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Titolo: Anti-doping: the Fraud Behind the Stage

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ANTI-DOPING: THE FRAUD BEHIND THE STAGE
By: Sandro Donati
The head of research at the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Sandro 
Donati, recounts his personal story about twenty years of fighting 
against doping in Italian and international sport. An unbelievable story 
which nevertheless is true.
1. Introduction to the doping cave: 1981, I meet prof. Conconi
Just a few days after becoming National Coach for 800m and 1500m male 
runners, I met Prof. Conconi at a scientific congress where I was a 
speaker. He was informal, as if we had known each other for a long time, 
and asked to speak to me. He congratulated me on my new appointment and 
told me the Italian Athletics Federation had asked him to advise me of 
their project.
He had elaborated a new system, improving upon the one used in Finland, 
for the transfusion of selected red blood cells, which were stored Iat 
-90, enriched with particular substances and then transfused two or 
three days before an important event. He said: "it means an improvement 
of 3 to 5 seconds for 1500m races, 15 to 20 seconds for 5000m races and 
30 to 40 seconds for 10,000m races."
I was astounded as I suddenly understood that doping really did exist 
and that the rumours concerning the Italian medals at the Moscow 
Olympics were true! But I did not let on; I immediately decided I would 
not let him understand what my position was so that I would be able to 
gather as much information as I could.
He went on to say: "in the next few weeks we shall carry out a number of 
field tests and then draw the blood - a total of 1000 c.c. on two 
separate occasions - of the athletes you consider more promising in view 
of the oncoming Athens European Championships".
I made no comment and just said I would be available for the field tests.
I was very upset when I got home as I realised that in the new 
environment I had just entered, high level performances were to be 
obtained through any means. But was there anyone I could take into my 
confidence?
2. 1981 - 1984 blood transfusions
I decided the best thing would be to tell everything to the athletes 
themselves. I called a meeting and illustrated the proposal, adding that 
for my part, I would never accept this type of procedure, even though it 
had not been expressly forbidden by the IOC, because it had all the 
characteristics of doping. I told them they were absolutely free to 
chose, but that if they were to accept I would resign and go back to my 
desk at CONI.
All seven of them said it would never occur to them to accept.
A few days later, Prof. Conconi sent his assistants to perform the field 
tests and I carefully took note of all the data they recorded for each 
athlete. I then processed these data and found that the test elaborated 
by Conconi and extensively publicized on international scientific 
publications was by no means as significant as he claimed.
I therefore decided on a counterattack; I refuted the test thus putting 
off the moment in which I would have to give the more important reply, 
the one about the blood transfusions; a practice that probably killed 
the young middle distance runner, Fulvio Costa.
Prof. Conconi waited for a few weeks and then wrote to Primo Nebiolo who 
was President of Italian Athletics Federation as well of the 
International Athletics Federation to report my lack of co-operation.
I was summoned by the Head Coach, Enzo Rossi, who very urbanely tried to 
persuade me; I firmly refused saying that if he wanted to perform blood 
transfusions on the athletes in my charge, he would first have to find 
another coach to substitute for me. I knew I had the full support of the 
athletes and of their respective club coach. He did not insist but said 
he hoped I would change my mind.
Just before the Los Angeles Olympics, Italian Athletics Federation 
officials became more determined; the Head Coach summoned my best 
athletes and asked them whether they wanted to improve their performance 
in view of the Olympic Games through blood transfusion. I was present in 
this occasion but had been asked not to express an opinion. All the 
seven athletes refused!
The Head Coach left the room in a rage.
After a few days, behind my back, Prof. Conconi invited two of these 
athletes to visit the University of Ferrara and, once again, tried to 
persuade them to try blood transfusion without letting me know about it. 
Both of them refused and came to talk to me that same evening as soon as 
they returned to the Tirrenia Training Centre.
I protested heatedly but was told I would be relieved from office 
immediately after the Olympic Games. All the other National Coaches, so 
had the athletes (5000m, 10,000m, marathon and walk races, Men and 
Women) had accepted blood transfusion.
It was then that I understood how, when it comes to doping, the key 
figure is the coach; it is not really a question of honest or dishonest 
athletes but of honest or dishonest coaches.
During that same period, apart from the blood transfusions organized by 
Prof. Conconi, Italian Athletics Federation was also implementing 
another project with Prof. Conconi and with the complicity of one of the 
major Italian research institutes; the administration of testosterone 
and of anabolic steroids to athletes specializing in different Athletics 
events.
These procedures were of course kept secret; I heard of them only 
because I was still working with the National Team. None of my 
colleagues opposed them, in fact they were very pleased that the 
Federation provided them with "methods" that would allow them to achieve 
better results and so improve their reputation.
I did not know how to organize a movement of opposition as I had to be 
careful not to lose my job with CONI.
A dear friend of mine, Renato Marino, suggested I speak to his uncle who 
was a Member of Parliament. I was very agitated on my way to this 
appointment but I managed to explain clearly just how dangerous the 
situation had become with CONI supporting the doping methods carried out 
by Italian Athletics Federation.
He introduced me to a younger Member of Parliament, Adriana Ceci, who 
was haematologist and immediately took this issue to heart. Together we 
prepared a question in Parliament to the Minister of Health. The 
Ministers reply came after a few weeks - blood transfusions aimed at 
improving sports performances were outlawed and defined blood doping.
The reaction of the entire sports system was particularly violent and 
led to heated debates on the major newspapers and on television. Italian 
sports officials denied that blood transfusions had been performed on 
Italian athletes in view of the Los Angeles Olympics, but they had to 
acknowledge the letter sent by the Ministry of Health and agree to 
ensure that blood transfusions would not be performed in the future.
Also the IOC promptly declared that blood transfusions were forbidden, 
and this method was officialy denominated blood doping. One little move 
of a seemingly powerless individual had delivered a sensational blow to 
the propagators of doping - it was unbelievable!
3. 1986, the discovery of doping diaries
A physician and former decathlete by name of Daniele Faraggiana had been 
instructed by the Athletics Federation and by the Weightlifting 
Federation to "treat" the athletes of their respective National Teams - 
mostly with anabolic steroids and with testosterone. People talked about 
it but there was no proof. Proof could come only from phototats of the 
documents he always carried with him. Far from easy, but at long last it 
was done!
