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Hamilton positive....again

ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
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http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr17news3


Hamilton tests positive, retires

By Kirsten Robbins with additional reporting by Shane Stokes

Rock Racing's Tyler Hamilton is facing a possible lifetime ban from cycling following a positive doping control, Cyclingnews learned Friday. He tested positive for the banned steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) after an out-of-competition control in early February. Hamilton admitted to knowingly taking the substance which was an ingredient in a vitamin supplement he took in an attempt to alleviate depression. He has decided to retire.

Hamilton has already served a two-year suspension following a positive test for a homologous blood transfusion in 2004. A second offense could earn him anywhere between eight years to a lifetime ban according to the World Anti-doping Agency's code. For the 38-year-old Hamilton, a comeback would be highly unlikely.

Rumors of the positive test began surfacing late last month, but the Olympic gold medalist kept the news quiet. He was due to start the Vuelta a Castilla y León last month, but withdrew citing "bronchitis".

"No one officially knew about it," Hamilton told Cyclingnews. "I took a few weeks to figure out my options. I knew it was the calm before the storm. I needed that time to spend with my family, talk to them about what was going to happen and what I am going through."

"I took a banned substance so I need to take whatever penatly they will give me and move forward," Hamilton said. "Today is about my leaving the sport and to talk about my depression, not the past. I don't want to talk about that anymore, its about moving forward and taking care of myself."

Hamilton purchased Mitamins Advanced Formula for Depression, an over-the-counter homeopathic anti-depressant supplement that contained DHEA. "I'm not naive," said Hamilton who claims he was fully aware that DHEA was an ingredient of the supplement and also one of USADA's banned substances. "I know people will be angry with me and depression is something I need to take care of, I didnt do it at the right time or in the right way and I'm sorry for the negative spot light," said Hamilton who has been a member of USADA's out of competition anti-doping control program since 2000.

"What I did was wrong and yes, I did know it [DHEA] was on the list of banned substances. I also knew that USADA could have shown up anyday and at any time to test me. But, I was going through a very rough moment and I was desperate. I heard about it and I thought I would try it out as an act of desperation. Did I take it for a banned substance? Absolutely not."

Dr. Charles Welch, Mass General hospital in Boston diagnosed Hamilton with clinical depression in 2003. He was prescribed Celexa as an anti-depressant for the next six years. According to Hamilton, he took amounts double to the prescribed dosage for two weeks in January when his mental health declined further after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Severe side effects caused him to stop taking the prescribed medication at the end of January. According to the 38 year old, his mental health continued to decline without prescription medication during training camp where he purchased Mitamins Advanced Formula for Depression.

Hamilton claims he took the suggested dosage for two days prior to the out-of-competition urine test. USADA's legal limit of DHEA found in the urine is 100ng/mL. Hamilton's urine sample was tested at UCLA where lab technicians found 130 ng/mL of DHEA in his urine sample. Dr. Paul Scott, Founder of Scott Analytics reviewed the testing proceedure for the B sample.

According to Scott, the level found in Hamiton's urine was not consistent with him taking large amounts of it however, trying to nail down how much was taken is hard if not impossible. "It could have been a large amount taken a several days before the test where only small amounts remained or it could have been a small amount, the suggested dosage on the bottle, taken the day before the control," Scott told Cyclingnews. "That is a question only Tyler can answer. But, we can't exclude other possibilities to the way it was taken."

DHEA is a natural hormone released by the adrenal glands and the synthetic form is primarily marketed as an anti-aging drug an anti-depressant and for muscle growth. It is one of the only steroids in the USA not classified as a controlled drug and does not need FDA approval to be sold over-the-counter. According to Scott, it is banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and USADA because it is an andro-related substance but the amount taken is neither here nor there because technically DHEA has very little performance enhancing effects on the body.

"There is no scientific evidence or basis for this steroid to be a performance enhancer," said Scott. "It is fair to suggest that the probablity of DHEA having a performance effect on anyone, at any amount taken is inconceivable. There is no good reason to take DHEA, this is a very foolish drug to take because it is readily detectable but it has no performance enhancements."

Hamilton's past transgressions

In 2004, Hamilton returned positive A samples in both the Olympic time trial and the subsequent Vuelta a España, although he was allowed to keep that TT gold medal as the B sample had been incorrectly stored and was unable to be analysed.

However his samples from his stage eight time trial win in the Vuelta on September 11th were tested and confirmed the presence of blood cells from an unspecified donor. His Phonak team-mate Santiago Perez also tested positive for a homologous blood transfusion.

