Say it ain't so, Claudia...



------



For immediate Release

Lausanne, July 3, 2009



 

German Speed Skater Ms. Claudia Pechstein found guilty of Anti-Doping Rules

violation

 



On July 1, 2009, the ISU Disciplinary Commission found Ms. Claudia

Pechstein of Germany guilty of violation of rule 2.2 of the ISU

Anti-Doping Rules “Use or Attempted Use by a Skater of a Prohibited Substance

or a Prohibited Method”,  and has taken the following Decision. The full

opinion and decision is published on the ISU website www.isu.org.

 

1. Claudia Pechstein is declared responsible for an Anti-Doping violation

under Article 2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules by using the prohibited

method of blood doping.





2. The results obtained by Claudia Pechstein in the 500 m and 3'000 m

races at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships on February 7,

2009, are disqualified and her points, prices and medals forfeited.



3. A two years ineligibility, beginning on February 9, 2009, is imposed on

Claudia Pechstein.



4. The Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft e.V. shall pay to the ISU the costs

to be determined.



5. Each Party bears its own costs of proceedings and expenses. The present

decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne,

Switzerland, within 21 days upon receipt of the decision, in accordance with

Article 24, paragraph 12 and Article 25 of the ISU Constitution and Rule 13.2.1

and 13.6 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules.

 

The International Skating Union (ISU) had for many years a comprehensive

Anti-Doping Program in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. This

program incorporates both urine and blood testing to identify prohibited

substances and also blood screening for hematological “passport”.

 

The ISU blood screening program began in 1999 and uses a specific program

called SAFE (Safe and Fair Event Testing) to monitor the Skaters blood

parameters. Over the years, the ISU has performed more than 11’000

blood tests on approx. 1650 speed skaters and has created a hematological

passport for each which details blood parameters over time. Long term monitoring

allows the ISU Medical Commission to better detect anomalies or specific changes

over time. In case of anomalies further targeted testing follows.

 

According to the WADA Comment to Rule 3.2 of the WADA Code in force since

January 1, 2009 (and adopted by the ISU - see ISU Communication 1546),

conclusions drawn from the Skaters blood profile created from a series

of tests may be used for establishing a violation of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules.

 

Based on the evidence of Ms. Pechstein's profile which included abnormal

values and abnormal changes of values in a series of tests (in particular in the

tests conducted during the Essent ISU World Allround Championships held in Hamar

on February 7-8, 2009) and in compliance with it’s responsibilities in the

fight against doping, the ISU, on March 5, 2009 filed charges of anti-doping

rules violation against Ms. Pechstein with the ISU Disciplinary Commission.

After written submissions of evidence, written expert opinions and arguments by

both parties and by the German Federation (Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft

e.V.), a two-day hearing was held by the ISU Disciplinary Commission in Bern,

SWI on June 29-30, 2009. Witnesses and five experts gave testimony and

thereafter, the ISU Disciplinary Commission rendered the above-mentioned

Decision.  

 

The Decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

(CAS) in Lausanne, and accordingly, the ISU will not provide additional

comment.

 

The ISU remains committed to fight doping in order to ensure the respect of its

rules and the ideals of the Olympic movement. 



------------



Wow.



Paul

So Ria Visser was right. Alas...



Robert K.

Or, rather, say it is so, and tell us absolutely

everything about it, including how much, when,

with the help of whom, etc. That's the only way

we may still cling to an ounce of a vague hope

of living in a semi-clean world, to have More

Truths & Detailed Confessions on the table.

Were you doped when you won all these medals,

Mrs Pechstein? Just tell us.



There should be an Olympic Rule that whoever is

taken in doping should have all earlier Olympic

results (from medals to national and world records)

taken away from them, with Re-distribution of Medals

(if not wealth) etc. etc.



The story is highly unfortunate, of course, also

for people close to Mrs Pechstein, such as Peter

Mueller. There may be a line-up of people to the

kitchen sink now (those who need to publicly

wash their hands).



NLH

... from a weak internet line in his Torino

hotel room.



> Say it ain't so, Claudia...

>

> ------

>

> For immediate Release

> Lausanne, July 3, 2009

>

>  

> German Speed Skater Ms. Claudia Pechstein found guilty of Anti-Doping Rules

violation

>  

>

> On July 1, 2009, the ISU Disciplinary Commission found Ms. Claudia

> Pechstein of Germany guilty of violation of rule 2.2 of the ISU

> Anti-Doping Rules “Use or Attempted Use by a Skater of a Prohibited

Substance or a Prohibited Method”,  and has taken the following Decision. The

full opinion and decision is published on the ISU website www.isu.org.

>  

> 1. Claudia Pechstein is declared responsible for an Anti-Doping violation

> under Article 2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules by using the prohibited

> method of blood doping.

