The reliability of the HGH test remains a problem for most professional sports organizations. Testing for HGh has been in use in the Olympics for years already but many are still questioning its validity. Athletes and some health experts contend that it can return a false positive. This is now the argument of German cyclist Patrick Sinkewitz whose case is to be elevated in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

A and B sample Both Positive for HGH

Patrick Sinkewitz was tested at the GP di Lugano. According to the UCI, the German cyclist’s samples both returned positive for human growth hormone. The UCI considered it as a milestone development since the case of Sinkewitz is the first in professional cycling. UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani said a few months ago that the positive test result for HGH is a big step in the fight against doping. The sport organization has been fighting for clean competition and established stringent drug testing program such as the biological passport program.

Many cyclists were already caught by the UCI because of this anti-doping program. Most of them were involved in the use of anabolic steroids and illegal conditioning methods like blood transfusions. The most popular steroid for cyclists, the EPO, can be easily detected by current tests. However, anti-doping officials know that they have not totally eradicated cheating in sports since there are many cyclists who use HGH but they still pass the drug tests.

HGH Hard To Detect

But the detection of HGh still remains shady. An interview of the Cycling News on Dr Martial Saugy of the WADA accredited laboratory in Lausanne revealed that there are no major changes in the methods used in detecting HGH. “The detection methods haven’t really changed or improved since 2007 and we’ve always been stunned to find so few positive tests,” he said. Saugy also said that the detection window for HGH use is very short which only range from 8 to 24 hours.

Sinkewitz used Steroids in the Past

The German cyclist is determined to clean his name. He told the media that it would be very difficult to prove that he is innocent but he will continue to fight for fair treatment. Sinkewitz was already caught using steroids in the past and served a 1-year suspension. He tested positive for testosterone and later admitted that he also used EPO and underwent blood transfusions.

Suspension Must be Overturned

Sinkewitz’ lawyer told the cycling news that they will ask the court to overturn the decision of the UCI. “Legal action will be taken against the International Cycling Union in the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” said Rainer Cherkeh, the cyclist’s lawyer.

Cherkeh argued that there is an excessive difference in the reference values of the A and B samples. Separate analysis of the samples also returned different results said the lawyer. “The scientist and HGH expert working for us showed clearly and in detail that there is not scientifically sure validation data.”

He also questioned the UCI for not providing his client with details and lab documents which would help them validate the results. Another argument that they want to point out in CAS is the reliability of the testing kits used. According to Cherkeh these kits might be used only for research. And finally, he claimed that Patrick Sinkewitz never used any artificial HGH and there was no evidence that he really used the prohibited substance.

The recent arrest of a Hamilton Ticats linebacker for possession of several pills and vials of steroids prompted some people to ask about the league’s action on this incident. Can the league impose sanction on the player? Unfortunately, the Canadian Football League (CFL) has no power to discipline players involved in similar incidents. Official of the league said that the Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits them to encroach on the personal activities of the players.

Linebacker Caught With Hundreds of Steroid Pills and Vials for Injection

Last month, Ticats linebacker Jordan Matechuk was arrested by US border officers for possessing different types of steroids. He was released on bail and currently facing several felony charges in a Michigan court. But despite the charges, the football league and the team will not conduct further investigation on the matter.

Ticats head coach Marcel Bellefeuille told the media that they have limited powers because of the CBA. “There are limitations as to what we can do. It comes down to the collective bargaining agreement and what the league and the players have negotiated. If I felt there was an issue, we’d do whatever we can. I care about the players’ health,” Bellefeuille told The Spec website.

CFL Not Investigating

Though steroid use in the league is prohibited, the league’s hand is tied in pursuing a deeper investigation on Matechuk. The incident happened outside of the jurisdiction of the football league. A coach told a newspaper that the case of Matechuk is not related to drug testing or having a positive steroid test. “He didn’t get caught doing something the league instituted. This happened outside the scope of that,” said Riders coach Greg Marshall, who worked as a defensive coordinator for Hamilton.

