Tainted Supplements

21-11.-2002, 10:45 AM

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Tainted Supplements

There is a news story everyone who races should read at http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2002/nov02/nov21news

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Dear friends, family, and fellow cyclists, On or around the 22nd of November, certain information regarding myself will become public. It will not be good news but I thought that hearing my side of the story first, might lessen the shock a little when you do read this, or hear about it in a few days. Some of what you will read in the media and hear on the streets will be accurate, and some of it will not. I can assure you however, that everything written HERE in this e-mail is 100% fact. In early July I began preparing for one of the biggest one-day events that I compete in each yr, The Saturn Cycling Classic. This is a 150mi. race that begins in Boulder, CO. and finishes in Breckenridge, CO. The winner receives a Saturn SUV car. I won the inaugural event in 2000 and have been considered one of the pre-race favorites every since. In the weeks leading up to the event, I was putting in countless 5-7 hr. training rides in the high mountain near where I live, to get ready for the challenge. Such hard training has to be followed up with good recovery otherwise the gains are not fully achieved. Recovery is a pretty wide spectrum: Things like massage, sleep, the right foods/drinks, as well as vitamin supplements are all very important. Multi vitamins, minerals, iron, protein powders, and amino acids have always been a part of my daily training/recovery regime. About one month prior to the event I ran out of an amino acid supplement that I had been taking. I went to the Vitamin Cottage, which is health food/vitamin store, to purchase more. This store is a chain of reputable, organic food/vitamin stores that has been in business for over 50 years, located throughout Colorado and Washington State. I've always felt confident about their products as they have an excellent reputation. This day, they were out of the amino acid brand that I normally buy so I looked around and found one that had all the similar numbers and amounts, I purchased it and was on my way. Race day came and went: My teammate Chris Wherry had an excellent day and won the event. I finished 3rd. I was very content with my result and very happy for Chris. Immediately after the race, I went to medical control (&quot;drug control&quot

to give a urine sample, which is standard for a race of this caliber and was certainly no surprise as it was listing in the race program weeks prior to the event, that the top 3 finishers plus a few &quot;random's&quot; would be required to be tested, post-race. About three weeks later I was informed that my &quot;A&quot; sample of urine tested, at that event, showed traces of a banned substance called: 19-norandrosterone. When I first heard this I thought, &quot;this is not possible, there's been a mix-up or something.&quot; I do not take or have ever taken 19-norandrosterone, nor have I ever taken a banned substance of any kind in my 21 year career. In general, drug tests don't lie so after further research and having the test results checked out by a number of different sources, it became quite clear that the positive drug test was likely caused by a contaminated/tainted supplement which contained this particular banned substance. The amounts that appeared in my sample were consistent with those of a contaminated supplement, and not from someone who was purposely taking the substance as a performance enhancer. Most likely, there was not enough to actually give me any benefit at all but enough to throw up a flag on the test. For my own peace of mind, I needed to know for sure how this stuff got into my system. I took what remained of this particular amino acid supplement, along with a few others and shipped them off to a lab to be tested for contamination. This is a very expensive procedure and one that uses a majority of the contents so having this done prior to taking it, is just not feasible. I've now learned that apparently, contamination is quite common in amino acid supplements, which are often produced in the same factories or even with the same machinery as the supplements which are known to be banned. The banned stuff is apparently bought by those who are either not tested in their competitions or are not concerned with destroying their bodies. In my 21 yr. career I have been tested literally hundreds of times around the world, both in and out of competition and always with the same results...negative. I have always had the reputation as a &quot;clean&quot; rider and as someone who has nothing to hide. All of this is particularly difficult for me because I've always been against drugs in cycling and I've voiced my opinion numerous times on the topic. When I'm asked why I don't race more in Europe, it's because I don't do drugs and I don't want to be forced to do drugs. I don't like cheaters and I don't have any respect for an athlete who thinks they have to take drugs to win. I did not get into this sport to destroy my body. Anyone who's ever competed with or against me knows how strongly I feel about the subject of drugs in sports and they know how much I value my own health and well-being. The lab results confirmed what I had suspected. Each 500mg.capsule of the legal amino acid supplement (L-Tyrosine) was contaminated with an average of 28mg. of 19-norandrosterone. This is more than a slight contamination but rather a gross one. I now had the peace of mind that I was searching for but unfortunately, the drug testing agency does not consider a contaminated supplement as a valid excuse for a positive test. An athlete could knowingly take a contaminated supplement and then always have that as an &quot;out&quot; or defense. To the drug testing agency it's very black and white...A positive is a positive regardless of how it came about, knowingly, or unknowingly. With intent, or without intent, the penalties are the same. They are aware of the growing problem of contaminated or mis-marked legal supplements but are unwilling to make any allowances in the matter. For a first offender, like myself, the maximum sanction for a 19-norandrosterone positive test is a two year suspension. With the help of my lawyer, we are fighting this with everything we have. We did not accept the initial sanction of two years and have requested a hearing, which is allowed by the drug testing agency. We will plead our case as best we can but the testing agency is not in the business of leniency. They are in the business of prosecuting what they feel to be guilty athletes. At this point there is zero chance of this going away completely and probably the best case scenario is a reduced sentence of 6 months. This will happen only with the help and recommendation of USA cycling and the UCI, which are both completely separate from the drug testing agency. What the future holds: After first learning of my positive test, I returned to the same store and purchased every bottle they had of this L-Tyrosine amino acid. In all I found four that had the same lot and serial numbers as my original bottle. These are still completely sealed and unopened. They will be invaluable as I/we plan to take legal action against the manufacturer, the supplier, and the retailer of this contaminated product. Prior to all of this, I had planned to compete for 1-2 more years. (Yes, I know I've been saying that for the last ten years but I really don't plan to be a professional cyclist when I'm 40!) My team is being slightly &quot;downsized&quot; at the moment, but I had a spot on its roster for the 2003 season. The management of the team has been very understanding and supportive of my situation and will continue to stand behind me in hopes that things proceed in a favorable direction for me. I apologize for the delay in making this announcement to all of you but I know how rumors can spread in cycling especially when this is the subject matter. I've also waited as long as possible in making this announcement in hopes of having all the answers to the questions I will be asked. Unfortunately, that is still not the case as the hearing with the testing agency has not yet happened nor do I know yet, what sort of sanction, if any, the UCI has decided on. Thank you for reading and at the risk of seeming presumptuous, I thank you all, in advance for your support. Scott Moninger

