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news
Chris Froome at pre-Tour de France 2017 press conference (picture credit Team Sky).jpgFroome: Dick Pound pours scorn on “heroic asthmatics” in cycling and says Wada could step in if UCI doesn’t impose ban
The former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), Dick Pound, says that Chris Froome could still face sanctions for his adverse analytical finding for Salbutamol even if the UCI decides not to impose a ban. Pound – who was also chairman of the recent Wada independent commission report into doping in Russian sport – has also expressed scepticism at the number of “heroic asthmatics” in cycling.
“If the UCI don’t impose a sanction, then it’s possible that Wada could step in,” Pound told The Times. “If Wada steps in then I’d imagine it would go to CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport] as a last resort.”
Froome had twice the permitted limit of the anti-asthma drug when tested at the Vuelta a Espana in September.
As the drug is not banned outright, if he can somehow prove he kept to the permitted dosage, he would avoid a ban and being stripped of his victory in that race.
However, Pound does not think this is likely.
“If you’re over the threshold by 100 per cent, that needs some explanation,” he said. “At that level, it will be hard for the International Cycling Union to not do something in terms of sanction.”
Commenting on the use of salbutamol by cyclists, he added: “There was always a surprising number of heroic asthmatics on TUEs [therapeutic use exemptions]. My guess is that the problems in cycling’s credibility are still there.”
A third of Team Sky’s riders are asthmatic – and it may be a hazard of being an elite athlete
Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond says Froome’s adverse analytical finding should be viewed in the context of recent Team Sky controversies, such as Shane Sutton’s comments about TUEs, missing medical records and the infamous Jiffy bag for which UK Anti-Doping were unable to bring charges.
“The fallacy that salbutamol does not improve performance is only true if you use it as prescribed,” he said. “Taken orally or by injection, it acts as an anabolic steroid, similar to clenbuterol, the drug that Alberto Contador was positive for.
“It’s the athlete’s responsibility for following the rules. As for the use of salbutamol, it’s up to Chris Froome to be responsible for what he puts into his body. He alone is responsible. The peloton relies on the equal application of the rules. If these are not followed, it undermines the sport.”
Speaking shortly after the test results became public knowledge last month, Froome said: "I have been a professional cyclist now, treating my symptoms and racing with asthma, for 10 years. I know what those rules are, I know what those limits are and I have never been over those limits.
"I have got a very clear routine when I use my inhaler and how many times. I have given all that information to the UCI to help get to the bottom of it."
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- stonojnr 1 sec ago
crazy that his own brief describes it as "his long suffering partner" also how come the two blokes he collected from the snooker club to assist in...
- stonojnr 8 min 9 sec ago
but in cases where you report other cyclists close passes, you literally are the witness to it, not the victim ?...
- S.E. 11 min 27 sec ago
1. It's obviously more aerodynamic, even a small backpack or hydration pack can help, there are studies about this....
- stonojnr 16 min 17 sec ago
theres an attitude I encounter alot locally, and demonstrated in bucket loads by drivers on my commute home tonight, that cyclists shouldnt be on...
- FionaJJ 36 min 27 sec ago
When I was a student it was virtually unheard of for someone to have a car. It wasn't even that it was considered a luxury that almost no-one could...
- Keesvant 1 hour 35 min ago
If the chains snap that is lack of build quality or material.....
- Hirsute 2 hours 31 min ago
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good."
- Jaijai 2 hours 56 min ago
His life was only worth shy of 7 years ,that's too lenient in every book .Let alone drugged up and leaving him to die
- webbierwrex 3 hours 1 min ago
I came here to basically write the same thing, the floating bus stop near me has a very narrow cycling lane between a very narrow pavement and a...
- AS52 3 hours 24 min ago
It wasn't an official consultation meeting - see my comment above.
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22 comments
Tennis, soccer, rugby union, athletics, biggest doping sports to get away with hiding it from joe public and the collusion with the governing bodies (because there are 100s of ££B at stake) The Russian athletics doping 'scandal' is a fantastic distraction from other countries. Ask Seb Coe what he knows, he won't tell you despite knowing the full story and bullshitting/presiding over it all.
