Sunday Times To Reveal Doping Scandal

[gdl9050]

gdl9050,

No it's NOT aimed at US (you and me), that would be akin to paranoia

.

It does however link certain players (un-named) from certain clubs (named) to illegal use of performance enhancing drugs.

A previous manager of the club might ask if you aren't exhibiting certain stereotypical ostrich-like behaviour if you honestly think the content and the timing are pure co-incidence.

Guaranteed to call in to question in SOME people's minds how we have turned from relegation threatened to league leaders, it's not the first time in the current season it's been suggested now is it ?

Right. And what happens if arsenal win the league?

[possiblygeorge]

Right. Im a Troll for believing there's doping in football? Im guessing you would believe the story if our club wasn't mentioned...

Of course there is, but doubt there's any of it in top tier Football. There's been regular post-match authorities at the KP stadium in the past month or so, we would've seen players "injured" for at least 12 months if it were true, something like "x player has injured their ACL" to cover it up so it doesn't hurt the Footballing brand.

Right. And what happens if arsenal win the league?

If they win it, they deserve it? F**king hope they don't.

[The whole world smiles]

Doping goes on in every professional sport why would football the most lucrative on the planet be any different the problem is that there is a disproportionate amount of money for winning compared to what goes into testing so the dopers will always be several steps ahead of the testers. I would guess that at least 30/40% of professional footballers do it possibly much higher.

As for this particular story they have nothing in terms of the football angle and are scared to death of being sued but that video is pretty explosive regardless.

[Captain...]

Video here: https://www.facebook.com/timesandsundaytimes/videos/vb.147384458624178/1247858161910130/?type=2&theater&CMP=Spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-thesundaytimes-_-20160402-_-News-_-415978548-_-Imageandlink&linkId=22999798

Interesting video, although it doesn't mention anything about footballers, it does explain his methodology in prescribing steroids and HGH it is to top up levels when they are low to bring them to optimal levels. So he isn't doping them up to the eyeballs just giving them a boost, which is why it would be much harder to detect, but also give less of an advantage as traditional doping.

You could even argue that he is doing this to take away the advantage of people who have naturally high levels of testosterone and HGH. Why should natural athletes get all the success...

[FantasticMrFox&Son]

gdl9050

 

Your recent registration and lack of previous posts may be the reason that some have labelled you as a troll.

 

I believe we are ALL entitled to an opinion, until proven otherwise all are equally valid.

 

However, you seem somewhat fixated on the potential fall-out if Arsenal win this year's Premier League.

 

A bit odd for a Fox on the Foxes fan forum (but not for a gooner ?). 

[The whole world smiles]

Of course there is, but doubt there's any of it in top tier Football. There's been regular post-match authorities at the KP stadium in the past month or so, we would've seen players "injured" for at least 12 months if it were true, something like "x player has injured their ACL" to cover it up so it doesn't hurt the Footballing brand.

If they win it, they deserve it? F**king hope they don't.

Lance Armstrong was the most tested athlete on the planet and look what he got away with.

[Guest Bilo]

When this is proved to be bollocks, I sincerely hope the club and the players accused sue the bastards for every penny they're worth.

[possiblygeorge]

When this is proved to be bollocks, I sincerely hope the club and the players accused sue the bastards for every penny they're worth.

That. But, if it's true, which i really f**king hope it isn't and i'm sure the Club is much smarter than that, then get rid of the people involved in it. No if's or buts.

[TJB-fox]

Our players have been tested about 6 times in the last 8-10 weeks, with Vardy and Mahrez being tested even more so-trust me. Watch the tunnel cam videos and you can see anti-doping 'testers' waiting for the players. If anything was wrong it would have come up immediately.

This story is a complete shambles as far as I'm aware and the Sunday times could possibly be liable to be sued due to their ridiculous accusations. The 'doctor' involved is clearly an egotistical twat who is craving 20 seconds in the limelight. Claims he doesn't want media scrutiny but then comes out with all this via an 'under cover' reporter. Stinks of BS.

Yes I agree there potentially has been doping in the past 6 years but if any of our lads, or any other players for that matter were involved, it would be all over the media. I wouldn't worry. just the ST trying to sell a few more newspapers and doctor ****ing boner or whatever his name is trying to build some sort of brand for himself

[Guest Bilo]

The fact is we have a world class sports science department that has seen heavy investment, top expertise and passionate care since Pearson's first stint began back in 2008. 

We always knew the press would eventually play ugly once it became clear that their precious Big Four © hegemony was threatened, and so it has proved. It is, of course, pure coincidence that these 'revelations' have come out on the morning of a game that could take us seven points clear with six to play. How dare we not know our place, eh?

[Guest Bilo]

That. But, if it's true, which i really f**king hope it isn't and i'm sure the Club is much smarter than that, then get rid of the people involved in it. No if's or buts.