The spokesperson of the league disclosed that they are not totally ignoring the case of Matechuk. In fact they are coordinating with the Ticats team about the development of the case. However, a deeper investigation on Matechuk and the entire team is not on their plans. Matt Maychak, the league’s spokesman, said the current drug testing policy of the league serves as an on-going investigation for all players but they could not act beyond that function.

Matechuk’s Involvement in Steroids an Isolated Case

The Hamilton Tiger Cats believes that the case of Matechuk is an isolated one. According to their head coach, the amount of anabolic steroids seized from Matechuk might be used for his personal consumption and not for other illegal activities. But the Ticats team will not let the incident pass without doing something. Matechuk was already released by the team after they learned the incident from the media.

Ticats Not Tolerating Steroid use

The Tiger Cats already assured the public that the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs is not tolerated in the team. Other players were also surprised that Matechuk was involved in steroids because there were no signs that he was using it. The linebacker is a hard working guy according to his team mates.

Head coach Bellefeuille said in a statement that the team vehemently opposes the use of performance enhancing drugs. “They are a serious threat to the health of athletes and the integrity of sport,” he said.

CFL Starts Drug Testing Program

This year, the CFL will implement a stringent drug testing program. At the end of the season, 25 percent of the players will be randomly tested for steroids and it will increase to 35 percent in the next 2 years. The name of first time offenders will not be made public but they will be required to undergo counseling and more frequent tests. A second violation will lead to 3-game suspension. A 1-year ban will be imposed on the third violation and a lifetime suspension will be given to players failing the steroid test for the fourth time.

Hamilton Tiger Cats officials were surprised that one of their linebackers was arrested by customs officers while crossing a US border. They only learned about the incident when the U.S. Customs and Border Protection released a statement regarding the apprehension. According to the CBP news release, a 25-year-old Canadian citizen was subjected to secondary inspection while crossing the Michigan-Ontario border. The person identified himself as Jordan Matechuk.

During the search, officers found a pill bottle containing a green leafy substance. As border officers continued their inspection on Matechuk, they found another box containing steroid pills and vials of liquid steroids hid in a shaving kit. Another two vials of liquid steroids, a small amount of marijuana and a narcotic pain reliever were also found in his possession.

Amount of Steroids Good for One season

According to a health expert, the amount of anabolic steroids confiscated from Matechuk was good for one season if it will be used for personal consumption. The CBP reported a total of 543 anabolic steroid pills, 262 millilitres of liquid anabolic steroids, and 1.25 grams of marijuana were seized from the football player. Drug paraphernalia seized from the linebacker totaled to 19 syringes and 51 replacement needles. Some OxyContin, a narcotic pain killer, was also confiscated by the authorities.

Charges Could Lead to 4 Years in Prison

Jordan Matechuk is now facing felony charges for possession of a narcotic pain reliever and possession of anabolic steroids. A misdemeanor charge was also filed against him for marijuana possession. Port Director Devin Chamberlain of the Sault Ste Marie port of entry said in a statement that it is illegal to possess these drugs without prescriptions. “Anabolic steroids are a Schedule III controlled substance,” he said.

Matechuck was already released from jail after posting bail in Michigan. Prosecutor Brian Peppler of Chippewa County told the media that Matechuk could face more charges once the investigation is finalized. “I’m still looking at this mess, but those are the initial charges. There could be more, because there were a lot of drugs seized,” said Peppler. A preliminary hearing is set on Monday.

The Ticats Linebacker Hid His Steroid Problem

Based on online reports, Matechuk still participated in the team’s training camp after the incident. The Tiger Cats was unaware of his legal troubles and only learned about the issue from the media.

In the press release sent out Wednesday by the team, a Hamilton Ticats official confirmed that Matechuck was fired from the team. “Jordan Matechuk is no longer a Hamilton Tiger-Cat,” said head coach Marcel Bellefeuille. “He was released last night, as soon as we were first informed through the media of the charges against him and were able to independently confirm that information,” Bellefeuille said.

The team finds the linebacker’s decision to hide the incident as intolerable. “We are deeply, deeply disappointed on two fronts: that a player faces such charges, and that the same player would keep such obviously important information from our organization,” the coach said.