Re asthma and rugby, there aren't many at an elite level, unlike cycling there is no hiding place, certainly not in rugby league, being able to control your breathing after getting smacked about by 2 or 3 15-18stone players every few minutes isn't easy. I would say if you have it badly then there's a very much reduced chance of competing at the highest level in rugby.
Current levels for RL are: 1600 micrograms of Salbutamol or 36 micrograms of Formoterol over 24 hours. No TUE required for Salbutamol.
Austin Healey is the biggest name I could readily find from the kick and clap lot that had it, how bad I wouldn't know.
You also have to compare the efforts in such sports, think the average footballer will cover about 10k in 90 minutes and sprint maybe a dozen times, the ball is also in play for about 60 minutes. I have exercise and cold weather induced asthma, rarely suffered as a field hockey player but certainly feel that t on a 100k.
Also worth nothing that 'Asthma' is increasingly a generic term used for a range of respiratory conditions. It's a bit like talking about people with 'cancer' - when there are lots of different types of Cancer and they can have their own different causes etc.
Elete swimmers suffering from Asthma is a bit weird - beathing is linked in with the stroke, so swimming is all about getting as much air as you can in, in the shortest possible time. I always find that the slightest hint of a wheeze, and my stroke is thrown off completely.
On the other hand, I'm not at all surprised that asthmatics flock to cycling, because it is the ideal sport for astmatics - you can manage your breathing when cycling much more carefully than you can when swimming, or even when running
The Guardian reports 70% of swimmers
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/asthma-elite-athletes-st...
Just for comparison; do we know roughly how many pro footballers are asthmatic? Swimmers? Athletes? Rugby players? Hell, even horse riders? I ask as I just cannot recall seeing these type of sports professional puffing away on an inhaler during their respective matches etc.
You may have heard of David Beckham.
Brilliant...
LOL at PED testing in football. The only time anyone gets busted for drugs in football it's recreational stuff. There's absolutely no benefit for anyone in charge in football to see if they're all on EPO,cardarine, etc. The most corrupt sport in the world.
Natty brah!
Thats fascinating but im not sure whats its got to do with the price of petrol.
I agree with all of it for what it's worth.
woodwork worm
Dick Pound was President of WADA during the Frankie Sheahan afffair. What did he do then?
He looks like an attention seeking hypocrite....
Dick Pound has been a tireless anti-drug campaigner in athletics and more recently in relation to other sports for decades years.
He’s therefore being entirely consistent in criticising Froome for having double the amount allowed and in pointing out that an unusually high proportion of athletes and cyclists have asthma.
And the fact that Froome has a British passport does not mean he should be exempt from criticism or from sanction for having double the permitted amount in his body during a cycle race that he won.
which is as meaningful as saying lots of athletes have brown hair, or blue eyes, Im sure there are plenty who are dyslexic and colour blind too.
asthma is largely an invisible disease, you cant look at someone and know whether theyve got asthma or not, and unless they have an asthma attack infront of you they wont be reaching for their inhaler, for most of them they are able to carry on living perfectly normal lives.
there are 5.4 million people being treated for asthma in the UK, thats 8% of the population, thats more people than most surveys come back with on people claiming to ride a bike once a month in the UK.
so its not exceptional at all, no matter how many people continually try to insinuate it is, and someone like Pound who deals in facts, should know that.
Just for comparison; do we know roughly how many pro footballers are asthmatic? Swimmers? Athletes? Rugby players? Hell, even horse riders? I ask as I just cannot recall seeing these type of sports professional puffing away on an inhaler during their respective matches etc.
Happy to be shown some numbers here.
alansmurphy: Dick Pound has always made me chuckle too!
Nice try, but you clearly don't know what went on in the Sheahan case. Similar facts, different response from WADA, when led by Pound. That's why I think Pound is a hypocrite.
Think he should move the Thailand capital ...
Just another Dick with an opinion
I think was will see a Contador like ban. Probably from the Vuelta onwards, and his 2for will go.
Are you looking to recruit?
I know! He's in the wrong job ...
Dick Pound