sort of a spin-off: 'awards ceremonies', alcohol, and USADA testing

[JER]

Stick with me for a moment here. This thread has a rather roundabout genesis, mostly from the various odd things in my life ping-ponging around in my head and on my keyboard.

With all the discussion of beer coolers and the eventing lifestyle, I was reminded that I should familiarize myself with drug-testing rules for athletes because in August, I’ll be traveling to Nanjing to coach at the Youth Olympic Games. I want to be able to protect my young athlete as much as possible from what would probably be an intrusive and intimidating situation. Know your rights, and also know what to avoid, etc.

Which brought me to USADA’s breakdown of athlete drug tests for the year so far. This is a list, sport by sport, of how many athletes have been tested, in and out of competition.

There is only one sport in which there have been ZERO athlete drug tests for 2014. Any guesses? Did I hear ‘curling’ shouted from the back? Wrong. The US somehow found 12 – one dozen – curlers and tested them. Team handball? 8 out-of-competition tests, presumably because there aren’t any handball competitions in the US. Synchronized swimming had 5 ‘athletes’ tested, presumably in full make-up and smiling artificially the entire time. In something called ‘Dance Sport’, 15 sporty dancers got summoned for tests.

There were no/zero/0/nil tests of equestrians. Equestrian is the only sport discipline in which there were no tests at all. We are special, it seems. Time for an ‘awards ceremony’!

Next, I went to the website – Global DRO – where you can look up which drugs you can and can’t take. This varies by sport because some substances confer a performance advantage in some sports but not in others. A classic example would be beta-blockers in shooting.

So I played around with the menus and put in ‘ethanol’ as my drug. IRL, this would not be a concern because I don’t drink alcohol ever.

This is the result page. It’s not just that you can drink alcohol, you can also inhale it, inject it IM or IV, rub it on your skin, and even pour it on your ear.

Turns out that alcohol use is only prohibited in-competition in the following sports:

• Aeronautic (FAI)

• Archery (FITA)

• Automobile (FIA)

• Karate (WKF)

• Motorcycling (FIM)

• Powerboating (UIM)

I’m not sure how alcohol would give you a performance advantage in archery but banning it probably protects the spectators and federation officials. Alcohol-addled karate would be pretty much like a bar fight in white pajamas. The others are all vehicle-based and we all know about alcohol and operating heavy machinery.

Heavy machinery, I guess, doesn’t include horses.

[asterix]

Well, there you go then.
As I said on the other thread, I DO know the guy who bought the motorized beer cooler (and it is actually a classic, awesome eventing story)…

[retreadeventer]

Who knew?
Hey you have to add an award. The Big TE. For missing a fence on XC. It is sort of like a rite of passage. You aren’t really an eventer until you get a Big TE.

[Heliodoro]

Hey, turns out I can shoot better in archery after a few cold ones! I swear, some redneck wedding celebration (on Halloween, camping in tents with waist deep snow)a few years back in the North country proved it!

[sunhawk]

I remember Eric Lamaze getting drug tested and not allowed to compete a few years ago. Is there not a historical imperitave to ride cross country with a hangover from the party the night before?

[Reynard_Ridge]

Wait, I am way, way more interested in the fact that you are going to Nanjing! I have the very best, ‘secret’ restaurant tip ever. Please, please, go here, and have fried goat cheese, the mint salad, a beef bean bridge, and, for dessert, the fried rose petals. For me, because, I still weep that I may never see the inside of this place again.

http://www.nanjingexpat.com/index.php/city-guide/eat-drink/restaurants-cafes/item/77-sweet-yunnan-restaurant

[fordtraktor]

One thing the 1% needs no instruction on is how to use alcohol to calm their show nerves. The vast majority of the adult ammy hunter division is quite familiar with this “training technique.” And don’t diss it until you’ve had Reed conduct a study, I am not sure it is less safe than Jumping Under The Influence Of Terror.

