WADA: caffeine is not able to enhance performance

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) considers that caffeine should belong to banned medications of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The president of the AOC John Coates claims that caffeine promotes addiction to sleeping pills and tranquillisers.
It is known that the Australian swimmers who took part at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games applied sleeping pills Stilnox. Thus, John Coates confirms that usage of caffeine led to usage of Stilnox.
Stilnox is usually sold under the commercial name Zolpidem. It is a sleeping remedy which is used in case of insomnia.
The president of AOC notes that sportspersons take caffeine in order to increase performance. Usage of this substance causes insomnia. Thus, sportspersons have to take sleeping pills in order to treat insomnia.
 The AOC and Swimming Australia desire to prohibit usage of caffeine. It is their response to the disgraceful case linked with Grant Hackett. A physician recommended taking Stilnox to this swimmer at the time of the 2003 World Championships. As a result, Grant Hackett became addicted to this sleeping remedy.
Grant Hackett is a celebrated swimmer. He won many competitions, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Alan Thompson, the former coach of the Australian Olympic Team, has also claimed that administration of Stilnox is widely spread among Australian swimmers.
Stilnox was never on the list of prohibited medications. Anti-doping agencies didn’t conduct tests to disclose usage of this medication.
But as for caffeine, previously it was prohibited by the WADA. But since it became widely spread and consumed in society, it was excluded from the list of banned preparations.
John Fahey, the president of the WADA, notices that the WADA made the right decision and excluded caffeine from list of prohibited preparations. He claimed that caffeine would not be included in the list of forbidden substances again.
Although a lot of experts confirm that caffeine is a performance enhancer, John Fahey contests this argument. He affirms that caffeine doesn’t impact on performance. John Fahey concludes that no any scientific literature proves capacity of caffeine to increase performance.

Dwain Chambers will represent his native country at 2012 Olympics

The runner Dwain Chambers, who successfully served his 2-year ban for intake of anabolic steroids, was named the representative of Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Chambers troubles about the way to represent the native country. As for the British Olympic Association (BOA), they are not happy to see him participating in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Certain former British Olympians don’t support the steroid user too.
Dwain Chambers administered the steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) introduced by Patrick Arnold. After Don Catlin developed a method which could detect THG, Dwain Chambers tested positive for this steroid. It was on November 7, 2003.
Of course, intake of the steroid destroyed his reputation. When he tried to come back to professional sports, the BOA made the decision to alter the laws in order to prevent appearing of Dwain Chambers in the 2012 Olympics. The BOA has established the rules that ban steroid users from Olympics for the whole life.
Establishing this rule, the BOA violated the doping code of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). This factor caused numerous disputes and news.
The case was even presented in the Court of Arbitration for Sports. The chairman of the BOA Loyd Moynihan put significant efforts in order to prevent appearing of Dwain Chambers or other steroid users at Olympics. Such former Olympians, as Sebastian Coe and Daley Thompson, loudly supported efforts of the BOA.
 Daley Thompson stated that Britain should not compromise. He confirmed that Britain should not listen to the rest of the world that don’t desire to have high standards in sports. The Court of Arbitration for Sports acted on behalf of the WADA. Dwain Chambers was allowed to be the representative of Britain at the 2012 Olympics. This aspect turned out to be an open door for other athletes that have served their suspensions to take part in Olympics.
The cyclist David Millar and the shot-putter Carl Myerscough that have served their suspensions for usage of steroids will compete at the 2012 London Olympics as well.
Despites spending much time to prevent appearing of steroid users at Olympic Games, the BOA finally stated that not only Chambers but also Millar, Myerscough or any other athlete that has served a suspension successfully may compete at Olympic Games. Andy Hunt, the CEO of the BOA, has claimed that any sportsperson is treated the same way.