Jordan Matechuk played as a long snapper for the Hamilton Tiger Cats in the last three season of the CFL.

One of the perennial problems of school authorities and sports organizations around the world is the use of steroids by young athletes. Various anti-doping programs have been tried but there’s no single program that can solve the problem 100 percent. There are also many factors that hinder the implementation of better strategies to curtail steroid use by student athletes.

Late last month, anti-doping authorities in South Africa reported that steroid use among student athletes is already on the alarming level. A recent survey revealed that 1 in 6 athletes showed positive for various illegal performance enhancing substances.

Budget for Steroid Testing Not Enough

They know that it is not yet too late to act on this problem. In fact, there are some conventional solutions that can be used by the government and school authorities to address the situation. However, these solutions can not be implemented if there is no enough budget to fund the program or laws to support the initiative.

The director of the South African Institute for Drug- Free Sport, Dr Shuaib Manjra, said the implementation of effective anti-steroid campaign is hindered by legal issues and budgetary constraint. Not all schools in the country can afford to shoulder the expenses for steroid testing. Lack of laws and policies pertaining to student testing forbids sports authorities to subject these young athletes to steroid tests. “Unless the schools and their pupils’ parents sign an agreement that pupils can be tested, our hands are tied,” said Dr Manjra.

Dianabol and Winstrol Common Anabolic Steroids for Young SA Athletes

A doctor from Discovery SharkSmart Academy in Durban also found out that students are freely experimenting with steroids. Dr Glen Hagemann of the academy told the Businessday website that based on their research, at least 9% of government and private schools students were involved in the use of steroids. This assumption was still conservative according to the doctor.

Since anabolic steroids can be easily purchased in local gyms, even the young kids have access to it. Though they are not fully aware of the dangers of taking these steroids, most of them still experiment with the oral or injectable types of this performance enhancing drugs. According to Dr. Hagemann, the most popular brand of oral steroids in SA is Dianabol. For the injectable, Winstrol and Sustaplex are common choices.

Pro Player Warned Students

The result of the recent survey on young athletes in South Africa also caught the attention of some professional players. Sharks player Jacques Botes told the media that student athletes should not give in to the promised benefits of steroids. The dangers outweigh the benefits of taking this drug. “We want to tell the guys to please stop if they are doing that,” he said. “There’s a short term gain, but a long term risk,” Botes told the EyeWitness News.

According to Clint Readhead, the medical manager of the South African Rugby Union (Saru), professional players are fully aware of the dangers of using steroids. However, young sportsmen may ignore these dangers in exchange for better physique and excellence in their chosen sports. Experts claim that the side effect of steroids becomes eminent after 10 to 20 years.

Alex Rodriguez’ career in baseball will not be void of issues pertaining to his previous steroid use. A week ago, his name took the headlines again when a newspaper reported that his cousin, who supplied him with steroids years ago, was seen in the Yankees hotel. The MLB immediately conducted a brief investigation on the matter because Yuri Sucart, A-Rod’s cousin, was banned by the league in any team facilities. Although the league has learned that Sucart did not violate the restrictions imposed on him, they will still monitor his dealings with Alex Rodriguez.

A-Rod Defends Dealings with Cousin

In an interview with the media, A-Rod disclosed that he was not contacted by the league or by the Yankees about the incident. He said that his cousin is not violating the restrictions. “There’s no rules that are being broken. He stays at his own place, the team is fully aware. He’s not on the team bus, he’s not on team planes, he’s not in the clubhouse, he’s not in the stadiums, so we’re complying with all the rules,” A-Rod told the media.

The Yankees third baseman assured the public that he knows his responsibilities. On the other hand, he can’t prevent baseball fans and the league to doubt his dealings with Sucart. The presence of Sucart in the hotel lobby where the Yankees team stayed was not the first instance A-Rod meets his cousin.

The baseball slugger admitted that his relationship with his cousin is still normal. He even admitted that Sucart is working for him but declined to give details to the media. “He’s been with me since I was born and I love him very much and he’ll be around for many, many years, long after I’m done playing baseball,” A-Rod added.

