Latest news with #performanceEnhancingDrugs
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Football's possible doping problem, Messi magic at the Club World Cup, and Mbappe's hospital scare
The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic's daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter. Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox. Hello. As a Premier League star stares down the barrel of a possible four-year ban, we're asking: how concerned should football be about performance-enhancing drugs? On the way: 💉Doping: under control, or not? ✨ Magic Messi keeps Miami alive 🏥 Mbappe's hospital scare 🥜 Nutmegging the greatest The implications for footballers accused of doping are not remotely trivial. Many of those charged protest their innocence vehemently, but since anti-doping agencies apply strict liability principles and apportion responsibility irrespective of intent, the consequences hit hard. Paul Pogba is almost two years on from the positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone that culminated in an 18-month ban and the end of his second stint at Juventus. Once the world's most expensive player, he's free to resume his career again but is yet to find a club, stuck outside the tent with his thirties in full flow and time passing him by. Advertisement In Germany, Mario Vuskovic, a Croatia Under-21 international, found himself in a similar boat after a four-year suspension for returning a sample with EPO (erythropoietin) in it prompted Bundesliga side Hamburg to tear up his contract. He's 23 and, since 2022, has been inactive in his prime. They are two examples for Mykhailo Mudryk to dwell on with his own doping case pending. As with Pogba and Vuskovic, the Chelsea winger denies deliberate wrongdoing and says the prohibited substance he is accused of taking late last year, meldonium, was not ingested knowingly. But while intent can affect the severity of a sanction, it does not guard players against sanctions per se. An English Football Association charge against Mudryk will be dealt with in due course and the potential impact on him and Chelsea is obvious. The most extreme punishment the 24-year-old could receive is a ban spanning four years. But these cases (fairly isolated in the sport) invariably call for analysis of how common doping is in football. Based on the numbers involved, the assumption is not very — but are we seeing the full picture? Phil Buckingham took on the subject for an excellent article published this morning. It's fair to say, as he reflects, that as a team game in which technical skill matters as much as physicality (and 22 athletes are on the pitch), the illicit gains promised by doping are perceived to be smaller than in individual pursuits. At a distance, the data is encouraging. For a start, footballers are closely monitored. More than 2,000 samples were taken across the Premier League and the EFL last season, and every squad member at the 2022 FIFA World Cup took at least one test. But dig a little deeper and some of the findings are more opaque. Advertisement For instance, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed that two Premier League players returned adverse tests in 2023-24, as did two others in the season before it. None received penalties. We don't know their identities, the nature of their adverse tests, or the reasons no action ensued. The English FA said only that it takes 'anti-doping in English football extremely seriously'. UEFA, meanwhile, enforced more than 15,000 tests over a five-year period leading up to 2024, but Europe's governing body wouldn't tell The Athletic how many of those returned positive findings. Mudryk's adverse sample came during a UEFA tournament while he was representing Ukraine in the Nations League in November. His next move is either to accept the FA charge or request a hearing, a £62m signing with another six years on his club contract at risk of a long stretch on the sideline. All eyes are on him, but more broadly, his case has us thinking again about how far doping in football — unintentional or otherwise — really stretches. The obstacles to Club World Cup supremacy are getting biblical. For the third time in 72 hours, thunderclouds forced a match delay yesterday, suspending Palmeiras' Group A win over Al Ahly for 40 minutes. The Gods aren't conspiring against FIFA entirely, though. Last night, we got our first proper upset as South American champions Botafogo did what virtually nobody has done for the past six months and figured European champions Paris Saint-Germain out. A deflected goal from Igor Jesus (coming to the Premier League soon) fulfilled Botafogo's promise to bury PSG in the 'cemetery of favourites'. And just when it seemed like FIFA's must-have participants, Inter Miami, might drop out of the tournament without making a dent in it, up stepped Lionel Messi to keep them in business. There's no greater clutch player in the history of the sport and the sensational finish that gave Miami a 2-1 victory against Porto proved once more that a free kick in the hands of Argentina's finest might as well be a penalty. It had more whip on it than Indiana Jones. The tournament was waiting for a moment like that. Miami were waiting for a moment like that, and so was the reputation of Major League Soccer. Take out the stench around FIFA shoe-horning Miami into the competition and there's no denying that any event is enhanced