The documents listed everything: the names of all the athletes involved 
(between them the shot put Olympic Champion in Los Angeles, Alessandro 
Andrei), the drugs that had been administered, the respective dosage, 
the negative effects on their health, the targets that had been set, 
even the "philosophy" behind the whole process.
It also emerged that the Anti-Doping Laboratory in Rome, duly accredited 
by IOC, was used for a totally different purpose: to establish after how 
long traces of these drugs would disappear from the urine samples of the 
individual athletes.
The documents also proved that Dr. Faraggiana was regularly paid by the 
two Federations to administer these drugs and that he provided forbidden 
substances also to Prof. Conconi
4. 1987, an interview to L'Espresso
The excellent results obtained at the European Championships, Mei and 
the 400-metre runners, induced the Federation to increase the number of 
disciplines in my charge; I became National Coach for the 100m, 200m, 
400m, both relay races and the 800m.
In March, two of my sprinters, Pier Francesco Pavoni and Antonio Ullo, 
placed second and third in the 60m dash at the European Indoor 
Championships. We then began to prepare for the World Championships that 
were to be held in Rome during the month of August.
Taking advantage of the fact that these achievements had given me 
credit, I released a number of controversial interviews on the issue of 
doping. Also Pavoni strongly attacked Athletics Federation.
5. 1987, the faked jump
The day before the beginning of the World Championships, the secretary 
of the Field Judges told me that the Long Jump event was going to be 
arranged so as to favour the Italian athlete Giovanni Evangelisti. She 
said to me "a jump of 8m 38cm will be arranged for him so that he will 
be third after Carl Lewis and Emmian".
I was at the Stadio Olimpico and watched the competition very carefully. 
Evangelistis first trial was a no jump, the following ones were quite 
modest but the distance given was every time over 8 metres. Finally, the 
fifth jump; a very poor performance, the spectators were disappointed 
and so was Evangelisti himself.
As he was getting dressed, one of the Judges went to him and obviously 
told him to turn around and look at the electronic scoreboard; after a 
few seconds it showed 8 metres and 37 centimetres; the exact result that 
had been established beforehand.
I went home in rage; I could not understand how they had managed it and 
it drove me mad that they would probably get away with it once again. I 
did not sleep all night and in the morning I went to the police station 
and reported everything.
When the newspapers took up my accusation, CONI started a separate 
enquiry. Neither of these investigations seemed to be getting anywhere; 
on the contrary all the witnesses denied everything. My situation was 
becoming extremely difficult as CONI was ready to sack me.
Everything around me appeared to be crumbling. First Athletics 
Federation withdrew my appointment as National Coach, then the Civil 
Court of Rome decided my accusations had no foundation and dismissed the 
case; the Committee established for the CONI investigation was about to 
do the same.
With the few friends still ready to help me, I stubbornly continued to 
look for proof of the fraud until I found a young Field Judge, who 
trembled even as he spoke, but told me he had overhead the other judges 
when they agreed to arrange the fifth jump. He said: "I think they 
recorded the distance, by electronic instruments, before Evangelisti 
jumped".
I now had a clue and I started looking for the television recordings of 
the event. A journalist friend of mine agreed to let me watch hours of 
film recorded with various cameras. After a long day in front of the 
video I finally found what I was looking for. The film showed clearly 
how the Field Judge went to the pit, placed the marker, focused the 
Seiko apparatus, returned to the pit, retrieved the marker and then 
waited for Evangelisti to jump.
Ironically, that jump was particularly poor, about 7 metres and 85 
centimetres, quite 50 centimetres below the distance which was 
officially measured.
6. 1989, a book: Campioni senza valore
I decided to set down the details of this nine-year struggle in a book, 
Campioni senza valore (Worthless Champions), to illustrate how the 
struggle had constantly risen in level and how I had encountered 
unimaginable levels of corruption.
The book was presented to the press in one of the major bookshops in 
Rome. Quite a number of journalists and other authors attended, and 
during the first week the sales were very successful.
Then, all of a sudden, the publisher stopped providing the bookshops and 
I was submerged by telephone calls and letters from all over Italy: 
nobody could not find my book. The publisher told me they had problems 
with the distribution but that everything would be solved shortly. 
Nothing happened; my book disappeared for ever.
7. 1992, the appointment to scientific anti-doping committee
After four years of exile, which turned out to be useful to purge my 
mind of all the poison and tiredness I had accumulated, the President of 
CONI summoned me and told me he thought I deserved to be rewarded for 
all I had done for sports. He therefore offered me to become Head of 
CONIs Research Department (Settore Ricerca e Sperimentazione).
Shortly afterwards, as doping was becoming a major issue, CONI created a 
Scientific Anti-doping Committee, which was quite ambiguous since some 
of the members, such as Prof. Conconi, and the Heads of Romes 
Anti-doping Laboratory, were heavily involved in doping activities. The 
President of CONI invited me to sit on this Committee.
It was obvious that my name would be used to give credit to the 
Committee. I thought it over and, in the end, decided to accept as the 
time had come to oppose doping from an official position and from within 
the system.
8. 1992-1994, science, conscience, logig and information
To begin with, I introduced anti-doping tests to be performed without 
prior notice on Italian athletes of all sports disciplines.
I then suggested to install a telephone line on which anyone could call, 
toll-free, to ask for information on medical or pharmacological aspects, 
or to provide any type of information on events related to doping. The 
telephone number was widely publicised on the media.
I also suggested to reduce the length of the suspension for athletes who 
had proved positive at anti-doping tests but were willing to co-operate 
by giving complete information on who had introduced them to doping and 
provided the forbidden drugs.
At the same time, I obtained the IOC official statistics on the number 
of positive tests detected in each one of the 21 accredited Anti-doping 
Laboratories throughout the world. The data clearly showed that the Rome 
Laboratory was way behind all the others with a ridiculously low number 
of positive tests. I pondered over the possible meaning of these 
statistics and then asked to meet both the President and the General 
Secretary of CONI to advise them of this situation.
When the meetings of the Scientific Committee began, it became 
immediately apparent that it was not an assembly of saints and virgins. 
As Secretary of the Committee, I was careful to instruct my 
collaborators to take very detailed minutes of each meeting so as to 
record the exact details of all discussions. I mentioned earlier that 
Prof. Conconi sat on this Committee. Conconi was always particularly 
nice to me, nearly sickening.
A number of incidents occurred to change the atmosphere and re-establish 
the distance between the various members of the Committee.
