WADA threat looms for Cousins

[campbell]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21465310-23211,00.html


The stats are interesting from round 16 onwards.
So is the Pharmacology.

 

[campbell]

I also found it interesting that O'Loughlin said the last time he was tested was in round 4.

I would have thought ALL GF players would have been tested pre game.

He has never been tested out of season.

A farce the whole testing regime.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21465481-23211,00.html

 

[estibador]

John Mendoza, the former chief executive of the Australian Sports Drug Agency , said there was no reason, in theory at least, why a footballer could not gain enhanced performance in the middle of a four-day ice binge.

I'm guessing Mendoza has never been on a four day binge.

For starters a player probably wouldn't have been able to eat much during a binge like that. Add to that the effects of a few nights with no sleep and I'd be surprised if a player could even judge the flight of the ball properly, let alone run many km's at high intensity while copping heavy hits. Sounds like a good recipe for collapsing or having a heart attack.

 

[campbell]

I like these bits.

From July 29 last year to the end of the home-and-away season, Champion Data statisticians recorded a dramatic spike in Cousins's on-field performance.

From having averaged 23 possessions per game, Cousins began winning more of the ball than any player in the competition. From compiling just three Brownlow votes up to round 16, Cousins polled 10 votes in the final six rounds.

Andrew McLachlan, a professor of pharmacy at the University in Sydney who specialises in drug testing, said that cocaine had the potential to deliver improved oxygen supply, enhanced mental awareness and a feeling of invincibility.

The potential effects of amphetamines are similar, with ice having the additional benefit of improving anaerobic performance. The effects of amphetamines last longer, providing benefits - and associated risks - for up to three hours.

"When you are tired and exhausted, these medicines give you the potential to refocus, remain stimulated and keep fighting on in a match," McLachlan said.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I'm guessing Mendoza has never been on a four day binge.

For starters a player probably wouldn't have been able to eat much during a binge like that. Add to that the effects of a few nights with no sleep and I'd be surprised if a player could even judge the flight of the ball properly, let alone run many km's at high intensity while copping heavy hits. Sounds like a good recipe for collapsing or having a heart attack.

Have you? and he's probably just talking about worst case scenario. Cousins would have been playing under the influence of ice during a few games last year i'm sure, or cocaine, and it's well known that it can enhance your performance for short periods of time.

 

[estibador]

Cousins would have been playing under the influence of ice during a few games last year i'm sure, or cocaine, and it's well known that it can enhance your performance for short periods of time.

Yeah for short periods of time maybe. I can't see it being beneficial if you've been up for three nights though.

 

[campbell]

Yeah for short periods of time maybe. I can't see it being beneficial if you've been up for three nights though.

But if he took it prior to leaving the hotel to play the game, then it is performance enhancing.

Seems odd, his stats increased so much from July last year, when the club admitted they contacted him due to his errratic behavour and not turning up to training.

 

[JeffDunne]

"You have got someone who has been out of sorts and by the admission of his club, hasn't been training properly yet he is playing out of his skin," one prominent athletics figure said.

"How do you get that sort of range if you haven't been training? Unless he is the most talented footballer who has ever walked the earth there has got to be something else in the mix."

Mendoza said: "If I was in ASADA's position right at this moment, I think that is worthy of investigation."

Thank god people are finally prepared to call a spade a spade and move beyond the feel sorry for Benny line.

Once the Eagles admitted they knew he had a problem last year the AFL should have started an investigation. As I said in the "Woosha is a god thread" after his performance on TFS, they are admitting they played a player they at best suspected and at worst knew was using banned substances.

It has to be investigated what he was taking and just as importantly what the Eagles knew. If it shown that West Coast officials knew then both them and Ben should be facing a 2 year ban.

 

[campbell]

Agreed Jeff.

Is not right.They are the ones who opened the can of worms admitting they wrote to him in July last year re his behavour..He is either training or not, they are worried or not.His performance on the ground increases is beyond refute, in this case the stats don't lie.

If Micky O wasn't tested for anything in the GF, I wonder if any or who where.
If Wc suspected a problem, did they notify the AFL in July?


The AFL need a bigger carpet for them and Wc to sweep this under.

 

[general mac]

Whoosha should go, so should the head of their footballing dept.

They knew and let him play at risk of heart failer.

Also the premiership should be handed to the Swans. You can't have cheats running around the grounds high on performance enhancing drugs.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Whoosha should go, so should the head of their footballing dept.

They knew and let him play at risk of heart failer.

Also the premiership should be handed to the Swans. You can't have cheats running around the grounds high on performance enhancing drugs.

They prolly won't hand it to the Swans but it'll definitely have an asterisk next to it.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

They prolly won't hand it to the Swans but it'll definitely have an asterisk next to it.

Definitely wont be handed to Sydney, but it's a little hard to take it seriously now, especially in such a close game. Was it the difference?

 

[Corpuscles]

Interesting article.

