Anyone been paying attention to this stuff with swimmer Ian Thorpe (I’m sure the Aussies have)?
He has been accused of being a drug cheat after a French paper said that an old sample returned an abnormally high level of testosterone.
The TV reports don’t seem to have picked up on the implications of certain facts, however. The sample showed high levels of both testosterone AND luteneising hormone. Now, I’m no expert, but wouldn’t a high level of luteneising hormone be COUNTERINDICATIVE of steroid use, what with steroids shutting down natural production and all? In fact, wouldn’t a steroid user have a LOW level of lutenising hormone?
As for drugs that increase testosterone by increasing lutenising hormone, are there any that will do anything over and above getting you into the high normal range? Maybe those more familiar with the sports drug scene can enlighten us?
They said that Thorpe’s t ratio (no sure what that is exactly) was 6:1, where anything over 4:1 was considered abnormal. Maybe I’m showing my lack of knowledge, but that doesn’t look off the charts to me. Isn’t it possible, and indeed probably, that; like many other elite athletes of his calibre presumabley are; he is blessed with exceptionally high endogenous testosterone production?
Any enlightenment from more informed individuals would be much appreciated.
[quote]bigjoey wrote:
Isn’t it possible, and indeed probably, that; like many other elite athletes of his calibre presumabley are; he is blessed with exceptionally high endogenous testosterone production?
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This is what I’ve been thinking, it’s possibly one reason why he was so good. I find it hard to believe that Thorpe is guilty, after all he was probably the most drug tested athlete in the world in the last few years (some times up to 3-4 tests per month) and testosterone level testing has been around for a while, it’s not one of the substances for which they have no tests yet, so they would have picked up something years ago whilst he was still swimming competitively.
It is a shame that such a great sporting career has been tarnished, even if he can prove that it is false it’s a given fact that mud sticks and there will now always be people who doubt what Ian achieved.
The only thing I hate about it is that it has bought him back into the public eye again.
Since his retirement he had slipped out of the spotlight and was no longer talked about. It was so good not to have to hear about the dickhead all the time, but now he is back. I wish the media would just drop it and let him disappear again so that every one can again forget that he exists.
EDIT: Ok, so that was a little harsh.
I do think the guy is a complete knob, but I hope that his sporting achievements arent tarnished if he was swimming clean. I just hope it is resolved soon so we can go back to not hearing about him.
[quote]Helga wrote:
Does any one really give a shit?
The only thing I hate about it is that it has bought him back into the public eye again.
Since his retirement he had slipped out of the spotlight and was no longer talked about. It was so good not to have to hear about the dickhead all the time, but now he is back. I wish the media would just drop it and let him disappear again so that every one can again forget that he exists.
EDIT: Ok, so that was a little harsh.
I do think the guy is a complete knob, but I hope that his sporting achievements arent tarnished if he was swimming clean. I just hope it is resolved soon so we can go back to not hearing about him.[/quote]
So what is up with the anti-Thorpedo thing? I would have thought the Aussies would have been proud of their gold medal winner.
[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
Helga wrote:
Does any one really give a shit?
The only thing I hate about it is that it has bought him back into the public eye again.
Since his retirement he had slipped out of the spotlight and was no longer talked about. It was so good not to have to hear about the dickhead all the time, but now he is back. I wish the media would just drop it and let him disappear again so that every one can again forget that he exists.
EDIT: Ok, so that was a little harsh.
I do think the guy is a complete knob, but I hope that his sporting achievements arent tarnished if he was swimming clean. I just hope it is resolved soon so we can go back to not hearing about him.
So what is up with the anti-Thorpedo thing? I would have thought the Aussies would have been proud of their gold medal winner.
[/quote]
same here.
You fuckers need to sort your shit out, you hated steve irwin when he was alive too! bastards!
Kidding.
Im not a thorpe hater, i just find i dont get excited about sporting personalities when they are devoid of personality. Regardless of how Good/Great they are.
[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
So what is up with the anti-Thorpedo thing? I would have thought the Aussies would have been proud of their gold medal winner.
[/quote]
You’d think so, but there are a few things working against the guy. The #1 reason for me is that he quit when he should have been at the top of his game.
The conspiracy theorist in me says that he tested positive and they cut a deal with him to leave the sport and all positive tests will be forgotten.
It’s probably easier to do that than to rewrite the record books, hand out new gold medals and bring the sport into shame with one of it’s golden boys failing a drug test.
You fuckers need to sort your shit out, you hated steve irwin when he was alive too! bastards!
Kidding.
Im not a thorpe hater, i just find i dont get excited about sporting personalities when they are devoid of personality. Regardless of how Good/Great they are.[/quote]
Thorpe started off being a humble young guy who could dominate the world in his sport. As he aged I think he became the absolute definition of arrogance. He lost all humility and appeared to expect fame and fortune for anything that he did rather then just being a guy going out and doing his best for his country in the pool.
He was a great swimmer but I just didnt like his personality.
I obviously have to state that I have no idea what it would be like to be in his situation and live with the pressure and public exposure that he has, and I have to admit that if it were me in his situation, I would probably change exactly as he has done and be everything that I just wrote about.
[quote]James Kiely wrote:
lol this is a good thread some funny responses. I think most of us dont like him because he is a metrosexual that’s why I dont like him anyway.[/quote]
Is it hard to believe that someone that big would have more test than an average sized man? If I recall, he is extremely tall, and had like a size 18 shoe. Its not much of a stretch to believe he has more test that a 5’8 man with a size 9 shoe.
With higher levels of test, and LH, this points to natural test. Natural test is not his problem, nor is it cheating.
What I love, once again, the French have accused an athlete for being on test. These athletes they have accused, first Landis, then Thorpe, really have nothing to gain by being on test. If they were going to dope, I’m certain they would be using things other than test.
[quote]Man O’ War wrote:
James Kiely wrote:
lol this is a good thread some funny responses. I think most of us dont like him because he is a metrosexual that’s why I dont like him anyway.
Are you sure he’s just a meterosexual?
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I bet you that he is good buddies with Anthony Callea.
[quote]TrainerinDC wrote:
Is it hard to believe that someone that big would have more test than an average sized man? If I recall, he is extremely tall, and had like a size 18 shoe. Its not much of a stretch to believe he has more test that a 5’8 man with a size 9 shoe.
With higher levels of test, and LH, this points to natural test. Natural test is not his problem, nor is it cheating.
What I love, once again, the French have accused an athlete for being on test. These athletes they have accused, first Landis, then Thorpe, really have nothing to gain by being on test. If they were going to dope, I’m certain they would be using things other than test. [/quote]
Agreed… As soon as I saw it was the French again the accustation meant nothing to me… I think they have made it top priority to try bring down any top athlete not from their country or at the very least tarnish the athletes image. Hopefully soon people will stop listening to their accusations.
Agreed… As soon as I saw it was the French again the accustation meant nothing to me… I think they have made it top priority to try bring down any top athlete not from their country or at the very least tarnish the athletes image. Hopefully soon people will stop listening to their accusations.
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Right on man. Every single thing I’ve ever read from the French press is an accusation of wrongdoing about a foreigner. I don’t know what it is about that culture that brings this out, maybe it has something to do with pride, and their athletes not doing well, but I haven’t heard much about French athletes.
The French press has turned the sport of pro cycling into a joke of steroid tests and ruined careers over nothing.