by Messi's genius. Fun and games in Canada's Gold Cup camp, where head coach Jesse Marsch is under investigation over an alleged confrontation with a Concacaf official during Tuesday's 6-0 beasting of Honduras. What's funny about this is that Marsch wasn't even on the touchline. He was serving a two-match ban after prior fun and games (and a red card) in Canada's Nations League win over the USMNT in March. Canada Soccer says it is working to 'resolve the matter' — and to be fair, the circumstances leading to it sound more than a little ridiculous. Advertisement The good thing for Marsch? Canada looked in fine fettle and are well on their way to the knockouts. In front of them, the USMNT have already made it through after disposing of the solitary genuine threat in Group D: invitational guests Saudi Arabia. Chris Richards, above, got the only goal, but the power behind it belonged to Sebastian Berhalter's sumptuous (and very awkward to defend) delivery. I think that's what they call the corridor of uncertainty. (Kick-offs ET/UK time. All Club World Cup matches are shown on DAZN in the U.S. and UK, as well as the other channels stated.) Friday: FIFA Club World Cup: Group C: Benfica vs Auckland City, 12pm/5pm; Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors, 9pm/2am — TBS, Fubo/Channel 5; Group D: Flamengo vs Chelsea, 2pm/7pm — TNT, Fubo (U.S. only); LAFC vs ES Tunis, 6pm/11pm. Saturday: FIFA Club World Cup: Group E: Inter vs Urawa Red Diamonds, 3pm/8pm — Channel 5 (UK only); River Plate vs Monterrey, 9pm/2am — TBS, Fubo (U.S. only); Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund, 12pm/5pm; Fluminense vs Ulsan HD, 6pm/11pm. Concacaf Gold Cup: Group B: Curacao vs Canada, 7pm/12am — Fox Sports, Fubo, ViX/Premier Sports. Sunday: FIFA Club World Cup: Group G: Juventus vs Wydad AC, 12pm/5pm — Channel 5 (UK only); Manchester City vs Al Ain, 9pm/2am — TNT, Fubo/Channel 5; Group H: Real Madrid vs Pachuca, 3pm/8pm — TNT, Fubo (U.S. only); Red Bull Salzburg vs Al Hilal, 6pm/11pm. Concacaf Gold Cup: Group A: Mexico vs Costa Rica, 10pm/3am; Group D: USMNT vs Haiti, 7pm/12am — both Fox Sports, Fubo, ViX/Premier Sports. Nutmegging Messi is no mean feat, and Porto's Fabio Vieira ticked that off his bucket list in Atlanta last night. Unfortunately, the on-loan Arsenal midfielder's next move was to slice a shambles of a pass with the outside of his left boot straight out of play. Just as the Louvre was making space for him, too…
Free Malaysia Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Wada calls on US to stop ‘dangerous' Enhanced Games
The first Enhanced Games will be held in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in athletics, swimming and weightlifting. (Enhanced pic) LOS ANGELES : World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) chief Witold Banka has called on US authorities to prevent the drug-fuelled Enhanced Games from taking place next year. Speaking in Lausanne in an address to a meeting of summer Olympic officials, Banka said the inaugural edition of the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas – where athletes will be free to use performance-enhancing drugs – 'must be stopped.' 'We all must stand up and condemn those who put greed and ego before the well-being of athletes and the values of fair competition,' Banka said. 'As the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles approach, we cannot allow what should be a celebration of honest sporting endeavour to be overshadowed by this cynical attempt to undermine clean sport. 'Wada is now urging the authorities in the US to seek ways to prevent the Enhanced Games from going ahead as planned. For the sake of athletes' health and the purity of sport, it must be stopped.' In separate remarks following the address, Banka urged US authorities to consider legal action to prevent the Enhanced Games from taking place. 'Every effort should be made by the authorities in the US to prevent this dangerous event from going ahead as planned,' Banka said. 'This should be explored from the legal perspective. For example, I would question whether it is legal for licensed doctors to give these potent drugs to healthy athletes. 'It goes completely against the rules and values of their profession…I think there is a strong role to be played by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada)'. Usada has been a strident critic of Wada in recent years following controversy over the global doping watchdog's handling of positive drug tests from 23 Chinese swimmers in 2021. Responding to Banka's remarks on Wednesday, Usada chief executive Travis Tygart accused the Wada president of 'attempting to leverage this sideshow to distract from fixing Wada and to stoke anti-American rhetoric.' 'As we have repeatedly said, for all of the obvious reasons, the Enhanced Games or any other open competition is a bad idea,' Tygart said in comments emailed to AFP, urging Banka to accept an invitation to a US Senate hearing next week where the 2021 case involving Chinese swimmers is to be discussed. The first Enhanced Games will be staged in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in three sports – athletics, swimming and weightlifting. Athletes will be allowed to use drugs banned across international sport such as steroids and human growth hormones, with winners of each event receiving US$250,000, and a bonus of US$1 million for any athlete who breaks a world record.