>

>

> 2. The results obtained by Claudia Pechstein in the 500 m and 3'000 m

> races at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships on February 7,

> 2009, are disqualified and her points, prices and medals forfeited.

>

> 3. A two years ineligibility, beginning on February 9, 2009, is imposed on

Claudia Pechstein.

>

> 4. The Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft e.V. shall pay to the ISU the

costs to be determined.

>

> 5. Each Party bears its own costs of proceedings and expenses. The present

decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne,

Switzerland, within 21 days upon receipt of the decision, in accordance with

Article 24, paragraph 12 and Article 25 of the ISU Constitution and Rule 13.2.1

and 13.6 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules.

>  

> The International Skating Union (ISU) had for many years a comprehensive

> Anti-Doping Program in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. This

> program incorporates both urine and blood testing to identify prohibited

substances and also blood screening for hematological “passport”.

>  

> The ISU blood screening program began in 1999 and uses a specific program

> called SAFE (Safe and Fair Event Testing) to monitor the Skaters blood

> parameters. Over the years, the ISU has performed more than 11’000

> blood tests on approx. 1650 speed skaters and has created a hematological

passport for each which details blood parameters over time. Long term monitoring

allows the ISU Medical Commission to better detect anomalies or specific changes

over time. In case of anomalies further targeted testing follows.

>  

> According to the WADA Comment to Rule 3.2 of the WADA Code in force since

January 1, 2009 (and adopted by the ISU - see ISU Communication 1546),

> conclusions drawn from the Skaters blood profile created from a series

> of tests may be used for establishing a violation of the ISU Anti-Doping

Rules.

>  

> Based on the evidence of Ms. Pechstein's profile which included abnormal

> values and abnormal changes of values in a series of tests (in particular in

the tests conducted during the Essent ISU World Allround Championships held in

Hamar on February 7-8, 2009) and in compliance with it’s responsibilities in

the fight against doping, the ISU, on March 5, 2009 filed charges of anti-doping

rules violation against Ms. Pechstein with the ISU Disciplinary Commission.

After written submissions of evidence, written expert opinions and arguments by

both parties and by the German Federation (Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft

e.V.), a two-day hearing was held by the ISU Disciplinary Commission in Bern,

SWI on June 29-30, 2009. Witnesses and five experts gave testimony and

thereafter, the ISU Disciplinary Commission rendered the above-mentioned

Decision.  

>  

> The Decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

> (CAS) in Lausanne, and accordingly, the ISU will not provide additional

> comment.

>  

> The ISU remains committed to fight doping in order to ensure the respect of

its rules and the ideals of the Olympic movement. 

>

> ------------

>

> Wow.

>

> Paul

>

Nils Lid Hjort:



> The story is highly unfortunate, of course, also

> for people close to Mrs Pechstein, such as Peter

> Mueller. There may be a line-up of people to the

> kitchen sink now (those who need to publicly

> wash their hands).



This is, of course, the more shocking for us Norwegians.



How could Mueller not know this? Does he care that little about his pupils?





--------------

T.B.Hansen

Why do you assume Mueller did not know?





Op 03-07-2009 21:43, schreef T.B.Hansen <speedskating@...>:



> Nils Lid Hjort:

>

>> The story is highly unfortunate, of course, also

>> for people close to Mrs Pechstein, such as Peter

>> Mueller. There may be a line-up of people to the

>> kitchen sink now (those who need to publicly

>> wash their hands).

>

> This is, of course, the more shocking for us Norwegians.

>

> How could Mueller not know this? Does he care that little about his pupils?

>

>

> --------------

> T.B.Hansen

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> Yahoo! Groups Links

>

>

>

Irene Postmae:



> Why do you assume Mueller did not know?



If so:



If he knew, how could he continue the cooperation with Pechstein?



If he knew and continued the cooperation, how could he be re-hired by the NSF?



I'm not speaking of knowing since February; I'm speaking og knowing through his

work with Pechstein.



Some Norwegian commentators explain this with Pechstein not particpating in any

medical programs related to the NSF team; only participating in the teams

training camps. I'm not quite ready to buy this...





---------

TBH

A sad day for speed skating it is...The full decision

(http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=1477) gives some more

details.



On Feb 6, the day before the World Championships Allround, blood samples

were taken from all participants. The results for the Alleged Offender

(Pechstein,MW) gave rise to suspicion of blood doping, because it showed an

abnormal reticulocytes value of 3.5%, which is 1.1 %-point above the upper

normal limit applied by the ISU.



The next day, on February 7, 2009, a post race sample was taken from the

Alleged Offender after the 300 meter race (*I guess this was the 3000m,

MW*); the results again showed high values of percent reticulocytes (3.46%

and 3.34%). Consequently, an out-of-competition test was taken from the

Alleged Offender on February 18, 2009. From the values of these tests,

combined with the results on many earlier tests taken from the Alleged

Offender from the year 2000 on, the Complainant came to the Conclusion that

blood doping had taken place shortly before the 2009 ISU World Championships

Allround.



