Craig Medred Iditarod doping commentary

[txbennett]

https://craigmedred.news/2017/10/13/last-great-mess/

Apparently there is a basis for this commentary

[txbennett]

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[fladogfan]

TX I'm happy your dog is feeling so much better, good for you and her.

Medred's article is disturbing in that the ITC is with holding facts form all of us. The musher who they are accusing knows who he/she is but no one else does. It's not fair to the innocent mushers, now people can look at them and wonder...are you the musher? And just what was the drug?

[mira]

Ugh... As usual, I'm not a fan of the writing style of the author.

First, this article say there has been one issue with aspirin https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/2017/03/01/vets-check-iditarod-sled-dogs-lungs-hearts-and-gums-before-clearing-them-to-race/, I also seems to remember that for some years ago a couple of mushers tested for something (back-packers).

But I'm spotting several problems here.

ITC still haven't got the message about transparency, no news there, but they chosen some weird path in the middle. This is a problem I see all over the place, people are afraid of sharing information. If you actually ask those people what they are afraid of they seldom has a good answer, they reallys just don't know. Bad habits is hard to break. I'm working with open data (in the IT world) and we see this all the time, unfortunately.

I also think this would have been easier if they hasn't been a stand alone organisation (as I think they are?). With that I mean, they don't use IFSS or WADAs or other international (or national) set of rules, but they make the rules themselves. To compare to my world, we have a set of standard set for licensing. The good thing when using something standard? Everyone know what the rules are and the lawyers love them since they are well known. Much better than inventing the wheel and later figuring it didn't cover all the bends you needed.

The third problem is probably just because I'm from another part of the word. In my impression, no one dares to do anything in USA because they are afraid of lawsuits. So this just kind of confirm my impression, lawyers figure it might be not clear and then they don't want to press on. And if you are afraid of lawsuits then you can't tell which team it was either I guess? This is just my impression.

I think they should have told what kind of substance it is or if they don't plan to tell anything, don't say anything at all. Just change the rule because it need clarification and skip the rest.

I totally agree that the musher should be responsible, I realise you can argue that some might tamper with the bags sent out on trail, but if the musher isn't responsible you will never be able to prove anything.

[dashdel]

its been it this race for years. Craig is right on the mark......

[txbennett]

Craig Medred's follow up to his earlier story:

https://craigmedred.news/2017/10/17/high-on-iditarod/

[txbennett]

Mitch Seavey's reaction to the events, his posting:

Seavey's IdidaRide Sled Dog Tours
6 hrs ·
The Iditarod Trail Committee has confirmed that several dogs in one Iditarod team tested positive for Tramadol, a synthetic opioid and sedative in dogs. We applaud the ITCs dedication to dog safety; Mitch has long been a vocal proponent of increased enforcement of drug testing.
We can confirm this was not Mitch's team, and was in no way connected to any of our natural supplements.
According to the press release the high levels of Tamadol detected would have had to be given at the last checkpoint or after the finish.
Given the sedative effect of this drug on dogs, and since the top 20 mushers know they will be drug tested at the finish it's unlikely any musher would give several of their own dogs a large dose of a sedative at the last checkpoint or after knowing they would certainly test positive. It seems more plausible an adversary of that musher or of the race itself is to blame.
Again, Mitch's team did not test positive, and this scenario points out Mitch's hesitancy to support rule 39 shifting all of the burden of proof to the musher.

[txbennett]

ITC's press release following their actions and the reactions:

http://d3r6t1k4mqz5i.cloudfront.net/wp- ... pdf?x86326

[flowerpower]

Why would they wait 6 hours after the finish to collect a sample? That seems problematic to me. If a couple of dogs came in limping or sore, and the race is over, what is the problem with giving them a pain med so they could rest more comfortably?

[Breeze]

Why would they wait 6 hours after the finish to collect a sample? That seems problematic to me. If a couple of dogs came in limping or sore, and the race is over, what is the problem with giving them a pain med so they could rest more comfortably?

Yes, FP, this seems odd to me as well. Afaik. there is veterinary staff available to check every team at the finish, they never know when a dog will come in needing immediate assistance. Granted, It might be " not happening" to immediately get a pee sample, but 6 hours post- finish seems a long time.

Breeze