[ACMEeventing]

“a bar fight in white pajamas”

:lol::lol::lol:

[Halt_Near_X]

[QUOTE=JER;7630456]
I’m not sure how alcohol would give you a performance advantage in archery but banning it probably protects the spectators and federation officials.[/QUOTE]

Moderate alcohol (1-2 drinks) is one of the few things that will actually help my essential tremor. It’s actually more effective for me than beta blockers. I can absolutely see it having a performance enhancing effect for some people in a sport like archery.

[Jealoushe]

Interesting…I know the Canadians definitely test our Equestrians (the whole Lamaze scandal years ago).

[JER]

Canadian stats are here, although most recent results are for 2013.

In 2013, a total of 5 equestrians were drug-tested. During the same period, the CCES folk tested 4 ringette players. Any non-Canucks know what ringette is?

(Wasn’t Jonathan Millar suspended several years ago by the FEI for minoxidil or something similar? As if combatting male pattern baldness would enhance your performance in the saddle.)

[JER]

[QUOTE=Reynard Ridge;7630678]
Wait, I am way, way more interested in the fact that you are going to Nanjing! I have the very best, ‘secret’ restaurant tip ever. Please, please, go here, and have fried goat cheese, the mint salad, a beef bean bridge, and, for dessert, the fried rose petals. For me, because, I still weep that I may never see the inside of this place again.

http://www.nanjingexpat.com/index.php/city-guide/eat-drink/restaurants-cafes/item/77-sweet-yunnan-restaurant[/QUOTE]

Oh, thank you. Food is the #1 reason why I travel. I still don’t know what the #2 reason is because I don’t really think beyond food.

I’ve been in China numerous times, and to some really off-the-tourist-track places, but never to Nanjing.

I’ll PM you for more advice. Especially food. Thanks!

[Jealoushe]

They said it was for a serious medical condition…

http://horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/08/198.shtml#axzz3563wpuhY

[Manahmanah]

[QUOTE=sunhawk;7630562]
I remember Eric Lamaze getting drug tested and not allowed to compete a few years ago. Is there not a historical imperitave to ride cross country with a hangover from the party the night before?[/QUOTE]

alcohol =/= cocaine

[Polydor]

Always love your posts JER!

And yes quite a few riders at Spruce get tested. Only know this since when I worked there, my office was next to the stairs to the apartment (above the barns) the testers used.

P.

[NeverTime]

[QUOTE=Jealoushe;7630935]
Interesting…I know the Canadians definitely test our Equestrians (the whole Lamaze scandal years ago).[/QUOTE]

The only time I remember seeing human drug-testers at a competition was at Bromont years ago, testing Canadians. I’ve never seen it stateside.

[sunhawk]

Maybe us Canadians need to be tested…after all, we are in a state of months of celebration after surviving winter

[ChickenLittle_X-Rail]

So, not eventing but when I used to work for a state dept of fair and racing doing drug testing for harness horses, we had to breathalyze all the drivers before they raced. They had to blow clean, or they had one chance to come back within an hour and retest IIRC. And that was just for racing on the county fair circuit.

[Jealoushe]

[QUOTE=sunhawk;7632065]
Maybe us Canadians need to be tested…after all, we are in a state of months of celebration after surviving winter[/QUOTE]

Currently in this state!

[SlamDunk]

[QUOTE=sunhawk;7630562]
I remember Eric Lamaze getting drug tested and not allowed to compete a few years ago. Is there not a historical imperitave to ride cross country with a hangover from the party the night before?[/QUOTE]

Well Eric did test positive for coke…twice. Show jumpers definitely show hungover too, but its maybe not recommended when you know you are going to be drug tested for the Olympics.

Plus that was testing for the Olympics…riders don’t get drug tested at EC shows. I don’t think Eric got suspended by the FEI or anything but he was kicked off the team and banned from Spruce Meadows for a while.