Right from the beginning I questioned the work done by the Rome 
Laboratory on the basis of the IOC statistics; the responsibles were not 
able to find a reasonable explanation for the ridiculously low number of 
positive tests.
A few months later, I asked Prof. Conconi to perform anti-doping tests 
on urine and blood samples of a professional cyclist, Francesco Moser, 
who was "assisted" by Conconi, and was preparing to go to Mexico City to 
try for a new one-hour track record. Prof. Conconi refused and the other 
members of the Committee voted against these tests...
Then, Prof. Conconi submitted to the Committee a request of 150,000 US $ 
to finance a research project aimed at the detection of erythropoietin. 
His request was supported by the President of CONI, Dr. Pescante. I 
showed Conconis project to chemistry experts who concluded it could not 
possibly be successful since the technical bases were wrong. The request 
was therefore refused much to the President's annoyance.
After the refusal of Prof. Conconis request the President of CONI lost 
interest in the Committee and did not even answer my proposal to 
organize an International Contest for a method to detect erythropoietin. 
I realized that the time had come to let this Committee die out as it 
was ambiguous and I was being used as a screen.
9. 1994, the EPO dossier
Before the Committee was closed down, however, I decided to investigate 
closely, and very secretly, on the incidence of doping among 
professional cyclists.
I identified twelve key-figures of the cycling milieu, athletes, 
physicians, officials, and spoke to them assuring that the information 
would remain strictly anonymous, as my interest lay in collecting 
information that I would then report to the President and to the General 
Secretary of CONI in order to establish adequate measures.
After four months of investigation, I arrived at extraordinary conclusions:
anti-doping tests on cyclists were very rarely positive because they 
used new substances, peptidic hormones, which cannot be traced with 
urine tests;
in particular, the erythropoietin hormone also known as Epo, was being 
used ever more frequently;
  the idea of using Epo for athletes involved in endurance sports, and 
therefore also for cyclists, had clearly come from Prof. Conconi, who 
had been nominated member of the IOC Medical Committee some years before;
  Prof. Conconi and his assistants had signed very important contracts 
with professional cyclist clubs to administer Epo to the cyclists;
at that time the production of Epo was quite limited and the substance 
was provided only to the hospitals who treated nephrology and the 
cyclists therefore obtained it through illegal channels;
the cost of Epo on the black market was very high (about 150 US$ per 
dose); there were also other very expensive hormones, such as Gh, or 
Igf1; in other words the doping market was becoming as lucrative as the 
narcotics market;
I wrote out a 14-page report and sent it, complete with a protocol 
letter, to the President and to the General Secretary of CONI. The 
President did not even answer it. The General Secretary sent for me and 
said he was very worried.
Time passed but nothing more was said about my report.
10. 1994-1996, reflux
The only outcome of my report on Epo was that the President of CONI 
stopped talking to me, while the General Secretary talked of other 
matters; he also mentioned that I should make better use of my 
capacities, instead of concentrating only on doping.
In the meantime the media had forgotten all about doping and were busy 
magnifying the performance of this or that champion athlete. Page-long 
interviews with Prof. Conconi filled all the newspapers.
The President of the IOC Medical Committee, Prince de Merode, accorded 
Prof. Conconi the financial support that had been refused by CONIs 
Scientific Committee! Prof. Conconi therefore posed as the great 
champion of the struggle against doping while he actually administered 
the forbidden substances in his laboratory!
11. 1996, the EPO dossier reappears
October 1996 marked the beginning of a period the President of CONI and 
other high sports officials are not likely to forget.
One of the major Italian sports daily newspapers, La Gazzetta dello 
Sport, began a series of articles, rather sterile and unenthusiastic, on 
doping; I just looked on and smiled as this happened after a whole two 
years of complete silence. After the sixth or seventh instalment, the 
Journalists of the Gazzetta asked me to help them. I jokingly pointed 
out that they had not needed my help for the past two years, nor for the 
other instalments.
I gave them the name of a physician in Florence, who for many years had 
been in charge of the national women road cyclists team, and who had 
contributed significantly to my report on the incidence of Epo doping 
among professional cyclists.
The two journalists went to Florence where Dr. Flavio Alessandri gave 
them a number of details; he also underlined that he had already given 
these same details to me, nearly two and a half years before, when I was 
preparing a report for the President of CONI. The two journalists knew 
something and came to me asking about the report. I said "ask the 
President of CONI, I delivered it to him more than two years ago".
The President first tried to deny the existence of such a report, and 
then admitted to having received it, but could not explain why he had 
kept it secret without doing anything about it.
All hell broke loose. I was in Russia for a scientific congress but my 
collaborators informed me of the scandal that had followed the 
publication of these facts first on the Gazzetta and then on other 
newspapers. CONI was being asked to answer for:
a) having ignored the heavy accusations contained in the dossier;
b) not having reported these accusations to the Court of Law;
c) not having interrupted, or even discussed CONIs collaboration with 
Prof. Conconis Centres.
Many italian and international newspapers contacted me; I was ready for 
the press campaign that followed and after so many years of struggle, I 
knew how to manage it.
The dossier was taken up by the press and by television in Italy and 
abroad; in particular LEquipe, the major French sports daily dedicated 
the front page to this issue.
12. 1996, the international setting and extra-sports context
During the various conversations I had with journalists from all over 
the world, I was careful to keep in mind the following concepts:
a) doping is not a strictly Italian problem but an international one;
b) my reason for talking to them was not only to denounce what was 
happening in Italy, but mainly to raise the issue at an international 
level;
c) the root of the problem is international; the pharmaceutical 
companies which produce these substances are multinational companies; 
the illegal import and export of these substances is managed by an 
international racket (one example is via Internet);
d) doping is no longer restricted to high level athletes; for a long 
time now industrialised production of these drugs and the widespread 
distribution through a network of peddlers, has turned doping into a 
social issue;
e) the IOC has lost its struggle against doping, through lack of a clear 
analysis of the situation and of the capacity to intervene on a 
practical level. The anti-doping testing techniques have practically not 
progressed from 1980 onwards, as against the enormous development of 
doping methods.
f) consequently, extra-sports institutions should be made aware of the 
problem and take the necessary measures to face it.
13. 1996, CONI, the Italian parliament and the magistrate
As I said, the discovery of the dossier and of the fact that it had been 
kept secret for over two years created a great sensation.