A-Rod’s Treatment by Canadian Doctor Still Investigated

Coming clean about his steroid use does not spare Alex Rodriguez from the league’s steroid watch list. In the midst of Sucart’s visit to Yankees hotel, the Times reported that the league and federal authorities are still investigating his dealings with Dr. Galea, a Canadian doctor charged with illegal HGH treatment and possession of unapproved drugs in the US.

Dr. Anthony Galea is currently cooperating with federal investigators for a plea deal agreement. There were reports that the doctor may change his previous statements in exchange for lighter penalty. That may include implicating professional athletes whom he treated with human growth hormones and other unapproved medical treatments. Currently, Galea is facing 5 charges of distributing performance enhancing drugs.

A-Rod admitted that he was one of the patients of Dr. Galea but denied that he was treated with HGH. Dr. Galea became famous for his platelet rich plasma therapy which facilitates recovery from injuries. Many professional players availed this treatment. However, federal authorities are looking into the possibility that they were also treated with HGH, a banned drug in professional sports.

MLB Wants to Get A-Rod’s Medical Records

It was revealed that the league asked for the medical records of Alex Rodriguez from the Canadian doctor. Though A-Rod gave them permission, the league wasn’t able to get a copy of those records. In the statement given to the NY times, the lawyers of A-Rod said that their client is cooperating fully with the on-going investigation. “Alex fully cooperated with Major League Baseball and federal authorities in Buffalo regarding his treatment with Dr. Galea, including granting a release of his medical records,” they said.

“Regarding matters before the grand jury, strict secrecy rules do not permit us to comment,” the lawyers added.

It’s more than a year now since the University of Waterloo made headlines in the world of sports. Several of its football players were caught taking anabolic steroids which led to the suspension of the team for an entire season. The Canadian Center for Ethics and Sports together with CIS and other agencies launched an internal investigation on this incident. The investigating team took time in digging deeper into the problem of steroid use in college sports.

And finally, the anti-doping task force announced recently that they are polishing the final report which is expected to be released at the end of the month. Although the recommendation has yet to be finalized, some officials already hinted that the committee will recommend tough changes in the sport.

Dedicated Line for Steroid Tipsters

According to UW athletic director Bob Copeland, who is part of the task force, a tip line will be created to help authorities track doping athletes. Universities in Canada have no existing policy on this and the task force deemed it necessary to include it in the anti-doping initiative. “You have to create structures for coaches and others to come forward because they don’t know what to do,” said Copeland.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport president Paul Melia admitted that this kind of strategy may not gain favorable support but contends Canadian sports needs it. “The way you set up this line needs to be carefully thought out, so that you don’t create the impression that it is a snitch line but rather part of a comprehensive fight against doping in sport,” Melia told CBC Canada.

Intensify Steroid Education

Another member of the task force, Waterloo Regional Police Chief Matt Torigian, also said that one of their recommendations is to intensify steroid education programs in universities. “We do need to educate ourselves, educate our players, educate our community of the ill effects of steroid use and performance enhancing drugs,” he told 570 News.

These recommendations will not be effective if not all stakeholders cooperate in this effort. Authorities should not only look at professional sports but also at feeder leagues most especially in high schools. High school athletes are prone to steroid use because of peer pressure and their desire to enter collegiate sports and eventually entering the professional league.

Strengthen Steroid Testing

The group will also recommend an intensified drug testing program in all universities and colleges in the country. Though the CCES and the CIS is already doing their part in strengthening the anti-doping campaign, the cost of a comprehensive steroid testing is still a major concern. However, the unannounced and random steroid testing implemented by the CCES in the previous months seemed to be effective.

In fact, two players from Laval University were recently caught for using banned substances. If the anti-doping agencies can sustain this strategy, it will definitely deter athletes from using steroids.

Athletic Director Wants to Change “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Culture”

Copeland admitted that steroids use by college athletes are not openly discussed in locker rooms. However, even if there are cases of steroid rumors, nobody wants to talk. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Culture” in team sports especially in football is hard to get rid of. “You can’t look the other way because it’s a family member. That’s part of the issue, part of the culture of the locker room that needs to be overcome,” Copeland said.