Government prosecutors failed again in another big case against doping. The US prosecution announced Friday that they already dropped the case against the 7-time Tour de France Champion, Lance Armstrong. The country’s pride in professional cycling was dragged into doping controversy after his former teammates accused the cycling champ of undergoing systematic doping while he achieved those championship titles.

With so many charges filed against Armstrong, from fraud to conspiracy and systematic doping, the government failed to gather enough evidences that are strong enough in putting the legendary cyclist into jail. In fact, the government used all the resources in finding evidences particularly his use of performance enhancing drugs. Jeff Novitsky, one of the leading investigators in the case, even went to France and other European countries to gather doping test results.

Former Teammates Lead the List of Accusers

The steroid rumor has been haunting Armstrong for years but critics failed to get concrete evidence on his use of PED’s. It was in 2010 where cyclist Floyd Landis, a former champion involved in the use of anabolic steroids, encouraged the federal authorities to conduct an investigation on Armstrong. Landis provided “damning evidence” about the use of steroids and illegal blood transfusions of the US Postal Team where Armstrong was also a member. Landis claimed that the championship titles of Armstrong were aided by the use of illegal performance enhancing substances and methods.

Cyclist Tyler Hamilton also accused Armstrong of using EPO from 1999 to 2001 Tour de France. In the course of the investigation, former teammates and close friends were also called and testified against Armstrong. Some of them were Betsy Andreu, the wife of Frankie Andreu who was a former teammate of Armstrong; Ukrainian cyclist Yaroslav Popovych, who was part of the Armstrong team in 2005; Allen Lim, an exercise physiologist for Team Radioshack; and longtime Armstrong friend Stephanie McIlvain. All of their testimonies have been linked to the doping activities of the team and Lance Armstrong.

Witnesses not Happy

The dropping of the charges put the witnesses in shock. Betsy Andreu told the media that the legal system failed in this case as she aired her disgust on the decision of the prosecution. “This is what happens when you have a lot of money and you can buy attorneys who have people in high places in the Department of Justice,” she said. The lawyer of Hamilton also said that the dropping of criminal charges against Armstrong doesn’t mean the champion cyclist did not cheat in the competition. Landis, who even helped the feds in gathering evidence against Armstrong, has yet to give comments on the recent development of the case.

Armstrong: It’s the Right Decision

Lance Armstrong told the media that he was pleased by the decision of the prosecution. “It is the right decision and I commend them for reaching it. I look forward to continuing my life as a father, a competitor, and an advocate in the fight against cancer without this distraction,” he said. Ever since, Armstrong denied that he was involved in a systematic doping or used steroids to boost his performance in the tours that he participated in.

Some observers linked the decision to Armstrong’s charitable endeavors. His Livestrong Foundation already helped hundreds of cancer patients and continuously gaining support from various entities. Another possible reason is the lack of concrete evidence that will convict Armstrong beyond reasonable doubt. Though there were evidences that will point to his doping activities, the main charges were focused on his alleged infringement of federal laws like fraud, racketeering and criminal conspiracy. The investigation on his doping is just secondary. It’s possible that the prosecution failed to prove that Armstrong used government sponsorship to buy steroids or other PED’s.

USADA will not give up Anti-Doping Campaign in Cycling

But this is not yet a total victory for Armstrong. The USADA is not giving up on the issue of doping. USADA Chief Travis Tygart told the AP that their investigation will continue to eradicate doping in the sports of cycling. “We look forward to obtaining the information developed during the federal investigation,” he added.

They did not force me to take anabolic steroids. This is the new statement of Brazilian soccer player Daniel Carvalho after his damaging accusation on former team earlier on Monday. In an interview by a local media in Brazil, Carvalho mentioned that his former team, CSKA Moscow, gave him anabolic steroids to improve his skinny physique. That happened in 2003 where he was just starting his international career. Carvalho played as a midfielder for the CSKA Moscow.

Steroids Used to Boost Carvalho’s Physique

The player also alleged that using steroids at that time is normal since Russia has no doping test yet. The Brazilian soccer player even disclosed that steroids injections were made by the doctor of his former club. As a result, he gained almost 18 pounds just after 6 months. He opined that these injections made the players, including him, improve their physique and become stronger.

The steroid issue came out when Carvalho was asked about his current physique which is considered as overweight. The new player of Palmeiras argued it was the steroids that change his physical structure and he is now facing a hard time maintaining a better weight.