21-11.-2002, 11:21 AM	#2
nferyn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Gistel - Belgium Posts: 112	Re:Tainted Supplements The whole drug testing business is really becoming a witch hunt. Even when the quantities of the substances found do not have any performance enhancing effect, the UCI (or the national federations - I dont know which one it is in this case) wants to nail the riders.<br />Even the pro riders are not very well organised against this kind of abuse and the UCI does nothing to protect the very ones that make cycling a great sport, probably because they assume that the public would applaud such a zero tolerance attitude... it's sickening.<br /><br />I'm not really all that familiar with direct action via the internet, but some sort of petition to the responsible federations would be very welcome. Does anyone have any suggestions?<br /><br />Niek

21-11.-2002, 10:38 PM	#3
ric_stern/RST Community Team Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 3,830	Re:Tainted Supplements Possibly, more to the point, i can't think of any evidence to suggest that amino acid supplementation has any benefit. amino acids are the 'building blocks' of protein, and people in the western world already consume a surfeit of protein. <br /><br />protein requirements for intense endurance exercise, are ~ 1.2 - 1.8 g / kg body mass per day, which for a 70 kg rider would be 84 - 126 g of protein. this is easy to achieve and exceed, even for people who typically consume 'small' amounts of protein, e.g., vegetarians. <br /><br />Ric __________________ http://www.cyclecoach.com

23-11.-2002, 11:34 PM	#4
2LAP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,265	Re:Tainted Supplements In suport of Ric, any additional protein needs from exercise are usualy met by the increase in food intake as a result of increased energy expendature from exercise when a BALANCED DIET is maintained! __________________ www.cyclingforums.com

24-11.-2002, 12:44 AM	#5
ric_stern/RST Community Team Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 3,830	Re:Tainted Supplements i'd actually like to go a bit further and state that in certain countries (USA, UK, and possibly Australia if memory serves me correctly -- i can't talk for other countries as i can't recall seeing data on it), that even without a balanced diet, and without an increase in energy expenditure, the general population consume a surfiet of protein, in excess of that required by athletes.<br /><br />In general i tend to see cyclists not consuming enough carbohydrates, which are far more important to support normal endurance training, and help in recovery.<br /><br />Ric<br /><br /> __________________ http://www.cyclecoach.com