The attacks of the media were so pressing that even CONI had to take 
action. I was summoned by the Committee of Enquiry and my hearing lasted 
over five hours.
The Italian Parliament took an interest in these events and formed a 
Commission of Enquiry who summoned both the President of Coni, Dr. 
Pescante, and Dr. Santilli President of the Sports Physicians 
Federation. They were questioned as to the relationship between CONI and 
Prof. Conconi of the University of Ferrara. Dr. Pescante lied to them 
saying that the relationship with Prof. Conconi had been ended a few 
years before, when Prof. Conconis activities had begun to create suspicion.
There was also criminal investigation; in the month of November 1996, 
three investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department came to 
my office in CONI, asking to speak to me. This interview lasted a whole 
thirteen hours.
Also Following the echo of this affair even the International Cyclist 
Union (UCI) had to take adequate measures, and started preparing tests 
on blood samples. An haematocrit limit was set for the value: 50% for 
men, 48% for women.
14. 1997, the Di Terlizzi case
After a few weeks of intense excitement, the media lost interest in 
doping once again; nearly no articles in the press, no debates on 
television. My telephone stopped ringing.
Also the CONI officials around me were silent. Then they organized the 
terrible coup de grace.
Anna Maria Di Terlizzi, a young 100m hurdler I had been training for a 
few years, was tested positive for caffeine on February 7th 1997, after 
an indoor competition. The caffeine level found in the urine sample was 
very high, nearly double the value established by IOC.
When the girl told me what had happened, I asked if she had taken any 
medicament. She answered she was on the pill, but had not taken nothing 
except a cappuccino at breakfast and a cup of coffee after lunch, but 
the competition had taken place hours later, in the evening. The 
caffeine value found in the urine sample corresponded to about thirty 
cups of coffee taken at the same time.
After a week, the second sample of urine was tested in the presence of 
an expert of our choice.
Right at the beginning, the Head of the Rome Anti-doping Laboratory 
asked our expert if he chose the normal testing procedure, which would 
last several hours, or the shortened procedure. The expert was very 
surprised and answered, that it was, of course, necessary to repeat 
exactly the procedure used for the first test, the one that had proved 
positive.
Before the end of the qualitative analysis, the Head of the Laboratory 
asked our expert if he wanted to go out for a cup of coffee. He refused 
and noticed that the Head of the Laboratory and his collaborators were 
becoming increasingly nervous. When the qualitative analysis was over, 
the result was astounding: no caffeine peak at all!
The expert called me on his cellular phone; I had been waiting for that 
call all morning and the news left me breathless; but I still couldnt 
believe it. I asked how long it would take to have the results of the 
quantitative analysis; about an hour, he said. That hour seemed never to 
end.  At last he called me with the results; Anna Maria's urine sample 
contained the traces of one cappuccino and one cup of coffee.
At last, it dawned on me; they had prepared an ambush, the worst 
possible one: they had tried to destroy my reputation, my credibility. I 
realised then that I had been dealing with really malicious people.
The following day, and for a few days after that, the Italian media gave 
quite relevant coverage to this incident and accused the higher sports 
officials of having organized a fraud to get rid of me. Unfortunately, 
the international media did not understand the significance of what had 
been planned; they did not connect the trap prepared for me to my 
untiring struggle against doping.
15. 1997-1998, everybody has forgotten
There was also a question in Parliament asking the Minister of Sports to 
assure that those who had organized this fraud would be called to answer 
for it.
The President of CONI tried to clear himself of suspicion and the only 
result was the substitution of the Head of Romes Anti-doping Laboratory.
As usual, the media lost interest after a few days and the President of 
CONI, furious because he had failed to get rid of me, took his revenge 
by cutting off my Departments funds, so that all our work came to a 
standstill, and by isolating me completely.
16. 1998, the scandal of the Rome Anti-doping laboratory
In the month of August 1998, Zdenek Zeman, coach of a first division 
soccer team, A.S. Roma, declared in an interview that doping was 
widespread among soccer players. A great scandal ensued as the foreign 
press took up the news. The usual scenario: a sudden and totally 
superficial interest, no real understanding of the facts nor of their 
significance, followed by an equally sudden loss of interest, boredom, 
perhaps, or calculation.
The Public Attorney of Turin, Raffaele Guariniello, started an 
investigation; he summoned Zeman first, and then me, on the following 
day. He asked me to tell him all I knew about doping among soccer 
players. I answered that the question should be worded differently; it 
should be: "how are anti-doping tests performed on soccer players?"
In the following days the press reported that during my hearing I had 
accused the Rome Laboratory of using irregular testing procedures. The 
President of CONI and the President of the Sports Physicians Federation, 
reacted violently; my declarations were false, they said, and I would 
lose my job at CONI unless I could prove the facts.
And proof was found! The premises of the Rome Laboratory were searched, 
by order of the Public Attorney, and, as I had said, it was established 
that the anti-doping tests performed on soccer players did not include 
tests for the detection of anabolic steroids or of the other hormones!
The scandal became international and grew to unprecedented proportions; 
a number of the events that followed will prove decisive in the struggle 
against doping, namely:
1) the Italian Government appointed a Committee of Enquiry, headed by 
the Vice President of the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura, the 
highest judicial authority in Italy;
2) at long last, the Public Attorney of Turin forced the IOC to take 
notice of what was happening; the Rome Anti-doping Laboratory accredited 
by IOC was closed down.
17. 1998, the president of CONI resigns from office
The President of CONI, Mario Pescante, who had denied charges right to 
the end and accused me of lying, was found guilty by the Committee of 
Enquiry appointed by the Government and had to resign from office!
18. 1998, criminal investigations begin
As I mentioned earlier, investigations on doping were opened in a number 
of Italian cities. It would be impossible here to list them all, I shall 
therefore mention only the more important ones:
1) the Public Attorney of Torino investigated the Rome Anti-doping 
Laboratory, the first division soccer team Juventus and Marco Pantani.
2) the Public Attorney of Bologna investigated one of the cities 
chemists which was charged with import, production and illicit sale of 
forbidden drugs; the names of important customers were revealed;
3) the Public Attorney of Ferrara investigated Prof. Conconi, in 
particular his twenty-year relationship with CONI and with various 
Italian Sports Federations;
4) the Public Attorney of Venezia investigated the incidence of doping 
among the younger athletes and came to shocking conclusions;
5) the Public Attorney of Trento investigated the Pantani case in Giro 
dItalia;
6) the Public Attorney of Brescia investigated the higher officials of 
the Italian National Cyclist Team and charged them with the acquisition 
of forbidden drugs in Switzerland.