The Club did not Forced Him to Take Steroids

But after the news circulated in the internet, CSKA Moscow allegedly called Carvalho about the accusation. The player immediately issued a press release retracting his previous statement. This time, the former star player of the CSKA denied that the club forced him to take anabolic steroids. “Nobody was forced to take anything.” However, he admits that he took the same food supplements that his teammates were also taking on a regular basis. He decided to stop taking the drug after he learned about its possible health effect to his heart.

He also clarified that he doesn’t know if those injections were performance enhancing drugs. “I don’t know if it was an anabolic steroid, I don’t have the medical knowledge to know that,” Carvalho said. “If it was, it’s something that happened 10 years ago and it’s in the past. If it wasn’t, I apologize to the Russians for the badly used words,” the player added.

Carvalho’s International Fame

After playing for the Sport Club Internacional, Carvalho played for the CSKA Moscow where he received commendation for his great performance in the 2005 EUFA Cup. He received the Russian Footballer Award in that year. He help the team get their first EUFA title. The attacking midfielder was released by the CSKA Moscow in 2010 and signed for the Atletico Mineiro. Carvalho also played for Brazil national team in 2006.

Daniel Carvalho is now with the Palmeiras club hoping to show again his prowess in the field. But with this steroid issue, his credibility will be questioned. Are those 34 goals he made during his international career is aided by anabolic steroids? The CSKA will also face a PR nightmare. They have to explain if they are really involved in systematic doping of their soccer players just to win the EUFA cup.

Here’s another doping controversy. This time a top Swiss sprinter blamed his doctor for his failed steroids tests. According to the Associated Press report, Swiss sprinter Pascal Mancini will be facing a probe after he failed the steroid tests twice. Sanction has yet to be given to the track and field athlete because the Switzerland Anti-Doping Agency will still conduct investigation on the case.

Injected with Anabolic Steroids

Based on the information given by the Swiss athletics federation, Mancini was injected with the wrong type of medication. Instead of injecting cortisone, Mancini’s doctor allegedly injected the sprinter with the steroid nandrolone. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory painkiller medication but nandrolone is a type of anabolic steroid commonly used by athletes to build muscles and enhance performance. The other type of steroid was not disclosed. The sprinter will be filing a case against his doctor.

Mancini was also reprimanded by the IAAF last year for taking the ADHD drug Ritalin without permission from the athletics federation. Ritalin is a stimulant which can boost the energy of an athlete. As a result, the federation refuses to recognize the record of the Swiss team in the 4×100-meter time run in the Zurich Diamond League meet where Mancini is a team member.

Mancini Competes in World Competitions

The 22-year old track athlete has been competing in various local and international competitions representing the country. Though Mancini has no championship medals in world competition, he competed in all major track competitions. He participated in the 2007 European Junior Championships, the 2008 World Junior Championships, the 2009 European Indoor Championships and the 2010 World Indoor Championships. Pascal Mancini also competed in the 2011 European Indoor Championship in Paris

With the pending investigation on his positive steroid test, Mancini will be barred from competing in the World Championships in March which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Doping Scandal in Germany will Put 28 Athletes under Investigation

Meanwhile, Germany’s anti-doping authorities will also conduct further investigation on at least 28 professional athletes who were allegedly treated by a sports doctor involved in a doping scandal. Dr. Andreas Franke, who worked at the German Olympic Sports Confederation training elite athletes, is now facing charges for using unapproved and illegal treatments. The doctor allegedly administered blood transfusions on Germany’s elite athletes which is a banned procedure under WADA rules. It is considered as doping since the blood transfusions help athletes improve their performance in endurance competition like cycling.

The AP reported that 28 names are already on the watch list of the anti-doping officials but they still need to gather more information. Some of the top athletes include former 800-meter Olympic champion Nils Schumann, former Olympic speed skating champion Claudia Pechstein, German cyclist Marcel Kittel and Jamaican long jumper James Beckford. NADA already brought a case against cyclist Jakob Steigmiller.

Officials said that some of the athletes who received blood transfusions from the doctor were still minors during that time. The names of other athletes were not disclosed publicly.

Winning in high school sports unfortunately involve more than just rigorous training and discipline. Lives of many young athletes are altered with the use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs. Reports show that the use of these drugs is increasing among aspiring high school athletes to cope up with the stiff level of competition.