24-11.-2002, 07:01 AM	#6
2LAP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,265	Re:Tainted Supplements I agree Ric, but thats because the western diet tends to be unbalanced in the direction of fat and protein.<br /><br />I'm vegetarian, so my diet tends to be unblanced in the direction of carbohydrate! Lucky me!!!!! ;D __________________ www.cyclingforums.com

24-11.-2002, 08:06 AM	#7
ric_stern/RST Community Team Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 3,830	Re:Tainted Supplements Surprising, i'm a veggie too ;D. i was also surprised at how much protein i consume as a veggie (5-day analysis) as it was way over the 1.8 g/kg upper end, even though the majority of my diet is CHO rich. which i suppose brings me back to my original thought of why does anyone need these supplements?<br /><br />Ric __________________ http://www.cyclecoach.com

24-11.-2002, 11:16 AM	#8
nferyn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Gistel - Belgium Posts: 112	Re:Tainted Supplements [quote author=ricstern link=board=18;threadid=2678;start=0#23026 date=1038085594]<br />Surprising, i'm a veggie too ;D. i was also surprised at how much protein i consume as a veggie (5-day analysis) as it was way over the 1.8 g/kg upper end, even though the majority of my diet is CHO rich. which i suppose brings me back to my original thought of why does anyone need these supplements?<br /><br />Ric<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Probably nobody. But in the in the cycling world there are still a lot of riders that are very superstitious and they let themselves be guided by strict rituals and training/nutrition methods that are far from scientific (Nico Mattan is one rider that comes to mind)<br /><br />Anyway, my point was:<br />If somebody gets tested positively for:<br />* a quantity of the substance that does and cannot have any performance enhancing effects<br />* a substance for which he can prove that it comes from a source that does not indicate having the substance<br />* using a food supplement that deliberately witholds information about possible contamination, even when the likely target users are competitive sports people<br />Then that person does not deserver to be punished the way he is likely to be punished now.<br /><br />On top of that I would like to add that:<br />* there is probably no oher sport that does such extensive testing for doping as cycling (nowadays they even test very regularly in the youth categories in Belgium - 15/16 years - much more so than in professional soccer)<br />* the riders are hardly protected from anyone in the zero-tolerance approach, even if they can prove they did not have the intention to use these substances for performance enhanciement<br />* the riders cannot even undergo any efficient treatment when they are illl because a lot of drugs they would normally take are on the banned substances list<br /><br />And the treatment of the riders is getting worse and worse , when there is even the slightest possibility of drug abuse, the riders are given a treatment that even common criminals don't receive.<br /><br />The federations/justice system/governments continue this approach, possible because they think that this is exactly what the public opinion wants.<br /><br />My point was whether or not this is acceptable and if and/or what we can do about it<br /><br />Niek

24-11.-2002, 09:00 PM	#9
Jelle Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Alveringem Posts: 33	Re:Tainted Supplements Past season I went to look to a race for 14-17 years old youngsters. after the race there was a doping test. everybody tested negative but i think if someone would test possitive it would be the parrents who told him to use doping. I think that taking doping is fault but i can understand people who do it. not that i wuld ever do it but if you are in proffesional races where there is so much competition i think it's normal that some people who can't win a race natural take doping so they can win.

25-11.-2002, 02:44 AM	#10
2LAP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,265	Re:Tainted Supplements Ric, I'll have to find some time to do a full dietary analysis on myself. I'm curretly trying to cut down on cheese, why is it that all non veggies like feeding veggies cheese!!! __________________ www.cyclingforums.com

25-11.-2002, 03:16 AM	#11
ric_stern/RST Community Team Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 3,830	Re:Tainted Supplements Or eggs! or get upset when you tell them you don't eat fish!<br /><br />If you gotta eat cheese (and i do), then switch to a lower fat variety -- Parmesan is good, lower in fat than e.g., cheddar, must tastier, it's also Italian so it fits in with my Campy equipment and love of espresso ;D<br /><br />Ric __________________ http://www.cyclecoach.com

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