Every time I thought that I was ready to post this blog, another development regarding this drug hit the news channels.
The substance in question is a pharmaceutical called Meldonium.
Meldonium is a drug produced in Latvia for treating heart issues such as angina and heart disease. Like many such medicinal agents, Meldonium increases oxygen flow to and from the heart. This can increase cardiovascular endurance.
Surprise! Surprise! Outwardly healthy athletes have been using Meldonium as a performance enhancer. In most cases Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED's) were originally created to treat severe health deficiencies. However Machiavellian sports alchemists invariably discover that sometimes these miracle medicines can also improve certain aspects of sports physiology!
The inventor of Meldonium claims that this drug does not enhance or improve stamina or endurance. It merely protects the heart from the strain and stress of endurance training!
Strange - I always thought that the strain and stress from training was what caused physical adaptation leading to improved function. This is known as the SAID principle.
Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. Gradual progression leads to improvement.
Taking medication to protect from the physiological after effects of exercise seems to contradict this principle.
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) finally declared Meldonium to be a banned substance as of January 1, 2016. More surprise - since then world class athletes have been testing positive. Actually 130 athletes have had this drug turn up in their system. This tally increases almost daily.
The growing list of positive testing athletes seems to take on some nostalgic patterns:
- A long track speed skating men's world champion..... This Russian speed skater served a 2 year doping ban as a junior. Accidents can happen - more than once!
- A male short track speed skating Olympic and world champion - also Russian.
- A 16 year old Russian woman figure skater.
- The biggest test failure - tennis star Maris Sharapova. She claims that she was taking this medication for 10 years for a variety of health ailments. She claims to be unaware that Meldonium became a banned substance on January 1. She lives in Florida but still has links to the Russian sports hierarchy.
- Up to this time 130 athletes have tested positive for Meldonium.
- So far 29 Russians have tested positive for this drug.
- A wrestler from Georgia (part of the former Soviet Union) was one of those with the drug in his system. Amateur wrestling bouts can last as long a 6 minutes. An endurance boost could be an asset.
- Just yesterday the news broke that 80% of the Russian under 18 hockey team has tested positive for Meldonium. The full team is being replaced by the Under 17 team before the world Under 18 Championships. This of course adds to the tally of 130 athletes and 29 Russians testing positive.
- Is it reasonable to expect that young world class athletes should require heart medication?
- Is it possible that the sports communication system did not publicize well enough that Meldonium was recently placed on the forbidden substance list?
- Are the remnants of the Eastern Block state sponsored doping programs still alive?
- Could all of these positive readings all be just a misunderstanding.
- The Russian sports federation DID test and replace the whole Under 18 hockey team. Could this be a sign of a new vigilance and and a n honest attempt to come clean?
- Since Meldonium is a recent banned drug it is conceivable that previous medals and championships will not be censured.
- 2 prominent Russian doping control doctors were about to go public. Both recently died of 'natural' causes. Talk about cleaning house.
I would hate to see full teams barred from Olympics and World championships. Clean athletes may suffer as well. However full teams under suspicion should undergo intensive unbiased doping tests for ALL hopeful competitors..
Sports doping may be a war that will never be won ! The Olympics are coming up this year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Throw in the corruption that clings to every Olympics, Brazil's current political troubles, the water pollution at many sport venues and the mosquito borne Zika Virus and this summer could get hot and scandalous.There will also be some super athletic achievements.
I just may be spending a few evenings watching the tube for both sports magnificence and potential train wrecks!
I just may be spending a few evenings watching the tube for both sports magnificence and potential train wrecks!
If you are a fitness trainer and your client indicates that they are on a heart medication such as Meldonium, you should only continue working with them after receiving a PAR MED X form from a physician. Otherwise if something goes wrong you are liable. I wonder if some of these elite coaches got that memo?
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| Unlike steroids, Meldonium does not have masculinizing side effects for women athletes.............. Or does it ?? Maria.........Is that you ??? (Picture compliments of apartment security cameras. Alcohol may have been a factor) |
Apparently, the US dropped the dime on the Russkies through WADA to send them into a tizzie in advance of Rio.
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