Annual anti-doping budget for all of tennis is less than Wimbledon champions prize money

[Miguel Cicenia]

Is the ITF doing enough to keep performance-enhancing drugs out of tennis? The annual anti-doping budget for all of tennis is less than the prize money for Wimbledon champions. (via @TheTennisMole)
Read on:
http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/03...-court-tennis-anti-doping-agencies-spend-off/

 

[Ricardo]

Is the ITF doing enough to keep performance-enhancing drugs out of tennis? The annual anti-doping budget for all of tennis is less than the prize money for Wimbledon champions. (via @TheTennisMole)
Read on:
http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/03...-court-tennis-anti-doping-agencies-spend-off/

Its more and more like, the anti-doping is a smoke screen to satisfy suspicious fans so some can say 'my player isn't doping because he passes all the tests', 'there is no evidence' ...... surely for a billion dollar business (and its survival), it's possible sportsmanship and fairness have to take the backseats no? would you expose your biggest stars (say the big 3, if there is doping) and willingly accept the irreversible damage?

 

[britbox]

Agreed ricardo, that's all it is. When you have the same body responsible for testing as the same body promoting the sport, then the conflict of interest is a big one.

 

[Moxie]

There seems to be a new regime in place, with more of an eye to PR, at least, if not actual transparency. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a real change.

 

[Federberg]

Frankly the ATP/WTA/ITF should be paying an annual stipend to WADA or one of those other bodies to take care of anti-doping monitoring. That's the best solution in my book. We see arguments in favour of self-governance a lot in the UK, I don't think many people buy it

 

[Moxie]

With any luck, this new regime will take on board that tennis could go the way of cycling, given recent scandals. It seems like things are on the cusp of changing. I hope so. I also hope that Nadal makes something of his lawsuit against Bachelot. He should subpoena all of his tests, if he is indeed clean, which I believe he is, and bring that out in court. It would go a long way to taking the suspicion off, not just him, but tennis, at least at the top level.

 

[Ricardo]

Agreed ricardo, that's all it is. When you have the same body responsible for testing as the same body promoting the sport, then the conflict of interest is a big one.

What can you expect when you have player be the umpire also? i believe possibly even the top players are dodgy. But for me, i love watching high level tennis so doping wouldn't kill the sport for me, it can make some matches unfair but the tennis still gooooood.

 

[Ricardo]

With any luck, this new regime will take on board that tennis could go the way of cycling, given recent scandals. It seems like things are on the cusp of changing. I hope so. I also hope that Nadal makes something of his lawsuit against Bachelot. He should subpoena all of his tests, if he is indeed clean, which I believe he is, and bring that out in court. It would go a long way to taking the suspicion off, not just him, but tennis, at least at the top level.

Now if your player does do something 'not so right', would you jump boat? its not an accusation but i am just curious of a fan's opinion. I think it would be naive by now, to say that someone is absolutely clean, given they 'pass' the tests..... (like Armstrong did all those years). You simply cannot rule out the possibility. Money talks.

 

[Moxie]

Now if your player does do something 'not so right', would you jump boat? its not an accusation but i am just curious of a fan's opinion. I think it would be naive by now, to say that someone is absolutely clean, given they 'pass' the tests..... (like Armstrong did all those years). You simply cannot rule out the possibility. Money talks.

If you're going to ask the question, don't parse words. You're asking me if Nadal failed a doping test, how would I feel, am I right? If it came out that Nadal failed a drug test, I would be crushed, disillusioned, and no, I wouldn't support him anymore. But you ask questions and make (general) insinuations at the same time. Perhaps you want to clarify the question, but I hope my answer is clear.

 

[isabelle]

Fortunately our dear Mrs Bachelot is there to inform us about the real banned guys ...ITF should take antidoping fight with more conviction but Sharpy was a good fish for them, hope they can continue like that

 

[Ricardo]

If you're going to ask the question, don't parse words. You're asking me if Nadal failed a doping test, how would I feel, am I right? If it came out that Nadal failed a drug test, I would be crushed, disillusioned, and no, I wouldn't support him anymore. But you ask questions and make (general) insinuations at the same time. Perhaps you want to clarify the question, but I hope my answer is clear.

Insinuation is your perspective, no need to get defensive about anything about Nadal. But you are right, i think every fan should accept the possibility that any given player can possibly be doping....unless you are that naive. If you don't support him, would you then stop watching tennis altogether? there is a difference between a tennis fan and a player's fan. Personally i think there are other players who are more suspicious than Rafa, who's always been super-physical and is showing kind of a 'natural' decline. It's the players who have a surge in physical prowess very 'quickly' that look suspicious. Never thought tennis is as clean as ITF/ATP/WTA make it out to be, and it should be clear why by now.