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and even if was a top 20 rider but with lower media attention or more unknown, that happens if they are from a less desirable team, don't speak well English or the media doesn't like them so they don't cover the rider that much.
because you have riders who do really good like Florian Nicolai ( since i gave him as a example before) and is always on the top 5, but as his English is bad, you can probably see and hear more of Iago Garay that even though he is really good rider, doesn't come close to the results and consistency of Florian .
A rider with less media and fans would be more easily scarified because less people (including the industry) would care.
Lance berthed himself from a period when there was not 'Redbull' or NBC to carry Bicycling in the US. The cheating and results were inbred and institutionalized. Discovery Channel / USPS had no experience with Pro Cycling.
Redbull, and Specialized do however. Jared Graves does have Monster Energy affiliation - '...biggest joker you can find(sic)...' however and this outside money is what has been needing to spend in this sport of Cycling the past 10 years or so. It needs to get the fuck out and stay out.
I think there`s something we all have to realize:
1. This is an endurance sport.
2. If we want a clean sport, we need strong regulation and sanctioning.
3. As the EWS get´s more and more professional, so will and should the athletes. Even if this means to take what made this sport so accessible and turn it into something more elite.
4. This is a learning curve. And because of that mistakes will be made. Borderlines will be crossed.
I came to inner piece giving the benefit of the doubt to Richie and Jared just before hearing about Martin.
I still am - I just don´t like what these cases will do to the sport that I still love.
But I also think that it has been inevitable.
I'm unclear why a TUE wasn't granted in Maes's case. That seems silly given the process they followed. The UCI has been backdating TUEs to suit their agenda for decades, and this actually seemed like a valid exemption.
Then again, it's a widely known masking agent.
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UCI statement on Martin Maes
Jun 26, 2019
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announces that the Belgian rider Martin Maes has been suspended for a period of 90 days for a non-intentional Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).
The affair concerns an ADRV for the presence of the prohibited substance Probenecid* in samples collected in-competition on 24 and 31 March 2019.
As per the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules (ADR), the sanction began on 13 May 2019.
Moreover, the results obtained by the rider in rounds 1 and 2 of the Enduro World Series have been annulled. This is not the case however for round 3, where he tested negative. The case has been resolved via an acceptance of consequences as provided for by the WADC and the UCI ADR.
The UCI will not comment any further.
* Probenecid is classified in the category “Diuretics and Masking Agents” and considered a specified substance as per the World Anti-Doping Prohibited List.
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GT statement on Martin Maes
Jun 26, 2019
On May 21, 2019, GT Factory Racing athlete Martin Maes was notified by the Cycling Anti- doping Federation (CADF) of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for a prohibited substance. There was a high level of Probenecid in his test samples from EWS Round 1 in New Zealand and EWS Round 2 in Tasmania in March 2019. Probenecid is on the UCI’s List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. The Probenecid and a related antibiotic were prescribed by an official race doctor at the New Zealand Enduro to help treat a serious infection in Martin’s leg.
According to the official race doctor: “Martin sustained a lower leg laceration which developed a serious infection while racing the New Zealand Enduro (March 8-10, 2019). The infection was worsening despite standard doses of antibiotics, and it had the potential to become life threatening. The doctors at the New Zealand Enduro elected to add Probenecid, which is commonly used to boost blood levels of penicillin-type antibiotics, and it was effective in treating Martin’s infection. It is a common part of all of our practices to use this medicine in the setting of serious infection.
“At the time, neither the volunteer medical team nor Martin considered that Probenecid would be on the banned substance list. It has no performance enhancing effects, and in fact, Martin’s performance was likely to have been impaired in the weeks following due to the severity of the infection.” - Dr. Tom Jerram MBChB (Hons) FACEM Emergency Physician and Volunteer Medical Director of the New Zealand Enduro.
On June 1, 2019, Martin received a denial for his Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) request. While the CADF TUE committee recognized the Probenecid was purely for medical reasons and that it would not have provided additional enhancement to Martin’s performance, the TUE was still not approved.
GT Factory Racing fully supports Martin Maes in this situation due to the understanding that neither he, nor the team, took any actions to intentionally violate anti-doping rules or regulations. On the contrary, Martin inquired with the official race doctors if the prescriptions they had given him were acceptable for use by a UCI athlete and the race doctors were acting within their clinical responsibility to treat a potentially life-threatening infection in Martin’s leg.
GT Factory Racing is committed to creating and fostering an environment where riders can perform to the best of their ability, within all rules and regulations mandated by the governing body of the sport. GT invests in teams and athletes because of the love of the sport, and racing is a way to connect with their passionate fan base.
Each GT team and rider understands that support comes with strict requirements regarding the rules and regulations that govern the sport. It is for this reason that Martin will accept the UCI’s ruling.