Jonny Spelman plans to get title Mr. Olympia

Mrs. Spelman and her husband did a lot in order to prevent spreading news about her son’s steroid use. She spent huge sums of money in courts for this goal. But as you know, any person could read the news about the youngest British sportsperson who was caught taking forbidden products and suspended from rugby. Everyone expected that Jonny Spelman would be thankful to his parents for the efforts to hide the truth. But the teenager’s attitude turned out to be opposite.
Jonny Spelman desires to become a well-known professional bodybuilder. He wants to achieve the title of Mr. Olympia.
As for steroid use, Jonny Spelman was very open. He wrote about own intake of steroids on Bodybuilding.com and on bodybuilding forums of other sites. He revealed that he administered Anavar, Dianabol, Winstrol and Testosterone. Spelman’s son shared own experience and asked for recommendations about administration of several steroids and combinations. He also asked about ways of having PCT.
Since he wrote about steroid use openly, administrators of the site Bodybuilding.com banned him. It caused the search of his school room. As a result, drug paraphernalia was found.
The teenager affirms that although his parents are rich, they don’t agree to support financially his efforts to be a professional bodybuilder. They have told him that he has to move out, if he decides to be a bodybuilder. But Jonny has goals and he doesn’t desires to leave them. He intends to host workout videos on YouTube and receive money in exchange. The teenager adds that viewers of YouTube play a great role in his life because they support his efforts.

Steroid dealer paid one million Euros to Austrian authorities to avoid extradition to US

Mrs. Spelman and her husband did a lot in order to prevent publishing news about her son’s intake of steroids. She wasted a lot of money in courts for this need. But as you know, any person could read the news about the youngest British athlete that was caught utilizing forbidden products and banned from rugby. Anyone expected that Jonny Spelman would thank his parents for the efforts to hide the truth. But Jonny’s attitude turned out to be opposite.
The teenager desires to become a famous professional bodybuilder. He wants to get the title of Mr. Olympia.
As for application of steroids, Jonny Spelman was too open. He wrote about own administration of steroids on Bodybuilding.com and on bodybuilding forums of other sites. He noticed that he administered Anavar, Dianabol, Winstrol and Testosterone. Jonny Spelman shared own experience and asked for advices about application of some steroids and stacks. Jonny Spelman also asked about ways of being on PCT.
Since he wrote about intake of steroids openly, administrators of the site Bodybuilding.com banned him. It caused the search of his school room. As a result, drug paraphernalia was found.
The teenage athlete claims that although his parents are rich, they don’t desire to support financially his efforts to be a professional bodybuilder. They have said him that he should move out, if he wants to be a bodybuilder. But the young athlete has goals and he doesn’t want to leave them. He intends to host workout videos on YouTube and get money in exchange. The young athlete concludes that viewers of YouTube play a great role in his life because they help him to become a bodybuilder.

Intake of steroids results in unhealthy fat distribution

Recently some experts at Lulea University of Technology and Umea University conducted a valuable research. Scientists studied and set connections between steroid use, body fat distribution and certain undesirable reactions of anabolic steroids. The research has displayed that users of steroids can experience abnormal fat distribution that can result in heart attacks and other diseases of cardiovascular system.
The results of the research and conclusions were published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
 10 elite lifters from Sweden were involved in the study. They apply anabolic steroids continuously. So, it was studied role of steroids in body fat distribution.
It is stated that lifters who apply steroids possessing anabolic and androgenic properties have risks experiencing heart attacks. The specialists at Lulea University of Technology and Umea University have studied the way body fat is distributed in lifters that apply steroids having anabolic and androgenic features. It has been observed that unhealthy fat distribution can be a reason for diseases of cardiovascular system.
The lifters who were implicated in the research were divided into 2 groups. Fat distribution was studied in all lifters. The lifters of one group administered anabolic steroids. The lifters of another group didn’t take steroids.
The study has shown that those that take steroids have more decreased fat deposits below the waist. Thus, they have more decreased levels of gynoid fat.
DEXA scanner which is usually used to study osteoporosis has been applied in order to measure fat distribution in these lifters.