19. 1998-1999, work on a new anti-doping law begins
The bill on doping was drawn up by the Senate, the higher branch of the 
Italian Parliament. It combined the better points of six different 
drafts on the issue; this proved to be a time-consuming process and the 
bills procedure in Parliament was accelerated only as a result of the 
very serious doping offences discovered in August 1998.
I participated in the various steps of the preparation of this bill 
which in September 1999 was passed to the Chamber of Deputies where it 
will be examined by the Health Committee. I was appointed consultant to 
the Committee by the President of the Committee itself as work on the 
final draft of the bill will begin within the next few weeks.
20. 1998-1999, from the scandals to the Lausane fiasco
When IOC decided to oppose the diffusion of doping, it set up a Medical 
Committee, and appointed, none other than Prince Alexandre De Merode as 
it President; not a physiologist or a chemist, no, just a member of the 
aristocracy.
This occurred 28 years ago, and the President had plenty of time to 
prove his inadequacy: in the implementation of anti-doping methods, in 
the organization of the Anti-doping Laboratories, in the selection of 
his collaborators.
Halfway through his seemingly unending mandate, De Merode fell under the 
spell of an Italian biochemist, Prof. Conconi, who was strongly 
supported by the powerful Italian IOC members. To please them, he 
appointed Prof. Conconi member of the Medical Committee and readily 
confirmed, in public, his absolute faith in Prof. Conconi even though 
this man was accused of doping by the public attorney of Ferrara.
To show his gratitude, Prof. Conconi arranged for the University of 
Ferrara to confer an honorary degree, in medicine, of course, to Prince 
Alexandre De Merode.
While the CONI Scientific Anti-doping Committee refused Prof. Conconis 
request for funds to study a method for the detection of Epo in urine 
samples in 1994, the highly competent President of the IOC Medical 
Committee readily accorded these funds.
A series of public declarations began: De Merode and Conconi jointly 
declared that the test would be ready "at the beginning of 1996 ... in 
June ... it is ready, it is a question only of final details ... will be 
ready for use at the end of 1996 ... in June 1997..." Finally, De Merode 
had to admit, in great confusion during a press conference that the 
project had been a total failure.
In January 1999, with the Lausanne Conference dedicated to the struggle 
against doping, the IOC made a desperate attempt to recover it 
credibility which had been significantly undermined both by the scandals 
on the venues of the Olympic Games, and by the fact that doping was 
increasingly widespread among athletes. The Conference was attended by 
many Ministers of Sports, but it backfired as various Ministers openly 
attacked the IOC for not having implemented an adequate strategy to 
oppose the diffusion of doping.
21. 1998-2000, doping from the producer to the consumer
During these same years, doping evolved considerably; at first, more 
than twenty years ago, it was limited to high level athletes and many 
Sports Federations in various countries tolerated doping, in some cases 
even protected and encouraged this plague.
There was a great demand among athletes for Gh; it was first extracted 
from cadavers, and later, after 1990, synthesized. The multinational 
pharmaceutical companies were made aware of the enormous potential of 
this market. The same happened with Epo after 1993. High level athletes 
acted as testimonials for the effectiveness of these substances which 
were then sold to an increasing number of amateur athletes and then even 
youngsters as the network of complaisant physicians and peddlers developed.
The entity of the turnover (no less than fourty thousand million US 
dollars a year only for the illicit drugs and ten times as much for the 
so-called dietary supplements) could not but attract criminal 
organizations. For my part, I frequently pointed that this danger.
The two following examples confirm that the fears were not unfounded:
1) in September of 1999, a large operation of the Italian police led to 
the seizure of relevant quantities of doping substances and to various 
arrests; evidence clearly pointed to an international racket in the 
hands of the Mafia;
2) in May of 1999 a commissioned burglary occurred in Nicosia (Cyprus); 
four million and five hundred thousand doses of Epo were taken; 
according to the investigators these were to be sold on the black market 
to athletes specializing in endurance disciplines;
3) in January 1999 in Milan, the Police received an anonymous telephone 
call and seized various bags containing 35 kilograms of testosterone 
(...!); enough to dope 700,000 athletes for one day, or if we prefer, 
70,000 athletes for 10 days. The telephone call was probably a reckoning 
between racketeers.
22. 1999, Nandrolone and EPO champions
This last year is dotted with resounding doping cases; a real massacre 
of key figures who were far from innocent.
Most of these worthless champions tested positive to nandrolone, an 
anabolic steroid: the British sprinter, Linford Christie, the Jamaican 
sprinter Marlene Ottey, the Barcelona Olympic 5000m champion, Dieter 
Baumann, French and Russian professional soccer players, weightlifting 
record holders and various women athletes from Sri Lanka, Columbia, the 
Dominican Republic and Morocco!
What a coincidence! The same drug, nandrolone, was found in the urine 
samples of athletes from different continents, who specialized in 
different sports disciplines and has invaded female sports, even in the 
countries where "integriste" religions are predominant. It would appear 
that a grapevine spread the information world-wide, overcoming ethical, 
religious and sexual barriers. A grapevine dictated by commercial 
interests which have transformed the world of sports into a stupid 
market, populated by vapid athletes who parade muscles and worthless 
medals.
The other resounding case concerned a professional cyclist, Marco 
Pantani, who dominated the major stage races in these last few years. 
This year, the UCI found his haematocrit value well above the establish 
limit 50%. This happened just before the second last stage of the Giro 
d'Italia, which he was dominating once more.
The UCI started an investigation and it came out that he was being 
"assisted" by Prof. Conconi and his team. In 1995, Pantani came very 
close to death on account of a sudden decrease of the haematocrit value 
from 60% (...!) to below 16%.
Many former champions of endurance disciplines have now the side-effects 
of Epo, but they remain silent, and even deny everything when they are 
questioned on this subject. It does not occur to them to warn the 
thousands of young athletes who are following in their steps, all they 
care about is their own reputation.
Death figures hover behind the stage of sports events as doping becomes 
increasingly widespread among young and not so young athletes. Hypocrisy 
is the word for athletes, trainers and sports officials. The media look 
on a pretend to believe in it all. In the meantime, the producers of 
these forbidden substances, the complacent phycisians and the peddlers 
take advantage of such foolishness and falsehood as their profit increases.