“I’m speechless at the moment. My entire life has been dedicated to cycling and racing since 2013. I’ve trained so hard to make my dreams come true. There was an emergency to treat an infected wound, and we did not double-check the prescription from the doctors. This is our sole mistake. Now, it’s time to face the situation, train harder than ever, and get back very soon to convert that frustration into pleasure and performance on my bike.”
The UCI complies with a set of strict rules and regulations, but also fully acknowledged the circumstances and that this was not a deliberate violation of any antidoping rules. As a result, Martin will be prohibited from racing for a period of ninety days. He will be disqualified from rounds 1 and 2 of the EWS and will be required to pay a fine of 2,500CHF. However, his win and results from EWS Madeira will not be affected as he returned a negative test result after going through doping controls at this event.
Martin is and will remain an advocate for clean and fair racing. He will return to the season stronger than before. Meanwhile, he’ll stand next to his teammates and will fully support them during the next Enduro World Series’ events.
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EWS statement on Martin Maes
Jun 26, 2019
We write this as we learn of the adverse analytical finding and subsequent penalty imposed by the UCI on Martin Maes following anti-doping tests carried out at Round 1 and Round 2 of the 2019 Enduro World Series.
We will not pass comment on the details of this case as that is the duty of the UCI and the athlete involved but we acknowledge and respect the outcome of this unfortunate case and 2019 series rankings will be updated accordingly.
We will state that from the beginning of the Enduro World Series, as we celebrate our 50th event this coming weekend, that we have always placed athlete health and safety at the very fore and have worked hard to create everything a new sport needs, ultimately partnering closely with the UCI and adopting all associated international sporting laws and practices while taking the international lead on others, including medical and head injury guidance. This week in Canazei we host our first anti-doping rider and team educational seminar alongside the UCI Legal Anti-Doping Services, a further investment of the EWS in athlete education and best practice.
What is important in this and previous cases is not to apportion blame, but to look at how everyone can avoid these occurrences from happening again.
Therefore, the prescription of medication outside of EWS racing that has ultimately lead to the penalty imposed on Martin Maes must serve as a lesson to all athletes, organisers, teams, coaches and medics that although the athlete will always be held responsible in the outcome of an adverse anti-doping finding, all parties in mountain bike sport must be responsible at all levels for learning and operating at the highest level, and with the best knowledge available.
We will continue to work to educate all parties in and out of the EWS family of riders, teams and events and urge all other parties in the sport out-with the official EWS sphere recognise the potential impact of their actions on riders and seek as much education as possible in order to protect the sport, and every rider within it.
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Are they meant to be considered coherent enough at all times to scroll through the list of banned substances to double check a doctors work at the time of injury and probably intense pain?
Absolutely mind blowing stupidity on the UCIs part
Failed first round antibiotics, pus coming out of the wound, treated as indicated for the second round, and he gets a suspension for it.
Not all that surprising from UCI, its not like its a road event in Europe or anything.
EWS says sorry, out of our hands?!? Cmon guys, you're not looking good right now...
On another note, does that mean Martin could race some DH races at the end of the season?
EWS: "Therefore, the prescription of medication outside of EWS racing that has ultimately lead to the penalty imposed on Martin Maes must serve as a lesson to all athletes, organisers, teams, coaches and medics that although the athlete will always be held responsible in the outcome of an adverse anti-doping finding, all parties in mountain bike sport must be responsible at all levels for learning and operating at the highest level, and with the best knowledge available.”
EWS - Interview | Martin Maes | Vojo Mag
Equate my farts in your mouth. Is this too wrong??
Can't the EWS just overrule? They should...
Why can't common sense prevail?
However, the wording in EWS' statement is straight BS. "Let this be a lesson..." Really? As several others have explained, it's a shame that they aren't controlling their own organization/series. I don't see what UCI adds to Enduro since it's not included in any World Cups, Olympics or anything in that arena. The series absolutely needs anti-doping policing, but maybe they form their own coalition within the EWS organization.
It's really simple..... event doctor's note. Not your personal Ferrari doc, an independent one. No one can predict injuries and no one should be expected to refuse something that's going to keep them from getting gangrene. So the governing body needs to introduce provisions that allow for this scenario without penalizing the rider for doing nothing wrong. The rules are there to prevent cheating which he demonstrably was not doing. So don't penalize him. They need to publicize this, explain the intent of the rule, and now use it as an impetus to improve the system. And tell event medics what other antibiotics etc to use.
Terje was right. Hope y'all enjoyed pre UCI enduro racing. It's fucked now. Enjoy the new roadie overlords.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/Exclusive-Audio-Interview-Martin-Maes…
*sigh*
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