Steroids and performance enhancing supplements have made their way to the corridors and playing fields of the nation’s high schools. This is a very alarming issue that has been found to cause number of untimely deaths and other adverse health risks damaging the future of young aspiring athletes.

Even though the vast majority of student-athlete considers steroid use as a way of cheating, there are some who remain unconcerned about the long-term health effects of this drug. They are willing to take steroids for the short-term benefits even if it is risky.

The authorities, government and school administrators are in continuous search for solutions in making athletes well-informed of the risk of using steroids and performance enhancers. Just recently, the lawmakers in New Jersey approved a bill that would discourage steroid use by student athletes. It is now forwarded to the governor for final approval.

Provisions of the Bill to Prevent Steroid Use

The recommendations from the 2005 Governor’s Task Force on Steroid Use and Prevention would now be a systematized regulation after receiving final legislative approval by the full Assembly. After being decided upon by a majority vote of 72-2 the bill for preventing steroid use will now head to Governor Chris Christie’s desk with high hopes to be ratified.

The bill proposes a program for random steroid testing of student athletes who qualify to compete in championship tournament authorized by NJSIAA. The state Department of Education (DOE) together with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) would be the one to develop and implement the said program.

All public school coaches and non-public interscholastic sports, dance and cheerleading coaches are required under the bill to incorporate a gender specific program intended to reduce the use of steroids, alcohol and other drugs. The program should promote healthy nutrition and exercise. The specifics of these programs will be approved by the athletic director of the district or private school before being implemented.

Steroid Prevention Programs will be Implemented in NJ High Schools

Anti-steroid advertisements in the form of brochure, pamphlets, handout, program, book and other materials should be made available either for sale or distribution at an NJSIAA-approved tournament as stated on the bill. The DOE is also mandated by the bill to publish information and materials about preventing steroid abuse on its website.

A steroid performance enhancing supplement prevention information program will also be developed and implemented by NJSIAA under the provisions of the bill. The program should provide coaches and athletic directors with information on the dangers of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.

It should further identify the use of steroids and performance enhancing supplements in student athletes. All public and non-public middle school and high school coaches and athletic directors should also be provided with programs that effectively incorporate healthy alternatives for strength building into coaches’ training programs.

The lawmakers also declared the 3rd week of September to be a “Steroid Awareness Week” in New Jersey. The school districts are tasked to organize activities that should increase awareness of the students about the hazards of steroid use and performance enhancing supplements.

Winning the Game without Steroids

This measure is seen by many as the best move to deter high school athletes in using steroids and other performance enhancing substance. Lawmakers and school officials still believe that games could be won even without the help of steroids. Student athletes should not put their health at risk just for the sake of that much-needed competitive edge.

Surfers’ way of life has always been pretty festive. With the beach bum lifestyle and their long hair and great body, surfers are indeed living in bliss with the thrill of the wave. But the sports’ cool image has always been surrounded with rumors of doping and drug related cases.

The use of drugs in the wave arena was detected among some of the pioneering surfers who experienced tragic deaths and dreadful injuries.

The triple world champion surfer, Andy Ions, died from a heart attack in 2010 with traces of methadone, amphetamine, crystal meth and cocaine in his bloodstream. Police investigation showed that he suffered acute mixed drug ingestion. In December 2007, while riding a 20m wave off California, big wave surfer Peter Davi sustained head and chest injuries and found to have high levels of methamphetamine after being smashed against jagged rocks.

Another drug related incident was also reported back in 2005 when a Brazilian surfer Neco Padratz was suspended after testing positive for performance enhancing anabolic steroids. He was caught during the 2004 WCT event in Hossegor, France wherein he claimed that it was part of his self-treatment for a chronic back pain injury. The Guardian also reported that another professional surfer is facing drug charges. Anthony Rufo, a 47 year-old pro surfer, will possibly face a jail sentence for selling methamphetamine.

These unfortunate drug related incidents amongst professional surfers triggers the start of implementing drug test to prevent surfers from adhering to performance enhancing drugs.

Overdue Drug Testing Program

The introduction of a drug testing program in surfing has been long overdue. This had been the case according to pro surfer Kieren Perrow, who further states that drug testing has come a long way. It’s about time for everyone competing at the world tour event on the Gold Coast next month to expect for a wide range of drug test on different banned substances.