Colin Daynes serves ban for usage of banned drugs

Colin Daynes, a Canadian wrestler, failed a test for prohibited preparations. His Olympic dreams will not become real. He was banned for 2 years.
Last year the athlete was chosen for the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.
 The athlete was sentenced to the ban by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports. He failed a drug test, when he obtained a gold medal in the 74-kg weight class.
The sportsman tested positive for Drostanolone, Boldenone, Tamoxifen and Furosemide. Every of these medicines is included in the list of forbidden medications of the World Anti-Doping Agency. As for Drostanolone and Boldenone, they belong to anabolic steroids. Furosemide represents a diuretic product. It is applied as a masking agent for other medications. Tamoxifen is a product that is advised for prevention of undesirable consequences which occur due to usage of steroids.
The wrestler admitted to usage of forbidden medications and accepted the sentence. Colin Daynes said that he administered the prohibited medicines in order to get recovery from an injury. Colin Daynes told to The Star Monday night that he wanted to recover in order to take part in the 2012 Olympics. The wrestler noticed that a naturopathic physician advised him to take these products. The athlete also added that he hadn’t known that the medicines were banned. According to his affirmations, if he had known, he wouldn’t have participated in competitions.
Colin Daynes was going to represent Canada at the Olympics again. The wrestler represented his country at the 1996 Olympics that were in Atlanta.
The athlete didn’t put efforts to defense himself. The wrestler noted that there was no any difference whether the banned preparations were found in the blood or not. They presented in the system.
Earlier this wrestler also competed in mixed martial arts. Colin Daynes had to qualify internationally. The athlete thought that he would compete at the Summer Olympics in London last time. Then the wrestler’s career ends. But he was banned  due to positives for banned preparations.
Bill Hogarth, Colin Daynes’ personal trainer, claims that that the things are too bad. But the wrestler didn’t want to cheat. Hogarth hopes that Daynes’ reputation will not be destroyed. During the career Colin Daynes won 62 gold medals, 11 silver and 5 bronze medals.

Australian man that purchased 1 kg of Testosterone Propionate avoided imprisonment

Carlton Alloysius Hayes, a man from Australia, was caught possessing almost a kg of Testosterone Propionate. He placed order for powder of this medication per internet and acquired it from overseas. This man also wanted to get benzyl benzoate, a chemical that is utilized for preparing of solution for injections from powder. When police officers found out that this person ordered this chemical, they asked him about purpose of purchasing it. Carlton Alloysius Hayes confirmed that he planned to buy it for a friend. But he noted that he had forgotten the name of the friend.
Then Hayes himself contacted police officers and asked them to come to his place. When they came, Hayes showed that he had two bags of white powder. He also admitted that he had ordered benzyl benzoate in order to mix it with the powder and prepare solution for injections.  
Hayes weighed circa 156 kg, when he was in the court. He noted that he couldn’t lose weight, although he trained at the gym. Thus, he used steroids to lose weight and look better. This person added that he hadn’t had any desire to distribute steroids. He purchased the testosterone powder for personal administration.
A defense attorney for Hayes claimed that his client had a good reputation. He was ever a hard worker.
 However he had to be sentenced to prison because he got steroids from overseas, the judge’s decision was to sentence him to several months of suspended jail. Thus, this man avoided prison.

International drug ring was busted in Poland

A criminal group that produced and sold anabolic steroids was busted by Poland’s police officers. More than 90 policemen and frontier guard were implicated in the investigation linked with this illicit company. Customers were chiefly from North America. Police officers arrested 19 persons: 6 women and 13 men. They were charged with illicit manufacture and distribution of steroids and money laundering.
Investigators determined that the drug ring was dealing with steroids since March 2008. The company advertised steroids for enhancement of muscle mass and health in general. The medicines were offered for sale on internet. Individuals from the USA, Canada, France, Belgium, etc. placed orders and obtained illegal medicines.  Steroids were packed in fake packages and delivered to customers. There was a member of the group that was responsible for receiving money and transferring it to members of the company.
Homes and business offices of the group were raided. Police found large measures of steroids and packages which were prepared for shipment abroad. Some vehicles, including BMW X6, Mercedes S500 and Jeep Grand, watches, jewelry and other objects were confiscated. The total value of confiscated objects and money was estimated. It was around 1 million Polish zlotys.
 It was set by investigators that 3 individuals composed the leadership of the criminal group. They face 15 years in prison.
This investigation conducted by Polish police was successful. It was not the first successful drug investigation in Poland. Last year Polish police officers busted another illegal drug ring. 7 persons were detained. About 80 police officers participated in that investigation. Police also reported about preparations which were sold by that group.