In the defense, Pechstein's lawyer made a lot of juridical complaints:

- All those blood samples from 2000 were not properly tested in a laboratory

- The ISU uses machines to do the blood testing, not via an acknowledged

laboratory

- Is blood screening the same as testing?

- No prohibited substance was found

- The machine was not working OK

- The data were not transferred properly from the machine to an Excel-sheet

- The excel sheet has other strange numbers and blanks spaces in it.

- In the complaint there are other data than in the Excel-sheet

- Her results from March 5, 2000 were not in the data base.

- Is Swiss law applicable?

etc etc.



From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells, typically composing about 1% of

the red cells in the human body. Reticulocytes develop and mature in the red

bone marrow and then circulate for about a day in the blood stream before

developing into mature red blood cells."



and



"The normal range of values for reticulocytes in the blood depends on the

clinical situation and the lab, but broadly speaking is 0.5% to 1.5%."



So, over 3% is a lot more than normal. However, some diseases could cause

this. The Panel proposed Pechstein  to do a medical examination to see

whether she had some congenital blood disorder, but Pechstein rejected that.



So, they were abnormal blood values. Which means that in the other test, she

had normal blood values. So, she was OK then, you would guess. On the other

hand, if it is only 1 or 2 days that you can detect these reticulocytes,

wasn't Pechstein a bit too late this time....?



ISU tests with a machine and can check the results very quickly. So, who of

the testers told this secret to someone who could bring it to Ria Visser?

Isn't that breaching the rules to test doping?







----- Original Message -----

From: "Nils Lid Hjort" <nils@...>

To: <Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 7:46 PM

Subject: [Skate] Re: Claudia Pechstein suspended 2 years for doping...







Or, rather, say it is so, and tell us absolutely

everything about it, including how much, when,

with the help of whom, etc. That's the only way

we may still cling to an ounce of a vague hope

of living in a semi-clean world, to have More

Truths & Detailed Confessions on the table.

Were you doped when you won all these medals,

Mrs Pechstein? Just tell us.



There should be an Olympic Rule that whoever is

taken in doping should have all earlier Olympic

results (from medals to national and world records)

taken away from them, with Re-distribution of Medals

(if not wealth) etc. etc.



The story is highly unfortunate, of course, also

for people close to Mrs Pechstein, such as Peter

Mueller. There may be a line-up of people to the

kitchen sink now (those who need to publicly

wash their hands).



NLH

... from a weak internet line in his Torino

hotel room.



> Say it ain't so, Claudia...

>

> ------

>

> For immediate Release

> Lausanne, July 3, 2009

>

> �

> German Speed Skater Ms. Claudia Pechstein found guilty of Anti-Doping

> Rules violation

> �

>

> On July 1, 2009, the ISU Disciplinary Commission found Ms. Claudia

> Pechstein of Germany guilty of violation of rule 2.2 of the ISU

> Anti-Doping Rules �?oUse or Attempted Use by a Skater of a Prohibited

> Substance or a Prohibited Method�?�, � and has taken the following

> Decision. The full opinion and decision is published on the ISU website

> www.isu.org.

> �

> 1. Claudia Pechstein is declared responsible for an Anti-Doping violation

> under Article 2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules by using the prohibited

> method of blood doping.

>

>

> 2. The results obtained by Claudia Pechstein in the 500 m and 3'000 m

> races at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships on February 7,

> 2009, are disqualified and her points, prices and medals forfeited.

>

> 3. A two years ineligibility, beginning on February 9, 2009, is imposed on

> Claudia Pechstein.

>

> 4. The Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft e.V. shall pay to the ISU the

> costs to be determined.

>

> 5. Each Party bears its own costs of proceedings and expenses. The present

> decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport,

> Lausanne, Switzerland, within 21 days upon receipt of the decision, in

> accordance with Article 24, paragraph 12 and Article 25 of the ISU

> Constitution and Rule 13.2.1 and 13.6 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules.

> �

> The International Skating Union (ISU) had for many years a comprehensive

> Anti-Doping Program in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. This

> program incorporates both urine and blood testing to identify prohibited

> substances and also blood screening for hematological �?opassport�?�.

> �

> The ISU blood screening program began in 1999 and uses a specific program

> called SAFE (Safe and Fair Event Testing) to monitor the Skaters blood

> parameters. Over the years, the ISU has performed more than 11�?T000

> blood tests on approx. 1650 speed skaters and has created a hematological

> passport for each which details blood parameters over time. Long term

> monitoring allows the ISU Medical Commission to better detect anomalies or

> specific changes over time. In case of anomalies further targeted testing

> follows.