The only other cases of homologous blood transfusions in cycling also involved a pair of teammates; Astana's Alexander Vinokourov and Andrey Kashechkin were suspended in 2007.

Hamilton insisted upon his innocence and fought the suspension, funded partly by donations from fans, He was given a two-year suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency on April 18, 2005 . Exactly one month later he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but this was dismissed .

That suspension ended in September 2006 and he signed with Tinkoff Credit Systems. He was soon in hot water again when he was linked to the Operación Puerto scandal; on June 26, 2006, the Madrid daily El País alleged that the Spanish civil guard had found evidence that Hamilton had paid over 50,000 USD to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes for doping products, namely EPO, growth hormones, blood doping and masking agents. Investigators also released details of a fax sent by Fuentes to his wife Haven, using her maiden name Haven Parchinski, listing fees due to the doctor.

Hamilton continued to deny all wrongdoing, but following the release of more information at the end of April 2007 he was suspended soon afterwards by his team. He considered retirement, then eventually returned to competition in 2008 with Rock Racing. Although he and other Operación Puerto-linked riders were blocked from riding the Tour of California in 2008, he won the 2.HC Tour of Qinghai Lake in China last July and then took the US National road race championships in August.

This season, Hamilton has competed in both the Tour of California and the Vuelta Mexico Telmex. He was only 95th overall in California but took second in the mountains classification. He was then 45th in Mexico and fifth on stage seven; Rock Racing won the team classification in the 2.2 race.
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ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Yeah, I can't really say I'm sorry to see him go. He'll probably write a book, "If I did it.."
 
J

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
WTF? I'm not sad to see him go at this point, but this is kind of an odd story... he took an OTC vitamin that he knew had a banned substance in it? Really? The doctor in the article says it doesn't really enhance performance, which might lend some credibility to Hamilton's otherwise odd story...
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
See kids, are drugs worth it? He lost his career, his wife, all respect...

Don't do drugs, mmmkay?
 
James

James

Carbon Porn Star
Sep 11, 2001
3,559
0
Danbury, CT
Kind of a black eye to have the current national road champion busted for a banned substance and immediately retire.
Honestly though, there is *no* way that he could ever get a ride again after this, even if it was a mistake/didn't do anything as the doctor claims. He was lucky enough to get picked up after the first to-do, no team would touch him now. He has no choice but to retire.

eBay auction: Lot of used "I Believe Tyler" buttons, some use. Sold by the pound.
 
ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
James said:
Kind of a black eye to have the current national road champion busted for a banned substance and immediately retire.
Honestly though, there is *no* way that he could ever get a ride again after this, even if it was a mistake/didn't do anything as the doctor claims. He was lucky enough to get picked up after the first to-do, no team would touch him now. He has no choice but to retire.

eBay auction: Lot of used "I Believe Tyler" buttons, some use. Sold by the pound.
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That and the fact that he is facing an 8yr to lifetime ban. He would be in his 40s if he tried to come back.
 
Secret Squirrel

Secret Squirrel

There is no Justice!
Dec 21, 2004
8,150
1
Up sh*t creek, without a paddle
ire said:
That and the fact that he is facing an 8yr to lifetime ban. He would be in his 40s if he tried to come back.
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Little voice: "Lance to the white courtesy phone...Lance to the white courtesy phone."


The cycling world needs less whiny b*tchez. This is a step in the right direction. (And yes, I'm taking into account him riding with a broken collarbone. Something that I would not do. Ever.)
 
ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
Idiot Hamilton said:
“Did I take it for performance-enhancement? Absolutely not. You can look at my results at the Tour of California.”
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:rofl:

He has a point there!
 
Cant Climb

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
...if only his handlers wouldn't have mixed up the blood bags in 2004.....we'd all being feeling sorry for him and outraged right now....
 
dan-o

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
I live in his hometown (and went to college with him). After he won the Olympics there was a "home of tyler...." sign put up on the main drag. That thing disappeared faster than his credibility when the blood doping suspension occurred. Sad story, nice guy making bad decisions.
 
ire

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
dan-o said:
I live in his hometown (and went to college with him). After he won the Olympics there was a "home of tyler...." sign put up on the main drag. That thing disappeared faster than his credibility when the blood doping suspension occurred. Sad story, nice guy making bad decisions.
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Did you steal it?? :)
 
CBJ

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,886
4,251
Copenhagen, Denmark
Doping sucks. It seems like Bjarne Riis strategy worked better than Tyler's decision to keep denying it. I used to love to watch the Tour and the spring classics but since all the doing scandals it just hasn't been the same. Good thing it has not minimized my love of riding a bike.
 
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