bodybuilder friend (who has used PEDs/fancy cocktails before) said that someone “in the know” on PEDs can tell that Wawrinka uses them because of the continual acne breakouts he has on his face, since it’s extremely rare to have continual major gland issues after age 28. Overstimulation of hormones via PED/HGH usage is what commonly occurs.

    David Ferrer, with his jaw, is supposedly another giveaway for PED/HGH/other cocktail abuse as well.

    Make of that as you will, but I’ll take his word over many other folks (since he has used them before in competitions, and also knew/witnessed many other bodybuilders hit the “magic juice” as needed, including the side effects).

  • catherine bell · September 15, 2016 at 2:19 am

    I said I wouldn’t comment further in the drugs furore and I won’t except to refer people to Sean Ingle’s article in the British Guardian sports section today which basically sums up the current issue well.

    Andrew – a blast of sense and proportion. Thanks.

  • Dan Markowitz · September 15, 2016 at 5:50 am

    Very good article, thanks for bringing it to our attention, Catherine. I think a very valid point is made here: Why should athletes received medication to help them with their asthma for example, if taking EPO’s just corrects low blood values.

    A respected sports scientist made this comment: “I would consider banning all TUEs in competition,” Tucker tells the Guardian. “I know it is a hard-line stance. But what would be the downside if people with asthma cannot compete? Conceptually to me, that is fine. Because unfortunately the efforts to be inclusive with people who have valid medical issues have created a loophole that is being exploited by sophisticated dopers.”

  • Hartt · September 15, 2016 at 6:24 am

    I had read the Guardian article as well, and was bothered by his comment about players with asthma. What is the downside if players with asthma cannot compete? We could lose Kvitova, for one, and I would be very sad not to see her play any longer. I think we have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:12 am

    One thing we have learned with athletes in pro sports is when they get caught using steroids they NEVER admit to it and always deny deny deny it – some confess years later – but by and large we can tell there is a dishonesty and reputation/survival instinct involved – Based on what I know about the corruption of USADA in boxing I see the same pattern in tennis to protect the $$$ athletes via carefully designed loopholes and crafty terms like “therapeutic use exemption” “inadvertant use exemption” etc – BTW why do no other prominent tennis players or athletes in other sports suffer from Sjogrens? Just Venus – and whatever happened to Fish’s heart issues? Did they evolve into anxiety issues or just disappear?

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:15 am

    Andrew: Venus is 36 or 37 now she does not have fresh legs – remember she has been playing on hard courts since a young age – she is playing younger fresher stronger women now – in comparison she will run out of gas but I have never seen her retire in a match or suffer from cramping –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:17 am

    Andrew: In tennis circles we hear a lot of very interesting things about top players and PEDS and corruption – I leave you with the Rios quote: “If Agassi or Sampras ever tested positive for steroids you guys in the press would never hear about it because they are too important to the economics of the ATP Tour” – period —

  • Dan Markowitz · September 15, 2016 at 8:24 am

    Well, Sharapova is pretty important to the economics of the game too.

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:29 am

    Korda was thin as a twig and he was caught using PEDs -I have a friend who was a pro athlete and Olympian and used steroids and he says there is no doubt Stan is using them based on the facial acne – he has no doubt –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:31 am

    Dan: “Because unfortunately the efforts to be inclusive with people who have valid medical issues have created a loophole that is being exploited by sophisticated dopers.” — the loophole was likely created for exactly this intent —

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 8:35 am

    Sharapova was once very important to the WTA but not so much now – she is on the down slope (Russian – easy targets in today’s political climate) and ready to be sacrificed –

  • Dan Markowitz · September 15, 2016 at 11:48 am

    This has nothing to do with Russia. Sharapova has lived in US for a long time. And don’t you think if all those armchair dopers out there think Stan is doping–or know it–the good people at WADA also know about the link between steroid use and acne and would be testing him because of it?

    As for Kvitova, no Hartt I don’t think she should be able to use a drug to help her with this ailment if it’s also deemed to be a PED. If someone’s short, should they be allowed to use HGH to make themselves taller? Asthma is a disadvantage, but Kvitova can probably overcome it and play pro tennis without using drugs.

  • Andrew Miller · September 15, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Scoop, did you read Fish’s essay on the Player’s Tribune? It was his perspective full blown on what happened.

    Again, trafficking in misinformation isn’t credibility – it’s nearly malpractice. We can’t speculate dangerously like this without facts.

    Venus has played pretty poorly for many years now. If anything, and if she were using, she’d be a CASE STUDY ON WHY IT ISN’T WORTH IT. That they are “hit or miss chemical cocktails”. That isn’t the case – not based on the reporting, not even based on logical end place of the speculation.

    I think we also veer, and I know this isn’t the intention, inadvertently into sexism. How could she have Sjogrens? Well, how about it affects women, Venus is a woman, and what Venus experiences on court IS completely in line with it. How could she have this mysterious disease?