 

The club is much smarter than that - random doping tests are conducted very regularly in the higher echelons of the game, and penalties for missing a test (let alone failing one) are extremely heavy. 

[Guest Bilo]

• Sunday Times owned by Murdoch.
• Sky owned by Murdoch.
• Little Leicester winning the PL damages the integrity of the Big Four whom Sky and the PL have done so much to market all over the world.

 

Make the links yourself.

[tom27111]

 

• Sunday Times owned by Murdoch.
• Sky owned by Murdoch.
• Little Leicester winning the PL damages the integrity of the Big Four whom Sky and the PL have done so much to market all over the world.

 

Make the links yourself.

 

 

You're adding 2 and 2 together and getting 37

[Guest Bilo]

Just read one Tweet saying the allegations date between 2001 and 2007.

That makes this the first case of performance diminishing drugs.

[Alf Bentley]

 

• Sunday Times owned by Murdoch.
• Sky owned by Murdoch.
• Little Leicester winning the PL damages the integrity of the Big Four whom Sky and the PL have done so much to market all over the world.

 

Make the links yourself.

 

 

 

I did wonder about that myself, but assume that's a conspiracy theory too far - especially if 2 of the other clubs loosely associated with this are Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

The Murdoch ownership of both the Sunday Times and Sky is interesting, though, or will become so if this scandal has any substance and takes off..

 

If there's anything serious behind this (and it sounds as if there isn't), a big doping scandal in football would seriously damage Sky revenues, surely?

So, one Murdoch media outlet (Sunday Times) would be damaging the income of another, more important Murdoch media outlet. Would senior Murdoch people allow that to happen?

 

It sounds as if the Sunday Times might be using a non-story as a short-term ruse to sell papers. They don't seem to have named any players - or suggested that any clubs were directly involved (just individual, unnamed players) - thereby eliminating any risk of being sued. In the meantime, they use the scandal to sell a few extra papers and make a few quid....the dodgy doctor can turn around, say he was exaggerating to impress, and was filmed surreptitiously....

 

Assuming there's nothing serious behind this, we just have to make sure we're not distracted by all the bullshit and slander flying around....hopefully the club will make sure that is the case. 

[FireFox]

https://twitter.com/ZenGrifter/status/532595819695046656

[Aus Fox]

Just a theory and a thought, nothing more or less but the allegations seem to centre around the Chelsea fitness coach 2001-2007 during this period we had a few players we had signed from Chelsea, including one nameless player who stood next to thumberlina when the class was asked to line is in height order, who I would be delighted to see thrown under the bus.

Other aligations centre around the 2010 period where we do have young players on loan from Chelsea, who perhaps could have been struggling to get ahead and meet the demands of playing for a top premier league team.

This is purely a theory and has no base in fact, just reading between the lines.

[FantasticMrFox&Son]

Scary eyebrows, never mind the political bollocks.

[Guest Bilo]

I did wonder about that myself, but assume that's a conspiracy theory too far - especially if 2 of the other clubs loosely associated with this are Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

The Murdoch ownership of both the Sunday Times and Sky is interesting, though, or will become so if this scandal has any substance and takes off..

 

If there's anything serious behind this (and it sounds as if there isn't), a big doping scandal in football would seriously damage Sky revenues, surely?

So, one Murdoch media outlet (Sunday Times) would be damaging the income of another, more important Murdoch media outlet. Would senior Murdoch people allow that to happen?

 

It sounds as if the Sunday Times might be using a non-story as a short-term ruse to sell papers. They don't seem to have named any players - or suggested that any clubs were directly involved (just individual, unnamed players) - thereby eliminating any risk of being sued. In the meantime, they use the scandal to sell a few extra papers and make a few quid....the dodgy doctor can turn around, say he was exaggerating to impress, and was filmed surreptitiously....

 

Assuming there's nothing serious behind this, we just have to make sure we're not distracted by all the bullshit and slander flying around....hopefully the club will make sure that is the case. 

 

I'll be honest, this Dr Bonar sounds like a prize Walter Mitty and a thoroughly unpleasant piece of work to boot.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/harley-street-doctor-hid-womans-6986419

 

The facts are that there seem to be no names, evidence or dates to bolster his claims. I wonder more about the timing than the veracity of the claims, especially given the latter appears to be so shaky, and whether it is a deliberate attempt to disrupt and/or unsettle the team, on the day of a game that could see a team who the powers that be REALLY don't want to win the title, go seven points clear with six games to go. 

[Chester Dontlie]

Interesting timing for this to appear... So they say it's someone from Leicester and Arsenil but NO SPUDS players involved Isn't it a bit too soon for Tottenham to clutch at straws like this?

[possiblygeorge]

Can vaguely read the article. Nothing we don't already know, no names mentioned. Nothing story so people can buy the paper.

 

F**k this bulls**T story, let's go on and win the f**king league.

