doping Archives - usatoday24

The ‘Improved Games’ wanted to show that the future of sport is doping. Things didn’t go as expected

May 25, 2026 by usatoday24

It is still too early to know if the Enhanced Gamesthe famous ‘Enhanced Games’ that were held this weekend in Las Vegas with some rules on doping infinitely more lax than those of any competition recognized by the IOC, will achieve their commercial objectives. Whether or not it has been an effective marketing campaign. What is already clear is that they have deflated at a sporting level. Its organizers promised an evening full of heart-stopping records and marks by athletes ‘enhanced’ with steroids, EPO or testosterone, but they have obtained only one record. The question that remains is… And now, what? Doped athletes? To the Enhanced Games Many things may be blamed on them and their philosophy will be more or less convincing, but there is one thing that cannot be blamed on them: going head-on. The event, held over the weekend in Las Vegas with the pomp of a great showadvanced its objective already in its name: ‘Improved Games’. Its purpose was to organize an athletics, swimming and weightlifting competition in which athletes could doping almost without restrictions. The only limit was that they did not use illegal drugs and the drugs had been prescribed by a doctor. From there, wide Castilla: anabolic steroids, testosterone, EPO… The use of prohibited equipment was even allowed, such as polyurethane suits similar to those that the International Swimming Federation (FINA) banned years ago. The idea was very simple: to prove that, in order not to remain “stuck” and allow athletes to give “the best version” of themselves, official sport must rethink its vetoes. @enhanced_games A $1,000,000 WORLD RECORD SWIM! Kristian Gkolomeev wins the Men’s 50m Freestyle in 20.81 and takes home $1,000,000 bonus + 250,000 first place finish and reclaims his 50M Freestyle world record. ♬ original sound – Enhanced Games The value of a good show. Although the idea is provocative and has earned it enormous media exposure, the organizers of the Enhanced Games wanted to give the event the appearance of a great show. The competition was held at Resorts World in Las Vegas, in a stadium with capacity for 2,500 people and after months of a speech measured to the millimeter to generate expectation. In his favor he had two great claims, beyond the controversy. The first, a team of media athletes. Among the athletes who agreed to participate, Olympic medalists or podiums from world tournaments such as Leidy Solis (silver in Beijing 2008), Fred Kerley (silver in Tokyo 2020), Kristian Gkolomeev (silver at Gwangju 2019) or Hafþór Björnssonweightlifter who reached a world record in 2025 and is famous above all for playing “the Mountain” in ‘Game of Thrones’. And that among a wide etcetera. 42 athletes. In total, 42 athletes (sprinters, swimmers and weightlifters) participated in the Enhanced Games, the vast majority of whom were doped. Guardian precise that of all of them there were only three people who chose to participate in the tests in a ‘clean’ way, without consuming chemical substances that would be equivalent to a disqualification in any official tournament. Their participation in the event gave an extra point of epicness to the Enhanced Games and reinforced its main challenge: Can the consumption of testosterone, EPO, steroids or polyurethane suits really make a difference? Don’t say sport, say money. The second claim that we referred to before explains what Gkolomeev, Björnsson and many other athletes who agreed to participate in the Enhanced Games were doing yesterday in Las Vegas. Beyond their greater or lesser harmony with the underlying message, if they decided to compete it was because the organization promised great awards: $500,000 per test, half of it for the winner. If he also managed to set a world record in one of the “definitive tests” (100 m dash and 50 m freestyle) he could earn an extra one million. And how was it? Not as good as the organizers (probably) expected. Despite the expectation generated, the advertisements who claimed that records were already being broken in training and throughout the hype generated around the use of chemicals, the reality is that the first Enhanced Games only managed to crown a world record. The Greek swimmer did it Kristian Gkolomeevalmost in extremis. Under the watchful eye of the organizers, he managed to complete the 50 meter freestyle in 20.81 seconds, slightly lower than the 20.88 official record achieved by the Australian. Cameron McEvoy in March. Proof of the relief that this meant for those responsible for the Enhanced Games is that, after the race (and in further demonstration that the tournament was more intended as a show than a sporting event), the executive director of the ‘Games’, Max Martin, he knelt before Gkolomeev to proclaim his victory. The mark of 20.81 will not be officially valid, but it will allow the Greek to pocket the bonus of one million dollars. “Maybe next year I’ll beat it again,” he said. A pyrrhic victory. Martin did not save on superlatives when evaluating the competition and went so far as to celebrate that the Enhanced Games have “changed the world”. “We have seen how records were broken and how 12 athletes broke personal bests,” celebrated. The reality is that the balance of the first ‘Improved Games’ has been discreet and has certainly fallen far below the expectations generated by the organization itself. Beyond the consumption of doping substances allowed in the event, Gkolomeev, for example, scratched his record with the help of a ‘supersuit’ banned by FINA. Doped vs ‘clean’. Apart from the fact that there were athletes who broke their “personal records” thanks to doping, as the organization claims, in some cases the competitions were won by the few athletes who claimed not to use drugs. This was the case, for example, of Hunter Armstrong, who won the 50 m backstroke against two doped rivals, or the sprinters Tristan Evelyn and Fred Kerley, who in addition to taking the winner’s check he threw a jibe to their opponents: “They have to train a little harder, … Read more