23. Analysis of international situation
I believe that the battle to combat doping in the international arena 
has reached the following situation:
1) the IOC has little power over International Federations, which almost 
always take decisions regardless of the IOC's rules, with regard to the 
lists of substances and doping methods and to the size and actual 
application of sanctions. This is true for both anti-doping testing 
during competitions and especially random testing during training;
2) there is moreover no temporal or substantial correlation between the 
aims of the IOC and those of International Federations, or between the 
activity schedules of the IOC and those of International Federations. 
The objectives and consequent activity of the IOC are indeed focused 
almost entirely on a four-yearly event, the Olympic Games, while those 
of International Federations focus more closely on day-to-day events;
3) the IOC has gradually become an Organisation that is part corrupt and 
part inadequate, occupying the demanding and bulky role of the world's 
foremost sporting institution, but in this capacity it has been unable 
to dialogue with the world's leading non-sporting institutions - 
Governments, the World Health Organization, international pharmaceutical 
companies or international Scientific Organisations - to seek joint 
solutions to problems;
4) at the same time, International Federations have been busy "defending 
themselves" in the anti-doping battle without defending their sports 
from doping. Their actions have accordingly been slow and very inadequate.
24. The media system: Basic considerations
Of all journalists, those in the most difficult position are probably 
those employed by specialist sporting papers, because they are called 
upon to write about the feats of sportsmen and women who are the 
readers' idols.
A sports champion is, in the collective imagination, a people's 
champion, loved by one and all. He is an example to be copied, full of 
personal qualities. He is naturally good, even though he may not be, 
intelligent and educated, even though he may actually be stupid and very 
ignorant. And what is even worse, he sells papers and conquers an 
audience for the radio and TV, but only if they take care of him.
Journalists have the following problem: talking about doping or 
corruption makes you unpopular. It is just the opposite of what is said 
about journalists making up stories about doping to sell more copies or 
gain a wider audience: the more you praise the champion the more you 
sell. When you talk about doping, people do not at first believe you; 
then, when the proof comes out, readers finally realise and begin to 
lose interest in sport.
This state of affairs is of course very dangerous for sports papers. Any 
journalist that intends to delve into the doping problem will come up 
against strong resistance, first of all from his editor. He will have to 
write with the proof in his hands and with great care if he does not 
want to be sued for libel, especially if the sportsman in question is 
very popular.
Suing against doping accusations has become all the rage: even those who 
are guilty resort to the law in a bid to intimidate both the journalist 
and the paper in question. At this point, the journalist will ask 
himself whether it is worth all the trouble. Only if the answer is yes 
will he have the strength to carry on. If he realises that his 
profession obliges him to be honest and to keep the public correctly 
informed, then he will have the courage to go on.
A separate chapter should also be written about those sports newspapers 
that also act as organisers of major sporting events. Like Italy's daily 
"La Gazzetta dello Sport", which organises cycling's Giro d'Italia, or 
the French sporting daily ''L'Equipe'', which organises the Tour de 
France. How can they combine the need for correct information with that 
of promoting the race they are organising? How can they talk about 
doping without covering their creations with mud?
As for more general newspapers that also deal with sport, the situation 
is different. These journalists can be a little freer, as sport is not 
the only attraction for readers.
In conclusion, a sports journalist will only be able to do his job well 
if he realises that doping is a real, dramatic social problem, and that 
youngsters are in danger of taking "artificial" champions as role models.
It is a difficult choice to make, which is why only a few have had the 
necessary courage.
25. Rediscovery of ethics or crisis
But the IOC is no other than a manifestation of what sport has become. 
Proof of this assertion is the crisis of International Federations or, 
returning to the subject of this seminar, the proven unstoppable spread 
of doping in all parts of the world. Doping tests have been positive at 
the Asian Games, African Games, PanAmerican Games and the European 
Championships in various sports, even at the PanArabian Games, however 
inadequate or backward these analysis methods may be. A clear example of 
the Global Village!
26. The sporting education of children and youngsters
I believe that the crucial question for the future is the following: 
Which needs must the supply of sports to children and youngsters meet 
most urgently?
The need to find youngsters of great sporting talent through a planned 
selection programme?
The need to submit youngsters to intense training to verify their real 
potential?
The need to identify "winners" from a psychological point of view, 
thanks to their resistance to stress, their control of anxiety and very 
strong motivation?
This is the "culture" which, disdaining the rights of individuals, has 
exploited youngsters in a search for CHAMPIONS. A culture that arose in 
the authoritarian regimes, but that was copied by democratic nations! 
The social consequences of this process are extremely serious, leading, 
among other things, to the emergence of the most cynical and 
unprincipled persons in the sporting sphere. At the same time, this 
process puts off honest persons who respect children's rights to:
have fun by playing sports;
limit their sporting activity so as to fit it in with studies and a 
normal social life;
claim victory every time they improve themselves;
Since broad segments of the sporting world have shown themselves to be 
incapable of adequately performing this educational task, schools in 
particular must deal with the problem, teaching youngsters to free 
themselves from conditioning, to view sport as an asset and victory over 
oneself as more important than victory over others.
It is always possible indeed to improve oneself, no matter what level 
one is at, while victory over others seldom occurs, requiring genetic 
advantages and a certain "diversity", which should be accepted as a 
value and not simply reduced to "one winner, all the others losers".
27. The solutions: Creation of the World Anti-Doping Agency
The success of the Agency will depend on the quality of contributions 
from national Governments, which will have to:
a) carry out a preliminary analysis of the IOC's activity in scientific, 
legal, technical-sporting and ethical-educational terms, to gain an idea 
of its merits but also of its responsibilities, potential, inability, 
sincerity of intents and ambiguity;
b) study the spread of doping in a rational manner, both the existing 
situation and possible developments in the near future;
c) appoint their own representatives to the Agency on the basis of 
competence, honesty and independence from the IOC and from leading 
international sports institutions;
d) act to ensure that the strategies drawn up are quickly implemented.
28. The solutions: The search to improve anti-doping analysis methods
One of the tasks to be performed by the new Agency will be that of 
commencing Studies and Research on new anti-doping analysis methods that 
can detect in athletes' urine the new pharmacological agents used and, 
more generally, that can extend analysis methods beyond urine to other 
biological indicators.