 

[inckley fox]

I wouldn't go down the 'denial route', personally. I suspect this is the beginning of a wider story about doping across sport, including football. Plus those of you consoling yourselves that it's all a load of nonsense from 2010 are clearly wrong, because the time period is 2010-2016, and the guy making these claims has been investigated in the past two years. It's perfectly likely that he is a crook and perfectly likely that he's treated - as he puts it - 'several- footballers, probably including our own.

 

But, equally, it's nothing which should specifically alarm us.

 

Firstly, because we are at no point being highlighted as 'the' serial offenders. The article mentions Chelsea, Leicester, Arsenal as well as Birmingham and it mentions only a small number of unnamed players across football - which doesn't sound like enough to suggest widespread cheating.

 

The dubious tweet names four specific players of ours, but also players from not just two but three further clubs, including Spurs (not mentioned in the article, but mentioned in the tweet, which in turn ignores Birmingham).

 

So what we have is a very vague interview with Dr Bonar, over which all media reporters have gone to pains to emphasise a lack of evidence against individuals, and especially clubs, in addition to a questionable tweet. Between them they suggest that this is an issue which affects a number of top level footballers, not specifically ours, nor Spurs', nor Arsenal's, nor Chelsea's.

 

Secondly, there is no suggestion of an investigation into any players or clubs, nor - from what I gather - into the doctor himself. The Anti-Doping body will be looked into for not chasing up earlier leads into his conduct, and if this ever evolves into a wider and trickier inquiry into clubs' and players' professional conduct, then this may well be long after this year's title race is decided. Things would have to move very quickly for it to be otherwise. Penalties would have to wait for future seasons.

 

I'd guess that, if they wanted to catch anyone red-handed they'd have to have them in for interview and testing almost immediately, and all based on a bunch of paper talk which doesn't actually go so far as to point fingers. Beyond that, they have to test positive, which may be unlikely, because a prescription isn't proof of taking anything and the doctor is, you might imagine, not the most trustworthy guy on the planet.

 

Yes, it's a worrying story and there's probably some truth in it, but I doubt any investigation will concern itself with accusations against players or finding proof of their guilt, because that's probably too hard to do. We wouldn't be singled out as cheats. That said, the club would be wise to re-state its position because the footballing authorities will need to be seen to have acted, and the 'doping in football' story is one which is going to grow. Over coming years I expect many investigations into this sort of thing, and I'd much prefer not to fall foul of them.

[possiblygeorge]

Average 42% possession, less than any PL winner in the past ten years. Worst passing accuracy in the league at 70%. But we're doping. .

[Guest]

Average 42% possession, less than any PL winner in the past ten years. Worst passing accuracy in the league at 70%. But we're doping. .

I was thinking about how every article mentions that we're either lucky or doping to have gone through the season with so few injuries, but I'm guessing our possession ratio helps minimise our risk of injury. Less time running with the ball, fewer nasty or mis-timed tackles from the opposition.

 

The likes of Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool are on the top end of both tables, while us and Swansea occupy the low end of either stat.

[kushiro]

Arsenal and Chelsea slam doping reports after doctor claimed players had cheated

• Dr Mark Bonar claimed to have provided doping products to sportsmen
• He did not name them but said they included Premier League footballers
• Arsenal and Chelsea vigorously denied the reports on Saturday 

By Nick Harris for MailOnline

Published: 23:53 GMT, 2 April 2016 | Updated: 00:28 GMT, 3 April 2016

 

 

 

Arsenal and Chelsea both rubbished unsubstantiated claims by a doctor that he had provided doping services to 150 unnamed British sportsmen, included unnamed players from those clubs at an unspecified point in the past.

 

The Sunday Times claimed that Dr Mark Bonar - who faces a disciplinary hearing for alleged malpractice in the care of the cancer patient later this month - claimed to have provided doping products to unnamed sportsmen.

The newspaper said Dr Bonar claimed to have players from Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester and Birmingham among former patients but added: 'Despite Bonar's claims, The Sunday Times has no independent evidence Bonar treated the players.'

 

Dr Mark Bonar claimed to have provided doping products to unnamed sportsmen

 

Arsenal said: 'Arsenal Football Club is extremely disappointed by the publication of these false claims which are without foundation. The Sunday Times knows that these allegations are baseless but has preferred to publish regardless. The club takes its responsibilities in this area very seriously and our players are well aware of what is expected. We strictly adhere to all guidelines set by the World Anti-Doping Agency.'

Chelsea said: 'The claims The Sunday Times put to us are false and entirely without foundation. Chelsea Football Club has never used the services of Dr Bonar and has no knowledge or record of any of our players having been treated by him or using his services.

'We take the issue of performance enhancing drugs in sport extremely seriously and comply fully with all anti-doping rules and regulations. Chelsea FC players are regularly and rigorously tested by the relevant authorities.'

UK Anti-Doping Chief Executive, Nicole Sapstead said: 'UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is deeply concerned and shocked by the allegations made in the Sunday Times.