Racewalking Has A Doping Scandal On Its Hands [Doping]

Aug 7, 2012 7:00 PM  

When Alex Schwazer of Italy won the 50k racewalk in Beijing four years ago, he shaved more than a minute off an Olympic-record time that had stood for 20 years. Schwazer was among the favorites to win the event again this year—the 50k race is scheduled for Saturday—but it appears he won't get that chance: Schwazer was kicked out of the Games yesterday for doping, and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) today confirmed that he had tested positive for EPO. Yes, EPO—a doping agent that increases the body's production of red blood cells. Because racewalkers don't fuck around.

Here's the AP:

Schwazer [...] sobbed on Italian TV on Tuesday. He insisted he won his gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics without the use of drugs. He says he "wanted the gold again at all costs."

Schwazer says he learned how to use EPO via the Internet, and that the last three weeks after the doping test were "terrible" because he knew the results would be positive.

Win at all costs? Doping? Teary-eyed apologies in public for getting caught? Who says racewalking isn't a real sport?

[Reuters/AP]

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Chinese Olympic Doctor Wonders If Michael Phelps Was Doping Too [Swimming]

Everyone had something to say about Ye Shiwen, the 16-year-old Chinese girl who blew away a world record and even outpaced Ryan Lochte's time over her final 50 meters. Most people kept the "d" word to themselves, calling Ye's swim "unbelievable" or "beyond belief" or "I don't believe she could swim that fast without drinking a growler of horse steroids." But it took USA Swimming bigwig John Leonard vocalize what everyone was tiptoeing around:

"Any time someone has looked like Superwoman in the history of our sport they have later been found guilty of doping," Leonard said.

Fair? Maybe not. Ye passed her drug test. By any standard of evidence, accusations against Ye are unfounded. And two can play at flinging unfounded accusations!

China's former Olympic doctor Chen Zhanghao (who, it should be noted, was a central figure in China's doping scandals of the '80s and '90s) came right back at America's own record-smashing hero:

"Abnormal? America's Phelps broke seven world records! Is he normal? I suspect Phelps, but without evidence, I have to recognise that we should be grounded in facts."

"The Americans have made many extraordinary performances but without evidence we have kept silent."

We can laugh this off, because Phelps didn't medal when he was 15 years old and the American swim program doesn't have the history of doping that the Chinese do. But Chen's got a point. What the hell do we know? Blood samples are kept for eight years, and will be tested for things we don't even know exist yet. Guilty until proven innocent is the new Olympic way, and doping allegations are as petty and counterproductive as they are inevitable.

Chinese doctor blasts Phelps in drugs tit-for-tat [Sydney Morning Herald]

For a handy master schedule of every Olympic event, click here.

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