OK I will say it. Cousins was one of my favourite players, all WC games I paid more attention to him than Judd

There were several late games that a short burst from Cousins set the side alight. Anyone who has a tape watch the 3rd quarter of 2006PF. Crows up by 4 goals... Cousins short burst brilliant. How many late in game WC comebacks (esp V Geelong) watch how Ben was often the "leader".... welcome to the stage share holding the cup.

Very very sad if the implications of this articles' accusations were in any way true.

(Don't no nuthin about Ice but CocaCola been a tonic for centuries!)

 

[MarkT]

Seems odd, his stats increased so much from July last year, when the club admitted they contacted him due to his errratic behavour and not turning up to training.

I would be amazed if Cousins started whatever he was up to when the club says it began to suspect (the time of which is a lie anyway) due to missing training.

I'd like to know what match day testing he has been subjected to. If it is little or none then you have to ask why given the speculation that has been around for sp long. At the very least he had to become a major target after the run from the booze bus.

Anyway, what if Cousins tells WADA to get nicked?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I would be amazed if Cousins started whatever he was up to when the club says it began to suspect (the time of which is a lie anyway) due to missing training.

I'd like to know what match day testing he has been subjected to. If it is little or none then you have to ask why given the speculation that has been around for sp long. At the very least he had to become a major target after the run from the booze bus.

Anyway, what if Cousins tells WADA to get nicked?

I guess it depends on what ASADA consider evidence in the absence of a positive test. It appears their interest is in his performance in-season (2006), so their investigation isn't going to be reliant on a test result, which means it doesn't matter what Ben would say (unless he breaks down and tearfully confesses to match day offences, which you'd suspect won't happen).

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I'm guessing Mendoza has never been on a four day binge.

I thought the article was making some valid points until Mendoza mentioned the 4 day thing and I knew it was all crap then.

Ampthetamines on match day = degradation in perfomance.

 

[Dusky]

Definitely wont be handed to Sydney, but it's a little hard to take it seriously now, especially in such a close game. Was it the difference?

Oh get over yourself, the only difference was the umpiring in the third that allowed you to get back into the game.

 

[- PC -]

Anyway, what if Cousins tells WADA to get nicked?

The penalty is the same as a failed test. ie if it is his first refusal then conselling etc

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

This sort of speculation is really unfair. Have a dig at the journos, but then sensationalise it yourselves? This will be in the paper next week.

A few points to consider:
- Drug tests are often taken after matches. Ben has been tested multiple times since July last year, only returning negative tests. (Source: Today's Worst)

- That "spike" in performance is when the Eagles adopted their handball-oriented game for the first time. I think if you look at the stats of some other players such as Kerr, Braun and Waters, a similar surge will be evident. I suppose they were all high as well though.

- Is he that stupid? He'd be at massive risk of serious damage doing this week in week out.

 

[MarkT]

The penalty is the same as a failed test. ie if it is his first refusal then conselling etc

That's hardly a great penalty. Are you sure that is the case though? Does he have to accept whatever WADA throw at him "out of competition" when it is the AFL's out of competition policy that governs the players?

 

[MarkT]

I guess it depends on what ASADA consider evidence in the absence of a positive test. It appears their interest is in his performance in-season (2006), so their investigation isn't going to be reliant on a test result, which means it doesn't matter what Ben would say (unless he breaks down and tearfully confesses to match day offences, which you'd suspect won't happen).

You seem to be saying there are no consequenses if he refuses to co operate with WADA?

 

[Milkman]

"How do you get that sort of range if you haven't been training? Unless he is the most talented footballer who has ever walked the earth there has got to be something else in the mix."

What a load of toss. He was training his arse off, and only missed a few sessions.

As has been said, his stats increased not only at the same point that we adopted our handball gamplan, but when we overcame our form slump.

 

[likka]

I'd like to know what match day testing he has been subjected to.

I'd like to know this too.

Explains his performances late last season... Mark McGuire / Barry Bonds board.



The bloke is a disgrace to our beloved sport.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

You seem to be saying there are no consequenses if he refuses to co operate with WADA?

Not at all. I'm saying they don't need his cooperation if, as indicated, they are prepared to investigate the possibility that he played under the influence of drugs in-season (2006):

But he affirmed ASADA's powers and preparedness to investigate suspected anti-doping offences in the absence of a positive test, and said his agency was closely monitoring public comments from coaches and officials in the wake of the Cousins affair.

...

"Should there be any evidence that comes to light that an anti-doping violation might have occurred in any Australian sport, then ASADA is in a position to investigate it."

To do this, you'd think they would look at the chain of events that has occurred (which WCE have given them some reason to investigate) speak to witnesses etc. But they don't need to test Cousins, and if they interviewed him, I imagine he'd deny any match day transgressions of the code.

So if he tells them to get nicked, you wouldn't think it would affect their investigation. What they deem to constitute sufficient evidence to act on their suspicions is the key here.

 

[sharpie]

I'm guessing Mendoza has never been on a four day binge.

For starters a player probably wouldn't have been able to eat much during a binge like that. Add to that the effects of a few nights with no sleep and I'd be surprised if a player could even judge the flight of the ball properly, let alone run many km's at high intensity while copping heavy hits. Sounds like a good recipe for collapsing or having a heart attack.

touche'