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Chris Froome urges end to "abuse" of TUE systemChris Froome on Alpe d'Huez (picture copyright Anne Martin)

Chris Froome urges end to "abuse" of TUE system

Tour de France champion speaks out - while Oleg Tinkov says he believes Team Sky
by Simon_MacMichael
Tue, Sep 27, 2016 17:12
7

Three-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has called on the UCI and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to end what he termed the "abuse" of the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) system, which allows athletes to treat medical conditions using drugs that would otherwise be banned.

The use of TUEs has been under intense scrutiny in the past fortnight since the Fancy Bears computer hacking group began publishing copies of certificates issued to competitors at the Rio Olympic Games, including Froome and his former Team Sky colleague, Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Froome was issued certificates allowing him to use the drug prednisolone in May 2013 and April 2014, and says those are the only two TUEs he has benefited from in his career.

"I take my position in the sport very seriously and I know that I have to not only abide by the rules but also go above and beyond that to set a good example both morally and ethically," Froome said in a statement published on Twitter.

"It is clear that the TUE system is open to abuse and and I believe that this is something that the UCI and WADA needs to urgently address. At the same time there are athletes who not only abide by the rules that are in place, but also those of fair play.

"I have never had a 'win at all costs' approach in this regard. I am not looking to push the boundaries of the rules. I believe that this is something that athletes need to take responsibility for themselves, until more stringent protocols can be put in place."

While the information published to date by Fancy Bears does not constitute evidence of any of the athletes involved having done anything wrong - TUEs need to be justified on medical grounds to the governing bodies that issue them - the Fancy Bears leaks have heightened concerns that the system is open to abuse.

In cycling, particular attention has been paid to the three issued to Wiggins that allowed him to have an intramuscular injection of triamcinolone due to an allergy to pollen and grass seeds.

The timing of the TUEs - one each prior to the Tour de France in 2011 and 2012 and ahead of the 2013 Giro d'Italia, have caused particular concern.

Appearing on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Wiggins insisted he was seeking to treat a medical condition rather than gain a competitive advantage, an assertion repeated by Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford yesterday.

> Brailsford backs Wiggins on use of drugs under TUEs

Today, Oleg Tinkov, the Russian entrepreneur whose Tinkoff team includes one of Froome's biggest rivals, Alberto Contador, said he believed it was impossible nowadays for an individual team to have an organsised doping programme.

Posting a picture of himself and Brailsford to Instagram, he said: "I don't understand why people are so negative and jealous, in general?

"I don't believe team Sky could ever had any organised doping programme. It is impossible in the modern cycling. Period."

Tinkov, whose team is being wound up at the end of the season following his decision to sever ties with the sport, added: "I trust Brailsford, Wiggins and Froome and I don't have to, since I probably even will never met them again."

 

 

Chris Froome
Sir Bradley Wiggins
Sir Dave Brailsford
TUEs
Oleg Tinkov
Fancy Bears
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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DuncanS | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've written something on this. Froome, Wiggins and the rest are mere pawns. Go for the UCI. http://angrysoutherneroopnorth.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/playing-within-rul...

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Nick T | 8 years ago
6 likes

Get out of here with your "facts" we've had enough of experts

Avatar
Leviathan | 8 years ago
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So Froome was getting some of the good doctors lung juice too. Hmm. But all this stopped about two years ago. Either they both got better, or Sky thought it might not go down well in the future. Reminds me there was a lot of scrutiny of biological passports back then when Sky decided to employ an alcoholic. Coincident?

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Leviathan | 8 years ago
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Perhaps someone with the relevant medical knowledge can compare the two drugs Wiggins and Froome took. This could be interpreted (and will be) as a dig at Wiggins. Although he claims not have had a TUE for the last two years, he did get them in the same pre-tour window that Wiggins was using, yet has not had the same level of criticism (at least from the British press; French?) Similarly Wiggins won World TT/Hour/Rio without a TUE, or are there more files to be reveiled?

Avatar
Vili Er replied to Leviathan | 8 years ago
4 likes

Leviathan wrote:

Perhaps someone with the relevant medical knowledge can compare the two drugs Wiggins and Froome took. This could be interpreted (and will be) as a dig at Wiggins. Although he claims not have had a TUE for the last two years, he did get them in the same pre-tour window that Wiggins was using, yet has not had the same level of criticism (at least from the British press; French?) Similarly Wiggins won World TT/Hour/Rio without a TUE, or are there more files to be reveiled?

 

About twice a year (although there have been very bad years) I get prescribed a strong 5-day course of prednisolone when I get hit by a nasty asthma attack. I'm just you average 150/200 mile a week rider i.e. not a Pro by any means, but by the end of a 5-day course I feel INCREDIBLY strong and have cranked out some of my best PB's. I've also been given triamcinolone to treat vaculitis and while it helped alleviate the condition it didn't have the same impact on my performance as the pred. When I heard they'd let Froome have pred before the Tour de Romandie I was amazed. He should not have been racing.

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davel replied to Leviathan | 8 years ago
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Leviathan wrote:

Perhaps someone with the relevant medical knowledge can compare the two drugs Wiggins and Froome took. This could be interpreted (and will be) as a dig at Wiggins. Although he claims not have had a TUE for the last two years, he did get them in the same pre-tour window that Wiggins was using, yet has not had the same level of criticism (at least from the British press; French?) Similarly Wiggins won World TT/Hour/Rio without a TUE, or are there more files to be reveiled?

Yep: and what the anticipated long-term gains might be (Re: training gains of a plan of anabolic steroids now estimated to be in years or decades).

Avatar
CycloTron07 replied to davel | 8 years ago
11 likes

davel wrote:
Leviathan wrote:

Perhaps someone with the relevant medical knowledge can compare the two drugs Wiggins and Froome took. This could be interpreted (and will be) as a dig at Wiggins. Although he claims not have had a TUE for the last two years, he did get them in the same pre-tour window that Wiggins was using, yet has not had the same level of criticism (at least from the British press; French?) Similarly Wiggins won World TT/Hour/Rio without a TUE, or are there more files to be reveiled?

Yep: and what the anticipated long-term gains might be (Re: training gains of a plan of anabolic steroids now estimated to be in years or decades).

 

Hello there, medico here.

Firstly, these drugs are not the same as anabolic steroids that are used to achieve massive muscle gain in body builders etc.

They are a class of drugs called corticosteroids, which mimic the activity of a naturally occurring hormone in the body (produced by the adrenal glands) called cortisol.  Cortisol is involved in a variety of body processes including immune system modulation, inflammatory responses and stress (fight or flight). 

Drugs like triamcinolone, prednisolone and their ilk are basically distinguished by a few factors, namely mode of administration (IV, IM, oral etc.), "power" (strength of activity), and duration of action. In the end however, when administered in doses within the therapeutic range as recommended by a medical practitioner, they all achieve basically the same result.  For example, one IM dose of triamcinolone may largely be the equivalent of a 10-day course (not uncommon) of oral prednisolone.

In fact, side effects of thse drugs include increase in fat storage and fluid retention - not things traditionally seen as "performance enhancing".  Where they may provide some benefit would be due to their powerful anti-inflammatory properties (which is also why they are being used to treat conditions like asthma, arthritis, vasculitis etc.) - it would probably aid recovery and improve things like muscle soreness and make you feel "really good" for a short while - like taking a super version of ibuprofen.

Hope this helps as I am a little tired of the current hysteria surrounding this issue.

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