In the NFL people be getting popped WEEKLY and not even a headline.  At least in cycling your increased muscle mass is not giving anyone else brain damage.

If you haven't seen Icarus yet, you really should.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/sports/olympics/ioc-russia-winter-olympics.html?

Also, that movie producer should be crapping his pants right now because #polonium

Somebody got a 6 month suspension for smoking pot.

https://www.usada.org/jay-henderson-accepts-doping-sanction/

Thierry Bonnaire said:

Somebody got a 6 month suspension for smoking pot.

https://www.usada.org/jay-henderson-accepts-doping-sanction/

In competition over the legal limit. W the F?!?

yup, meanwhile in the world of UCI grand tours
http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/vuelta-a-espana/2017/chris-froome-could-lose-vuelta-title-as-uci-probes-drugs-test-result_sto6441965/story.shtml

https://asthma.net/living/olympic-medals-athletes-with-asthma-are-among-the-top-recipients/ Asthma is a weird one—can start because you're an elite athlete, so then you treat with Salbutamol enhaler (in pill form and injection it's performancing enhancing and banned). Studies find no advantage, except more likelihood of winning. 

While I presume these are the discussions to be had. This is similar to Contador's case, and ultimately kinda simple:

If, as claimed, Froome's A and B samples had twice the allowed Salbutamol, then he broke the rules and will lose the Vuelta title and will have to serve a ban.

Everything else is minutia and public relations.

-----

We can argue that there is no proof of advantage, but then we can also argue WTF is going with an athlete and team doctors that have been tested for this hundred of times, and completely fuck it up -- to twice the allowed limit.

Facts are simple, Froome broke the rule by 100%. Rules state that if you do that, you will be penalized. He might not be as egregious as Armstrong et al, but to translate: This is fact: Froome is a doper.

JohnMalcolmson said:

https://asthma.net/living/olympic-medals-athletes-with-asthma-are-among-the-top-recipients/ Asthma is a weird one—can start because you're an elite athlete, so then you treat with Salbutamol enhaler (in pill form and injection it's performancing enhancing and banned). Studies find no advantage, except more likelihood of winning. 

Are you suggesting it could be a masking agent?

Or that this is really what 'marginal gains' are about--as strongly indicated by Shane Sutton, former Sky coach?  

It would be cool if they have any longitudinal proof of Froome's Salbutamol use.  Wonder if they've found low, but legal, levels over the years.

Nibali's comments were fascinating.  Both revealing himself and throwing more shade on Froome.

mugwump said:

It would be cool if they have any longitudinal proof of Froome's Salbutamol use.  Wonder if they've found low, but legal, levels over the years.

That would be great to know. A Salbutamol passport if you will.

Froome himself has stated that is no secret that he has asthma and uses an inhaler. So yes, all of his tests would have some Salbutamol under the allowed limit. 

If my understanding is correct, samples are anonymous and stay that way if negative, so unless Sky/Froome were doing their own parallel testing, this info might not be available.

h/t to Jules on this :  

http://sportsscientists.com/2017/12/brief-thoughts-froomes-salbutamol-result/

eloy said:

Froome himself has stated that is no secret that he has asthma and uses an inhaler. So yes, all of his tests would have some Salbutamol under the allowed limit. 

If my understanding is correct, samples are anonymous and stay that way if negative, so unless Sky/Froome were doing their own parallel testing, this info might not be available.

Froome kept it under wraps for some time, and then, when caught with it, started discussing it.  That he has been using it makes for a problematic defense--he and his doctors had experience with it and yet overshot by a huge amount.  

I think your understanding is correct.  

Want to know if they're doping? If they're standing on the podium the odds are very high.
Re: Salbutamol; sounds like people have been both busted and exonerated for levels exceeding the limit. 

Worth a read
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/the-truth-about-cycling-and-asthma-317941

Jules said:

Re: Salbutamol; sounds like people have been both busted and exonerated for levels exceeding the limit. 

Need a 'um...'  button
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Mark Taylor said:

Worth a read
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/the-truth-about-cycling-and-asthma-317941

Yeah, not so much. The article doesn't touch on the two important issues of Salbutamol's anabolic properties when ingested or it's use as a masking agent.

Steve Tilford, commenting from the dead

http://stevetilford.com/2016/04/29/tues-are-bullshit/

I don't agree with all of it, but it's a valuable perspective.  

the stress of being sued for 100 milski's ages u....

Jason Gay gets it.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-the-sky-falling-in-pro-cycling-1513277924?tesla=y

twoyacks said:

the stress of being sued for 100 milski's ages u....

Funny hes showing up at Flanders now , He never did during his career( we technically not never) but i'm sure Flandrians could give a rats about lance 

Think he'e getting an appearance fee?  Or does he have to pay them to show his face?
in other news...Froome hiring Bruyneel's old lawyer = GREAT OPTIC
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-hires-former-bruyneel-and-contador-lawyer-for-salbutamol-case/

[Amstrong] will thus attract considerable interest for the inaugural ‘Tour of Flanders Business Academy’, which bills itself as “an event where business, society and cycling meet and cross-pollinate each other".

twoyacks said:

Froome's "Asthma" just flared up again...Shouldn't this guy be under investigation now?

A Yacks November 19th post.....prescient ????  YOU BET!!!!

Oh my....how un "British"
http://road.cc/content/news/234018-bradley-wiggins-wife-calls-chris-froome-slithering-reptile

The Froome drug thing makes sense of the Giro attempt. He found out about the test and then he decided to do the Giro to gain public favor, before the test was made public.

I couldn't figure out why he would try for the Giro when he has one more tour victory to tie the all time record. He wanted to seem like a cool guy. It seems like this would also set up more cycling stakeholders to be upset about him getting suspended - the Giro and the Tour would now loose Froome.

You  might be right, tho, rumors are of millions of Euros as a starting fee. There was also some rumored pressure from Israel (as the Giro first 3 stages will be there) to get him to the start.

Brian Miele said:

The Froome drug thing makes sense of the Giro attempt. He found out about the test and then he decided to do the Giro to gain public favor, before the test was made public.

I couldn't figure out why he would try for the Giro when he has one more tour victory to tie the all time record. He wanted to seem like a cool guy. It seems like this would also set up more cycling stakeholders to be upset about him getting suspended - the Giro and the Tour would now loose Froome.

Interesting thought.  Could very well be.

That written, I think Sky and Froome going for GC not terribly exciting.  It's the other racer who make it exciting, the guys attacking to knock off Froome.

The multiple financial incentives--Israel and the Giro both--could be a play.  Of course, if they were really smart, they would have done something to attract Peter Sagan to the Giro.  He enlivens a stage race like few.  But then, cycling promoters have never been terribly smart.