The Winter Olympics are facing the most unexpected technological doping: penis punctures

February 6, 2026 by usatoday24

Human beings have always had a special relationship with flight. They say that Icarus flew so high to leave Crete that his wings ended up melting due to the action of the sun. Many years later, in 1903, the Wright brothers took flight for 12 seconds. Since then, all types of aircraft and flying accessories have been developed: from the commercial airplanes to the military, passing through the zeppelins and all kinds of gadgets for extreme sports. What we never imagined is that one of those gadgets was going to take on an unexpected name: penis. What has happened? Something as simple as it is complex: the ski jumpers’ penis is in the spotlight. Coinciding with the Winter Olympic Games which begin on Friday, February 6, 2026 in northern Italy, a rumor has spread that athletes are using their penises as part of technological doping that would make them fly further. The information that pointed to possible (and more than peculiar) doping among ski jumpers has its origin in information from the German newspaper Bild last January. It noted that athletes were injecting hyaluronic acid into their penises to increase their size. The goal, fly further. Literally. Because? Ski jumpers cannot use the suit that best suits them. Before the competitions, the responsible federation carries out 3D studies of the athletes’ bodies so that they use the suits that best fit their bodies. If the jumper reached these measurements with a swollen penis, he could use a larger size in his suit. This would create a larger surface area and, therefore, help keep it in the air longer, performing functions similar to those of a parachute. Unlike a boxer, who lose weight before going on the scale often dehydrating, in this case it is about increasing the size of the penis so that when it jumps it is smaller and than on fabric. Click on the image to go to the original tweet 5.8 meters. Winter sports, like any other elite sport, have become a race for marginal gains that can make all the difference when it comes to seconds, meters and, in this case, centimeters. According to The Timesincreasing the crotch area by two centimeters can represent a benefit of up to 5.8 meters. That, in terms of scoring, can make the difference between winning or not a medal and its color. In ski jumping, distance and technique are measured in two separate scoresincluding a wind correction. Is it doping? It’s the big question here. For now, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) seems to be washing its hands, pointing out that injecting hyaluronic acid into the penis does not seem to increase performance of athletes. In this case we would talk about technological doping. That is, use the material used to your advantage to achieve marginal advantages that make a difference. In The New York Times They highlight that it would not be the first case of technological doping that would be studied in these Winter Olympic Games. England has been prohibited from participating with new helmets in the Skeleton test that improved the aerodynamics of its athletes. From England they defend themselves ensuring that these new helmets are safer than the old ones. Looking for the loophole in the regulations. Since the professionalization of the sport, efforts have been made to look for loopholes in the regulations to use them for their own benefit. The clearest example is in Formula 1 that has been seen since cars with six wheels to single-seaters that use turbines. Moto GP now lives in a constant obsession with aerodynamics. But playing on the margins is something that has also been used in sports where the athlete’s physique is decisive. Athletics has put the brakes on to the use of new foams and carbon plates in shoes that have broken records. In cycling too he has looked at his socks with a magnifying glass and it has been banned the use of the transistor on the chest for improve aerodynamics of the body. Although, probably, the case most similar to Penisgate It is that of the full-body swimsuits made entirely of polyurethane that caused a before and after in the history of swimming. Its use was prohibited because it increased the swimmer’s buoyancy.. But, above all, after 14 international records were broken at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and, already popularized, up to 43 world records were broken at the World Swimming Championships the following year in Rome. Photo | Todd Trapani In Xataka | This Dutch team has given its cyclists enormous “Darth Vader” helmets. And he has good reasons