This is a task in which the IOC Medical Commission has failed, and we do 
not see how it can now help to tackle the problem. This task will thus 
be shouldered mainly by Governments. A detailed research programme must 
thus be drawn up and rolled out:
a) in conjunction with Universities and Research Institutes;
b) in conjunction with IOC Anti-doping Laboratories, which must organise 
specific sectors really dedicated to Research in their own area of 
competence;
c) in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies, which can provide 
necessary information on the pharmaco-kinetic action of new products and 
on their chemical properties.
At this point in time, the most effective actions to be taken appear to 
be the following:
1) the intensification of random anti-doping tests;
2) the development of analytical methods capable of identifying 
molecules that are modified so as to render them unrecognisable in 
anti-doping tests;
3) the use of biological indicators other than urine (e.g. blood, saliva 
and hair) to uncover drug-taking methods:
4) the perfecting of new techniques, e.g. IRMS (isotopic ratio mass 
spectrometry) to determine whether a given substance (e.g. testosterone 
or nandrolone) is of endogenous or exogenous origin;
5) the development of indirect methods based on a longitudinal 
examination of biochemical and clinical parameters.
29. The solutions: Campaigns to safeguard sportmen's health
The purpose of anti-doping tests is to demonstrate the presence in urine 
of a forbidden substance or of a relative metabolite as proof of the 
taking of doping drugs. Many substances are not however detectable at 
the present time, so the use of doping substances has increased 
dramatically in all parts of the world.
These substances, as already mentioned, include: the erythropoietic 
hormone (Epo), the growth hormone (Gh), the insulin growth factor (Igf).
Starting from the assumption that these substances, administered to 
healthy persons in the absence of a pathology, are harmful to one's 
health and cause evident physiological alterations, it is possible and 
indeed dutiful to safeguard the health of sportsmen and women through 
the monitoring of haematic-chemical parameters measured in the blood or 
urine.
The International Cycling Union (UCI), the International Skiing 
Federation (FIS), the International Biathlon Union (IBU), Italy's 
National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the French Sports Ministry have 
already begun blood test campaigns to detect indirect signs of the 
taking of erythropoietin.
These programmes have proved to be very effective, making it possible to 
reduce the use of Epo in endurance specialities. CONI has even 
established that Italian sportsmen wishing to take part in the Sidney 
Olympics must undergo blood tests, otherwise they will be excluded from 
the list of potential participants at the Olympic Games.
In Italy, studies are now being conducted for special blood test 
campaigns against the use of Gh and other hormones, in collaboration 
with study groups from other countries.
30. The solutions: Agreements with international pharmaceutical companies
The IOC has been unable (or perhaps unwilling) to dialogue with 
Pharmaceutical Companies and seek forms of collaboration to find 
solutions to the doping problem, especially for those drugs that cannot 
be detected during tests.
The new Agency will have to work in this direction, and it will have the 
authority to do so.
Pharmaceutical companies must be asked to:
a) produce drugs in relation to the actual needs of the ill;
b) report to competent authorities (WHO and the Governments of different 
countries) any anomalies and suspicions regarding the increase in demand 
and consumption;
c) forgo with a great sense of responsibility a portion of their 
revenues, receiving as a reward the knowledge that they are helping to 
safeguard the health of a large number of youngsters.
The World Anti-doping Agency should steer the actions of single 
countries in identifying legislative or regulatory instruments that 
might allow a definition of the nature of substances similar to those 
included in the IOC lists of doping substances during the registration 
phase for new drugs.
31. The solutions: Approval of specific criminal laws
The Agency could pursue another primary objective: that of examining the 
legislative situation in different countries to assess the possibility of:
a) making additions to existing laws on narcotics or on drugs in general;
b) proposing specific texts on drugs and doping procedures for those 
cases in which this is deemed necessary.
For the comparative analysis of different legislative situations, 
suitable instruments should be prepared, where they are not already 
present in single systems, to foster the prevention of specific crimes 
relating to the international trafficking of doping substances.
32. The solutions: International cooperation among magistrates
The present report has repeatedly referred to the international 
dimension of the doping phenomenon. The seizure of doping drugs and 
several investigations in France, Italy and Belgium show without a 
shadow of a doubt that the trafficking of these substances transcends 
national borders.
We have also mentioned the continuing spread of sales via the Internet, 
giving rise to orders and deliveries that escape all controls.
It should be added that the life of sportsmen and women is one of 
constant travelling, especially for those in the top flight. Sportsmen 
are often accompanied on their trips by coaches, masseurs or 
physiotherapists, physicians and federal officials. In this nomadic 
existence, doping "runners" are hired from the circles of organised 
crime. An Italian professional cyclist, was for example recently 
arrested in France for the trafficking of huge amounts of Igfl from 
Mexico to Europe. And a Moroccan top athlete was recently arrested in 
Italy after becoming involved in the international trafficking of 
enormous quantities of doping substances.
We could go on for a long time with other examples.
-- 
http://modesta.biciticino.ch
Il sito dedicato alla giovane ciclista lituana Modesta Vzesniauskaite

 By: Sandro Donati
http://tinyurl.com/mdtro
Total snip and repaste...
That's quite an interesting read, but speculates quite a bit on solutions
for the future. I don't have a problem with speculation however.
21. 1998-2000, doping from the producer to the consumer
During these same years, doping evolved considerably; at first, more
than twenty years ago, it was limited to high level athletes and many
Sports Federations in various countries tolerated doping, in some cases
even protected and encouraged this plague.
Well from the viewpoint of the modern generation, its called a plague, but
back then, that was a different era, different culture, and perhaps there is
something to be learned from the old days. I can't say exactly, but probably
more then anything those were just simple times, simple folks, and the
simple drugs. Everything is soooo complicated today, to the point of killing
all the entertainment value. But remember drugs was not the only way to
cheat back then, but cheating has to do with breaking rules, and drugs
aren't cheating either until the rules say they are. I don't even know what
was written in the very early days about drugs, without doing some research,
but cheating seems to be more about the regulations of the bike, and the
rules applied to what you could do with your bike during a race.
A grapevine dictated by commercial
interests which have transformed the world of sports into a stupid
market, populated by vapid athletes who parade muscles and worthless
medals.