A newly intensified drug testing policy will be administered by the Association of Surfing Professionals on pro surfers starting this 2012. The policy for screening competitors and officials for performance enhancing drugs are being discussed by the ASP and the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). It is now seen to be implemented after considering the growing evidence that the sports’ professional surfing elite athletes had been involved with drug use. The November 2010 death of Andy Ions is also believed to convince ASP in adapting drug test.

The comprehensive drug testing in professional surfing is gaining support from the members of ASP. It is regarded as a giant leap for the sport according to Dave Prodan, the spokesman of ASP. “We believe this is a natural evolution in enhancing the professionalism of our sport,” he said.

Participants in the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast to be held in Australia this February to March will be the first to be tested for performance enhancing drugs.

Ending the Traditional Use of Drugs in Surfing

For most surfers the idea of taking drugs gave them the needed outrage to conquer the dangerous waves. A decade ago, marijuana is a key part of community life among surfers in Hawaii. This was personally experienced by Andy Martin, the author of Stealing the Wave when he lived with surfers. They see marijuana smoking as beneficial. The drawing in of smoke improves the lung capacity to hold their breath under the waves in order for them to stay down longer.

Surfers with different relationship with drugs are aiming to surf better, become more focused, achieve an even shape body and long for a pump in their adrenaline. This is a misguided belief that may serve them an unwanted lethal escape.

If surfing wants to get into Olympics, it is the time for the ASP World Tour competitors to end the traditional use of performance enhancing drugs and recreational drugs to prove the world that surfing is clean and an exemplary sport.

The collective bargaining agreement regarding the human growth hormone testing in NBA is now seen to push through. The spokesman of NBA, Mike Bass announced that the players and the union have agreed to undergo HGH testing but have yet to settle the terms of testing and its reliability.

The NBA Players Association Chief Billy Hunter further said that HGH testing will be implemented once a neutral committee of jointly appointed experts would validate that the test is scientifically reliable. The HGH testing after years of existence will now be a part of the anti-doping program of NBA. However, no conclusion will transpire until the contingency is met.

Hurdles In Sports League HGH Testing

The inclusion of HGH testing is a great leap for the NBA since the league has been criticized for not being pro-active when it comes to anti-doping programs. Testing for HGH in basketball may not start this season because of some conditions set by the players union. NBA could be considered the third US professional sports league to implement HGH testing once the hurdles is resolved between the union and the league. The NFL and Major League Baseball is also experiencing a hanging issue regarding the implementation of HGH testing which is under heavy political pressure.

Attempts to begin blood testing in the Major League Baseball was resolved when the players agreed to submit the HGH testing during spring training and later in the off-season. A random test would be conducted but in-season testing would not be allowed.

On the other hand, the assertion of the NFL player’s that a study should be first carried out on growth hormone levels in larger athletes have impede the start of HGH testing in football. Even though anti-doping officials have affirmed that such study is not necessary because there is no indication of disparity of HGH levels based on size. The players would still like to ensure that their natural levels won’t trigger positive result.

With the details of NBA HGH testing being currently negotiated we could not expect for a positive result until the provisions is agreed upon by both parties with finality. Just like what Travis Tygart of the US Anti-Doping Agency have said, we could just earnestly hope that the validation step of the union is not a concealed attempt to prevent the HGH implementation.

Growth Hormone Use in Professional Sports

For the first five years of implementing HGH testing no positive result was produced. However in late 2010, there were seven athletes who tested positive. More athletes later confessed of using human growth hormone to give them quick burst of speed.

Human growth hormone had been considered as a performance enhancing drug that increases the vitality and energy of an athlete. It is also used as an aid to recover from injuries. Athletes in different sports categories have been using HGH to develop their competitive edge since the early 1970s. It was later banned by the NCAA and IOC. However, the ban was not fully enforced since the urine sample testing could not detect the use of HGH. Athletes should adhere to undertake a blood test to be able to distinguish the difference between natural and synthetic HGH.

HGH Testing for Fairer Game

If the players and sports association care about the integrity of competition and the rights of clean athletes, undergoing on a blood test would not be much of an issue. It should be regarded as a better way to eliminate those athletes who do not play the game fair. Then again, professional leagues in US are still reluctant to accept the HGH testing methods.