Doping in meat

April 27, 2025 by usatoday24

When competing at the highest level, extreme care must be taken because of the doping issue. A clear example of this was the case of tennis player Jannik Sinner, who He accepted a suspension Three months after a positive. The current tennis number one alleged that it was accidental, due to a massage made by its former physiotherapist. This type of situation reflects the growing concern about doping, something that is currently affecting the Norwegian relay team in China for the meat. Doping in meat. In May, two major athletics competitions in China will take place: world relays in Guangzhou and the Diamond League In Shanghai. At a time of preparations to take the flight, a concrete concern has emerged between athletes: the risk that meat in the country is contaminated with Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance. For this reason, Olympliatoppen, a division of the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, has warned its athletes to extreme precautions and avoid the consumption of local meat during their stay. A dangerous substance. Although with low probability of positive, clenbuterol is a prohibited substance by the world anti -doping agency. The main use is as a bronchodilator in cattle animals to treat respiratory problems. However, its use He has been controversial Due to its anabolic effects, which promote the increase in muscle mass and fat reduction. In many countries, such as China, it has been illegally used to improve the performance of animals destined for human consumption, according to He explained The news agency. The risk is greater. The problem arises when athletes consume meat contaminated with Clenbuterol, since the substance can remain in the flesh during the sacrifice process and, if appropriate precautions are not taken, athletes can ingest it without knowing it. Although the effects of Clenbuterol are more notorious in high doses, their presence in small quantities It can trigger A positive result in anti -doping controls, due to its anabolic properties that affect physical performance. Athletes take precautions. Norwegian athletes Henriette Jaeger, bronze medalist at the World Cup, and Josefine Tomine Eriksenhan They have assured To the Norwegian NRK station that trusts experts: “I really enjoy eating meat, but you have to listen to professionals and trust them.” Eriksen, on the other hand, has affirmed that he will wear protein and cecina bars from Norway to cover his nutritional needs. Olympiatoppen has also warned about the importance of food hygiene during the stay in the Asian country, recommending consuming food only in high quality restaurants and hotels. A problem that was already coming from before. It is not the first time that China is wrapped in controversies by doping. Four years ago, country swimming It was under scrutiny When it was revealed that 23 swimmers positive for trimetazidine, a prohibited substance. Although the Chinese authorities attributed the results to accidental food pollution and the athletes were not sanctioned, the case generated international doubts about transparency and anti -doping controls in the country. But it is also global. Concern around this substance has also been detected in other countries, According to South China Morning Post. In fact, World Athletics, the governing body of world athletics, has indicated in ABC News That athletes and equipment are aware of these risks and take the appropriate precautions. No official response. However, like They have denounced in Reuters, the media has tried to obtain an official response from the Chinese Athletics Association, but have not received any statement. This silence on the part of the authorities has highlighted uncertainty about how the problem will be managed. An issue that goes beyond sport. The possibility of food pollution is a real risk for athletes, but it has also become one of the most common excuses when they face a positive doping. The case of Tenista Sinner It has been especially controversial: Despite his allegation of accidental doping for a massage, he was suspended only three months, a sanction that many inside the tennis They have considered A too indulgent measure. Nor is it a new argument. In 2010, cyclist Alberto Contador alleged having ingested meat contaminated with Clenbuterol in Irún, but It was also sanctioned and lost the Tour of France 2010 and the 2011 turn. In a context where the line between negligence and intentionally trap is increasingly difficult to draw, the debate on food doping not only remains open: it becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Image | Sandro Halank and Marcos González Xataka | For years, “fecal doping” is a problem in elite sport. Now science wants to democratize it

For years, “fecal doping” is a problem in elite sport. Now science wants to democratize it

March 29, 2025 by usatoday24

In 2019, a team of scientists from Harvard University monitored bacterial flora of 15 Boston Marathon runners during the previous and the posterior week. They made many discoveries, but one especially interesting: after the competition everyone suffered a significant increase in bacteria of the genus Veillonella. It was already known that exercise Altera the microbiota And, in fact, it was not especially surprising that these bacteria (which break the lactic acid and, therefore, reduce fatigue) were in there. What they wanted to discover was something else. Therefore, they took samples of that flora and introduced them into mice. The result was an increase in very significant physical resistance. Since then, there are people trying to take advantage of this. The treasure that hides the intestine. Now a France team has studied the intestinal microbiota elite athletes with high aerobic capacity (soccer players and cyclists). The central idea was to see if there were differences in the composition of the flora and in its functionality with respect to non -athletes. The first surprise is that the more sport the subjects were doing, the lower the diversity of their microbiota. And I say it is surprising because, as Rosa del Campo tells us Through SMC Spain“This is associated with an unhealthy condition.” However, in this case it seems that “it is justified with the specialization of these bacteria in the intestine.” That is, by submitting the microbiota to more exExigent environments, it is self -appointed to optimize. However, As he says The Ramón y Cajal hospital researcher is not the most interesting. “The most striking thing is when they evaluate the ability to reproduce this in mice.” What have they done? They have taken very sedentary and very athletes and “have transplanted their feces to mice for several days.” The result shows that “aerobic effort capacity in mice is conditioned by the microbiota.” Because? Although research is still preliminary, everything seems to indicate that “it is mainly due to glycogen consumption, good sugar control and production of short chain fatty acids.” What implications does this have? Well, it seems that enough. Remember that for years the anti -doping agencies work to fight against microbiological doping. In fact, everything seems to indicate that “Fecal transplant“s a usual practice in certain elite sport environments. But the question, as always, is whether this can be climbed. If we can begin to intervene in the microbiota in a massive way to improve the health of large layers of the population. For years, the boom of probiotics has caught Als great pharmaceuticals with the changed foot and has flooded the market with pseudoscience. However, the possibilities (as we see) are on the table. It is increasingly silent than health will be conquered with the stomach. Image | Julien Tromeur | Miguel to Amutio In Xataka | This pill is a peanked but can save your life

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