That's depends. Its not worthless to the winner, it is an achievement of the
spirit, and if everyone was using drugs, then I still guess he won it fair
and square. That's a bit pathetic, the logic of a fair playing field, but
maybe that's where we are headed. They may have to take another looked at
the list of banned products, and decide what can be allowed and what can't,
because you can bet nearly every medal won today, was won where someone in
the field was cheating if not the winner, but beating those on drugs is even
more of an honor! Consider Bartali knew everyone was cheating, and he still
beat them all anyway! Now (that) is a great honor!! :-)
The objectives and consequent activity of the IOC are indeed focused
almost entirely on a four-yearly event, the Olympic Games, while those
of International Federations focus more closely on day-to-day events;
Well, cycling is a cultural with a long tradition. Its doesn't need the
games as much like track and field events does. Cycling already has quite a
bit going on already. We are only talking about a few events here every 4
years. Track, TT and RR. Cycling is not dependent on the games like track
and field.
The media system: Basic considerations
Of all journalists, those in the most difficult position are probably
those employed by specialist sporting papers, because they are called
upon to write about the feats of sportsmen and women who are the
readers' idols.
That's right, in the old days, there was good karma between riders, writers,
teams and sponsors. Today the drug wars have created a very uneasy standoff,
and that's not good. We need the former, not the latter, if the sport is to
survive. It is after all sports entertainment. Drugs is not the only issue
here, and cheating is only considered in the context of which rules were
broken, and its usually the doping regulations and violations that fill the
headlines, which of course the riders take the shaft. Nevermind that big
money in a few select teams can now practically buy the next winner of the
Tour De France. No, its drug use that is all consuming to our psyche.
A sports champion is, in the collective imagination, a people's
champion, loved by one and all. He is an example to be copied, full of
personal qualities. He is naturally good, even though he may not be,
intelligent and educated, even though he may actually be stupid and very
ignorant. And what is even worse, he sells papers and conquers an
audience for the radio and TV, but only if they take care of him.
Right O, that's the way it was in the old days, not a bad formula back then,
fans had a love affair with the tour and its riders, and they did take care
of their own, even Vitto I think never had to work again, the people loved
him so much, never mind that he nevered really won much. It's the people
right to support their idols unconditionally to the end, as its not about
winning, but how you played the game, and the game had nothing to do with
drug use, for Vietto, they just fell in love with him, and he became forever
the idols of a generation. Drug use wasn't the criteria back then, no it was
much more then that, and how drug use was measured, as it is today. The
problem today is drug use is strictly seen as binaries one and zeros. If you
don't use drugs you are a one, and if do use drugs, you are a zero. That's
the kind of mentality that is going to kill cycling in the world today. It's
a flawed mentality applied to a sport where drug use has always been, and
always will be part of the culture, the hidden culture of the road, like it
or not, it will continue until they totally re-evaluate the way performance
enhancements are used and played out in the hearts and minds of the fans,
the media, and of course the riders. It's a incredibly hypocritical double
standard, that while so many riders say it is bad, secretly they are using
the drugs, because of the stigma created over the years. It's not until the
stigma is lifted, will the black eye be removed. That will come in time, or
many the of doping agencies will kill the sport first, I don't know which.
Journalists have the following problem: talking about doping or
corruption makes you unpopular. It is just the opposite of what is said
about journalists making up stories about doping to sell more copies or
gain a wider audience: the more you praise the champion the more you
sell. When you talk about doping, people do not at first believe you;
then, when the proof comes out, readers finally realise and begin to
lose interest in sport.
That's right, so in time, is seems, the stigma of this will kill the sport,
pretty wierd. Never thought a sport would die from a stigma!
In conclusion, a sports journalist will only be able to do his job well
if he realises that doping is a real, dramatic social problem, and that
youngsters are in danger of taking "artificial" champions as role models.
Well of course, professionals are of legal age, and if they haven't learned
the right lessons in life by then, they likely won't. On the other hand,
professonal pro men are also exactly that, and they need to be able run
their lives the way they see fit, it is a free country to a point, but when
it comes to kids, parents are the best role models, then siblings. I think
there is always the problem of parents who want their kids to be the best in
the shadows of their parents who were pros, but the drug culture will always
be there, and kids need to be kept in check by their parents until they
morally responsible.
The need to submit youngsters to intense training to verify their real
potential?
This is the responsibility of the parents to keep their kids in check.
This is the "culture" which, disdaining the rights of individuals, has
exploited youngsters in a search for CHAMPIONS. A culture that arose in
the authoritarian regimes, but that was copied by democratic nations!
The social consequences of this process are extremely serious, leading,
among other things, to the emergence of the most cynical and
unprincipled persons in the sporting sphere. At the same time, this
process puts off honest persons who respect children's rights to:
This should be closely watched by their parents. The parents have the final
say in this always, I mean they are the legal guardians, and are the keepers
of their children.
It is always possible indeed to improve oneself, no matter what level
one is at, while victory over others seldom occurs, requiring genetic
advantages and a certain "diversity", which should be accepted as a
value and not simply reduced to "one winner, all the others losers".
Well, it didn't used to be about winners and losers, but today, it seems
only winning counts, nothing else.
b) study the spread of doping in a rational manner, both the existing
situation and possible developments in the near future;
Well, here you go, they should take a very serious look at performance
enhancements, and decide which ones might be considered to become legal, to
allow riders to finish the season, and finish the tours. A rational edge, a
fair playing field. Find a happy medium that allow riders an option over
going underground to use drugs, and therefore reducing and limiting our
fixation on drug scandals and take the sport out of catching drug cheats and
put the sport back into cycling. The image of the sport must be improved,
the stigma much be lifted. Put the riders back into the headlines, and take
the drug scandals out!
Clean up the sport rationally speaking, great idea!! I am all for it!!
28. The solutions: The search to improve anti-doping analysis methods
One of the tasks to be performed by the new Agency will be that of
commencing Studies and Research on new anti-doping analysis methods that
can detect in athletes' urine the new pharmacological agents used and,
more generally, that can extend analysis methods beyond urine to other
biological indicators.
Cat and mouse, dead ender solution.
1) the intensification of random anti-doping tests;
That will only kill the sport.
We could go on for a long time with other examples.
Well, we don't need anymore. How much money are we willing to spent on
cleaning up the sport? Its only sports entertainment for the fans, and for
riders to achieve, so I don't think we should overkill the sport with
solutions. Simple solutions are the best ones. I am in favor of a rational
practical approach to fixing the sport.
B-