    How about it’s not that mysterious, it affects women at the age of Venus Williams, and it’s related to arthritis – and I know women of Venus’ age with this who are also athletes. So how is it I know more than the reporters?

    Called not doing their job. Not taking time to do it right. Even Pete Bodo and Jon Wertheim wrote about it in a weird way that doesn’t reflect the reality of the condition. Totally understandable too – they didn’t do much on it, so they wrote about it poorly, and in the process threw a major athlete under the bus for no good reason.

  • Andrew Miller · September 15, 2016 at 11:58 am

    Let’s take the example of Korda. No big championships to his name. Older player. Suddenly playing out of his mind. Hasn’t been there before. Talented but not remarkable. Suddenly has the stamina of Lendl and the strength of Sampras, wins the Australian.

    Or Puerta. Same deal, gets final of the French. Part of the Argentine doping posse in the pre Del Potro days.

    That’s not Venus Williams. What slams has she won recently, NONE! Where is she playing out of her mind? SHE ISN’T.

    If we’re going to speculate, let’s at least match up the speculation with what it should lead to and where it actually doesn’t lead. Let’s speculate the right way haha!

  • Andrew Miller · September 15, 2016 at 12:00 pm

    Rios would change his tune if they stripped Korda of his Australian. And Rios was pretty pleased when Agassi agreed to play him in an exhibition and bring back his glory years, then do a press conference where Agassi said that it’s a mystery why Rios DIDNT win a slam and how he should have won one.

  • Dan Markowitz · September 15, 2016 at 12:05 pm

    This was a comment on a post on another web site about Venus making a statement on the issue:

    You realize there is an enormous difference between CORTICOsteriods(which Serena took) and anabolic. Cortico only provides inflammation relief…

    Apparently, Serena only took these drugs out of competition.

    Here’s Venus’s statement:

    “I was disappointed to learn today that my private, medical data has been compromised by hackers and published without my permission,” she said. “I have followed the rules established under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program in applying for, and being granted, therapeutic use exemptions.

    “The applications for TUEs under the Tennis Anti-Doping program require a strict process for approval, which I have adhered to when serious medical conditions have occurred. The exemptions posted in the hacked report are reviewed by an anonymous, independent group of doctors, and approved for legitimate medical reasons.

    “I am one of the strongest supporters of maintaining the highest level of integrity in competitive sport, and I have been highly disciplined in following the guidelines set by WADA, USADA the ITF and, collectively, the Tennis Anti-Doping Program.”

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    Andrew: One question: Do you think it’s possible that a star athlete would fabricate an illness / condition / or syndrome in order to deceptively gain access and permission to use illegal PEDS in order to maintain / extend their career? Or would no athlete ever never ever do such a thing?

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Andrew: These PEDS are also helpful to extend a career to a point beyond the age that most female pro players end their careers at – The boxer “Evan Fields” was caught buying and using steroids when he was in his 40s and long after he was champion – of course he was still trying to become a champion again – All players who play tennis are still trying to win majors regardless of their age – some can do it most cant –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 12:56 pm

    Rios was actually trying to get Korda stripped of that Aus Open title last year but I don’t remember what happened about that – if anything happened – perhaps it was swept under a carpet and a deal was struck –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 12:59 pm

    Dan: Not one single star athlete has ever confessed when caught using illegal PEDS or steroids – they always have a statement or denial handy – I take all these well crafted well written statements with a grain of sugar or salt – Again: No player ever confessed or admitted guilt of using steroid when caught at first – they always deny and create excuses and smokescreens – some confess years later when they have a lot less to lose –

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 15, 2016 at 1:04 pm

    Corruption in tennis: About five years ago I had lunch years ago with a former top five player and a major finalist who is a boxing fan – we chatted about both sports and the particular corruption in boxing – later in the meal I commented that a reason why I love tennis so much and am losing passion for boxing is because tennis is such a clean sport and does not have anywhere near the corruption of boxing – this player than looked at me with a penetrating look which expressed non-verbally “Wow – did you really just say that? You must be the most naive or stupid person in the world!” lol I will never forget that look he gave – Corruption obviously exists in all big $ sports –

  • Andrew Miller · September 15, 2016 at 2:17 pm

    Scoop: there are no PEDs being discussed here. Ignoring what’s actually being communicated doesn’t shed light on anything. And no, Venus Williams isn’t fabricating anything. Like I said before I know someone – extremely well actually – who has the disease. And Venus’ performance, and you can look at it yourself, isn’t what one would call “enhanced” – she looks more like Giorgi than she does herself – she used to be consistently awesome. Now she’s just an awesome person, but a player who’s seen better days.
    You almost wish she WOULD use something, because there’s no glory in her performance these days. Like I said before, and like I’ll say right now, if this is the kind of performance you can expect from hypothetical PED use, it’s not a real endorsement for PEDs, is it?
    It’s not.

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