I just read the story about the lawsuit between Keat, Vine and Neben against Hammer Nutrition. They are alleging that Endurolytes were contaminated (and have tested the bottles of Endurolytes that Keat had used in two labs to prove they WERE in fact, contaminated with noradrostendione) and caused each athlete to test positive during in-competition testing. Well, the whole story sucks because who thought they would test positive taking ELECTROLYTES.. not me! It is interesting because the two sides have already headed in an ugly direction….
Luckily I have Gu2O with extra sodium so NO NEED for Hammer Nutrition. But what BUGGED me about the story was when Brian Frank went on a ridiculous rant talking about how Canadians were having a run of big wins and testing positive, citing Roland Green. GIVE ME A BREAK!! Roland Green got sanctioned because he didn’t get a TUE (a Therapeutic Use Exemption which states you have asthma and therefore can take the asthma drugs) for Salbutamol… which is an asthma drug. I know Rollie, not a big details guy when it came to the Canadian Cycling Association and the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport.. paperwork was never his strong point. We joked that at the time, he did not have a girlfriend doing it for him, so that was why it was overlooked. In addition, he was NOT having his best year at that time so, Mr. Frank, poor example if you are trying to discredit Roland’s achievements in cycling.
After the Jeanson affair, I am not naive to think that there are no Canadians doping. But cheaters are cheaters.. no matter what country they come from and Canada is not a country that condones or promotes winning by cheating. You have to be joking! You win a gold medal at the Olympics and sometimes, depending on your sport, NO ONE CARES. Not really a win at all costs environment… that is a state of mind that belongs to the individual, not the country.
Then Mr. Frank stated that he only sponsors amateurs. Now, I am a BIG proponent of amateur sponsorship but that begs the question: If amateurs are going to be tested now, as USADA has indicated, does that mean that no athletes at all will be sponsored by Hammer Nutrition? I don’t know.
Mike Vine and Kelly Guest both were sanctioned for positive tests that were determined to have been caused by supplement contamination. Two Canadian athletes who’s careers, at their pinnacle, were completely derailed. It sucks for them and is scary to me. This story highlights the fact that supplements do not undergo the same testing as drugs do and it is Buyer Beware. The only supplement company, that I know of, that actively samples their RAW ingredients and production materials is USANA. Those are the only vitamin supplements I take.
That is my rant for today. Read and decide for yourself: THE STORY IS HERE.