5-alpha reductase inhibitors don’t hinder anabolic effects caused by exogenous testosterone

According to a trial, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor dutasteride (Avodart) doesn’t affect muscle mass in healthy men that take testosterone.
A research related to this issue was performed. While fat-free mass was increased by 0,6-7,1 kg during 20 weeks in males who applied dutasteride and Testosterone Enanthate, fat-free mass was increased by 0,8-8,1 kg in those that applied placebo and testosterone. As for muscle power, sexual functions and volume of prostate, they didn’t differ in males of these two groups.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors are utilized clinically to cure benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgenic alopecia. These are disorders that usually appear in middle-aged and old males.
DHT represents the chief metabolite of testosterone. But the role of this metabolite in human development is not studied well. It is suggested that DHT has relevant role in development of prostate and phallus.
Middle-aged and elder males with low testosterone levels who use testosterone medications have risks connected with decreased muscle mass and sexual troubles.
Nonsteroidal selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are also currently studied and developed. It is affirmed that SARMs and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are safe because DHT is supposedly not necessary for effects on muscle mass, strength and sexual activity. It is also doubted whether DHT plays any role for androgen’s effects on hematocrit, hemoglobin, lipids and several other factors.
Shalender Bhasin and his colleagues at the Boston University have conducted a clinical trial in order to define whether 5?-reduction to DHT is needed in order to mediate androgen’s effects on fat-free mass. Moreover, the scientist evaluated role of 5?-reduction on sexual activity, hematocrit and levels of lipid.
The study conducted by Bhasin and his colleagues implicated healthy men who were 18- 50 years old and had normal levels of testosterone. They took Testosterone Enanthate and dutasteride or placebo. Measures of Testosterone Enanthate varied from 50 to 600 mg weekly.
Since 5 ?-reductase inhibitors enhance levels of testosterone, all males were given also gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in order to block natural testosterone.
The results of the research showed that fat-free mass was increased due to administration of testosterone. It didn’t differ essentially in males of these two groups. Muscle power that was also enhanced due to intake of testosterone didn’t differ between the two groups too. Sexual functions, volume of prostate, sebum production, hemoglobin, acne, hematocrit didn’t differ substantially between those who used placebo and dutasteride.
The experts state that effectiveness of 5?-reductase inhibitors may be limited in men who have normal or enhanced levels of testosterone. That’s why it is necessary to check testosterone levels in order to determine how bodies will respond to 5 ?-reductase inhibitors.
So, the study has displayed that muscle mass is not affected by 5?-reductase inhibitors.  Men should know that if they have high levels of testosterone or introduce exogenous testosterone in their bodies, 5?-reductase inhibitors will not cause shrunken prostate.

Operation Skype in Spain

Spain’s police busted a large doping ring.
 According to reports of police officers, sportspeople that tested positive at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Vuelta a Espana got steroids and other related medications from this illegal drug ring.
10 individuals who were implicated in this doping ring were detained. Professional cyclists and other sportspersons had relations with this doping network.  It represented a popular doping ring in the world of elite sport.
The investigation was called “Operation Skype”. The physician  Alberto Beltran Nino was the leader of the drug ring. He is a former doctor of Liberty Seguros team. This man was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment, when he tried to flee from Madrid to Columbia. Cezar Perez, the former personal trainer of the Spanish runner Marta Dominguez, was also arrested by police.
However the center of the doping ring was set in Barcelona, it represented a multinational company. The ring was related to Morocco and Columbia. Steroids, HGH and EPO CERA were distributed by this illegal drug ring.
Dr. Beltran also worked with Xacobeo-Galicia team. David Garcia, the road bicycle racer of this team, tested positive for EPO at the 2010 Vuelta.
The investigation started summer last year. It was initially related to the runner Jose Luis Blanco after he was banned for two years due to positives for forbidden drugs.