National Post
11-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Anti-doping watchdog urges U.S. authorities to shut down planned drug-fueled event in Las Vegas
The global watchdog of doping in sports said Wednesday it will urge public authorities to shut down the drug-fueled Enhanced Games planned in Las Vegas next year. Article content 'We will urge the U.S. authorities to find legal ways to block this initiative,' World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Banka said on the sidelines of a meeting of Olympic sports bodies. Article content Article content Organizers of the games scheduled next May promise $1 million bonuses to beat world record times by athletes who will be encouraged to use performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision. Article content 'This initiative seeks to normalize the use of potentially dangerous drugs,' Banka told leaders of Summer Olympics sports at the annual meeting of their umbrella group, known as ASOIF. Article content 'For the sake of athlete health and the purity of sport of course it must be stopped,' the WADA leader said. Article content Banka, a former sports minister in Poland, suggested the Enhanced Games could be legally exposed in the state of Nevada or federally. Article content 'This is something that has to be explored from the legal perspective,' he told The Associated Press. 'I cannot imagine, for instance, doctors giving the drugs to the athletes. It is completely against the values of their work.' Article content 'The main thing is this event is going to be located in the U.S. so I think there is a strong role to be played by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency,' said Banka, whose Montreal-based organization has long had a troubled relationship with the American agency. Article content USADA's chief executive, Travis Tygart, has described the Enhanced Games as a 'dangerous clown show that puts profit over principle.' Article content Investors in the project — which aims to sell personalized supplements and substances plans to subscribers — include one group backed by Donald Trump Jr. Article content The doping-backed project was 'very embarrassing' for the U.S., Banka suggested, given its proximity to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Article content 'I think the main responsibility is on USADA's shoulders, who need to take the lead because it is in their country,' he said. Article content
Associated Press
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Anti-doping watchdog urges US authorities to shut down planned drug-fueled event in Las Vegas
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The global watchdog of doping in sports said Wednesday it will urge public authorities to shut down the drug-fueled Enhanced Games planned in Las Vegas next year. 'We will urge the U.S. authorities to find legal ways to block this initiative,' World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Banka said on the sidelines of a meeting of Olympic sports bodies. Organizers of the games scheduled next May promise $1 million bonuses to beat world record times by athletes who will be encouraged to use performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision. 'This initiative seeks to normalize the use of potentially dangerous drugs,' Banka told leaders of Summer Olympics sports at the annual meeting of their umbrella group, known as ASOIF. 'For the sake of athlete health and the purity of sport of course it must be stopped,' the WADA leader said. Banka, a former sports minister in Poland, suggested the Enhanced Games could be legally exposed in the state of Nevada or federally. 'This is something that has to be explored from the legal perspective,' he told The Associated Press. 'I cannot imagine, for instance, doctors giving the drugs to the athletes. It is completely against the values of their work.' 'The main thing is this event is going to be located in the U.S. so I think there is a strong role to be played by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency,' said Banka, whose Montreal-based organization has long had a troubled relationship with the American agency. USADA's chief executive, Travis Tygart, has described the Enhanced Games as a 'dangerous clown show that puts profit over principle.' Investors in the project — which aims to sell personalized supplements and substances plans to subscribers — include one group backed by Donald Trump Jr. The doping-backed project was 'very embarrassing' for the U.S., Banka suggested, given its proximity to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 'I think the main responsibility is on USADA's shoulders, who need to take the lead because it is in their country,' he said. Swimming's governing body World Aquatics said last week it will ban athletes, coaches and officials who take part in the Enhanced Games. ___ AP sports:
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
World Aquatics to ban anyone from Enhanced Games
World Aquatics has become the first international federation to ban athletes, coaches and officials from its events if they have taken part in the controversial Enhanced new event promotes banned performance-enhancing drugs and the inaugural Enhanced Games are scheduled to take place in Las Vegas from 21-24 May are plans for it to be an annual competition, initially comprising short-distance swimming, sprinting and month, Enhanced Games organisers said Greece's Kristian Gkolomeev swam 20.89 seconds in a 50m freestyle time trial in the US in February, 0.02 seconds quicker than the world record set by Brazil's Cesar Cielo in Aquatics said it has introduced a new bylaw "that reinforces its steadfast commitment to clean sport".It added: "Under the new bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities. "This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative."World Aquatics said it also encouraged its member associations to "adopt similar policies at the national level to uphold consistent standards across the sport".The Enhanced Games has been criticised for endangering athletes' health and undermining fair play, with the World Anti-Doping Agency describing it as a "dangerous and irresponsible project"., externalHowever, it has also attracted heavyweight backing from a venture capital fund headed up by Donald Trump Jr, the US president's son, and billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel."Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events," said World Aquatics president Husain al Musallam. "This new bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community."
