Angel ,'Time Bomb'
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
I'm confused. It seems to be related to a blood transfusion?
It said two distinctive types of red blood cells were found in the A sample and showed that Vinokourov received a blood transfusion from a compatible donor shortly before the time trial.
What's the issue?
Blood doping is the practice of illicitly boosting the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in the circulation in order to enhance athletic performance. Because they carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, more RBCs in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and stamina.
Plus, given that Vino will get a two-year ban, and he's something like 33, this will probably end his career.
He was talking retirement after this season anyway, so that's not as much of an issue -- in fact, I wonder if "this is my last chance to win" played a part in the stupid (I thought the same thing last year with Landis).
It seems to be related to a blood transfusion?
It's called "blood doping", and it used to be pretty much undetectable -- instead of shooting up with hormones or steroids, inject a lot of extra red blood cells to boost your oxygen-carrying capabilities. But then they started testing the actual cells, so nsm undetectable any more.
(Smart idiots dope with their own blood.)
Also, DAMN IT.
eta: I'm surprised that the whole team pulled out, since Klöden was a much more serious contender in the race than Vino at this point. On the one hand, it's totally Vino's team, so it might just be that. On the other, I wonder if they fessed up to organization-wide shenanigans. And of course cycling is really good at off-handedly saying, "oh, yeah, something huge happened last month sometime" so we may never get a proper announcement.
(Smart idiots dope with their own blood.)
I was just gonna ask why he didn't do this....
I was too! And was thinking maybe you can't store blood long enough to make your own back. But I guess no.
He was talking retirement after this season anyway
I hadn't realized he was that old until a few days ago. Poor Kloden, too.
If you end up doing interviews from home (for evening or weekend programs) I wonder if skype would work. Voice over internet - $29 a year for all you can eat calls within U.S. and Canada, and very cheap call s outside the U.S. (You also need headset with mike) .I've had good luck with voice quality - better any of our local cell phone companies. Don't know if voice quality is good enough for radio.
(Smart idiots dope with their own blood.)
I expect that this will be detectable soon. The blood cells that you generated a year ago are slightly different than those you created last week, and new tools of proteomics should make it possible to tell when two populations of cells are present.
Phil Ligget on Vino:
...such a stupid action at a time the sport looked to be putting its own house in order. It is incomprehensible that Vinokourov could do such a thing when he must have known he was under suspicion because of his dealing with disgraced doctor Michele Ferrari in Italy. He must have known he would be tested at every opportunity and the time trial was the perfect occasion.
J.K. Rowling on the difference between Christians in the UK and the US:
"I had one letter from a vicar in England -- this is the difference -- saying would I please not put Christmas trees at Hogwarts as it was clearly a pagan society. Meanwhile, I'm having death threats when I'm on tour in America."