> �

> According to the WADA Comment to Rule 3.2 of the WADA Code� in force since

> January 1, 2009 (and adopted by the ISU - see ISU Communication 1546),

> conclusions drawn from the Skaters blood profile created from a series

> of tests� may be used for establishing a violation of the ISU Anti-Doping

> Rules.

> �

> Based on the evidence of Ms. Pechstein's profile which included abnormal

> values and abnormal changes of values in a series of tests (in particular

> in the tests conducted during the Essent ISU World Allround Championships

> held in Hamar on February 7-8, 2009) and in compliance with it�?Ts

> responsibilities in the fight against doping, the ISU, on March 5, 2009

> filed charges of anti-doping rules violation against Ms. Pechstein with

> the ISU Disciplinary Commission. After written submissions of evidence,

> written expert opinions and arguments by both parties and by the German

> Federation (Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft e.V.), a two-day hearing

> was held by the ISU Disciplinary Commission in Bern, SWI on June 29-30,

> 2009. Witnesses and five experts gave testimony and thereafter, the ISU

> Disciplinary Commission rendered the above-mentioned Decision.� �

> �

> The Decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

> (CAS) in Lausanne, and accordingly, the ISU will not provide additional

> comment.

> �

> The ISU remains committed to fight doping in order to ensure the respect

> of its rules and the ideals of the Olympic movement.�

>

> ------------

>

> Wow.

>

> Paul

>









------------------------------------



Yahoo! Groups Links

Marcel

What do you mean by this



BTW I just read that not only Ria Visser knew of this case but also Mart

Smeets.

My point is: why did it took so long (almost 5 months) before this case got

public.



Gerrit Stevens



Marcel Warmaar wrote:



ISU tests with a machine and can check the results very quickly. So, who of

the testers told this secret to someone who could bring it to Ria Visser?

Isn't that breaching the rules to test doping?

We have her side from Agence-France Presse:�

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iZk32lny_yJzux9ZkLvifjIxXEHA



Paging Robert L. Ripley - believe this, or not.



---



German speedskate star Claudia Pechstein on Friday hotly proclaimed

her innocence after the International Skating Union handed her a

two-year ban for blood doping which would force her to miss next year's

Winter Games in Vancouver.

The blood profile of the multiple

Olympic and world champion showed abnormal variations in tests, the ISU

found following a two-day hearing.

The variations showed up in

particular following the World Allround Championships in February and

Pechstein, 37, will now be banned until February 9, 2011 - but through

her lawyer she said she will appeal against the suspension to the Court

of Arbitration for Sport."Pechstein rejects the accusation of

blood doping," her lawyer, Marius Breucker, said in a joint statement

with German Speedskating Federation chairman Gerd Heinze.

"She

has been tested intensively in competition and in training these past

years without any doping substance being found," the statement added. "During

the procedure before the ISU experts judged the data unreliable owing

to patent errors" and, during the tests, "only the reticulocyte

(immature red blood cells) levels were abnormally high. The other blood

parametres, such as haemoglobin and the hematocritic levels were

normal," the statement maintained.

"Illness or blood

abnormalities are possible explanations for an abnormally high

reticulocyte reading. Pechstein proposes to submit herself to tests for

these possible anomalies."Breucker and Heinze added she would

also agree to "several weeks of surveillance with blood and EPO testing

in order to prove her innocence."

And the statement concluded:

"This is as far as we are aware the first time there has been a

suspension founded on indirect proof, that of a sole blood value. No

banned substance has been found."

Paul











[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

What I recall:



There was a flu that had affected e.g. Daniela Ansch�tz. Then Claudia

started and skated the first day, but it was not as good as expected!

(with doping you would expect she would be better).

That evening I saw her mother in the hall of the hotel, who told me that

Claudia had a fever and that it looked like she was not going to start the

next day.



If someone has a heavy flu, could/would that not result in abnormal blood

values?



In that case it's logical that neither Pechstein nor Mueller knew...

So EITHER Pechstein AND some medical person and possibly coach are guilty

Or the blood problem was caused by her having a flu.





Op 04-07-2009 01:30, schreef Paul Hanlin Jr. <speedsk8fan@...>:



--



Irene P.



o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o.o.o MAY GOD BLESS YOU o.o.o.o.o.o.o

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

----- Original Message -----

From: "Irene Postma" <speedskating@...>

To: "Skate" <Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 9:36 AM

Subject: Re: [Skate] Re: Claudia Pechstein suspended 2 years for doping...





What I recall:



There was a flu that had affected e.g. Daniela Ansch�tz. Then Claudia

started and skated the first day, but it was not as good as expected!

(with doping you would expect she would be better).

That evening I saw her mother in the hall of the hotel, who told me that

Claudia had a fever and that it looked like she was not going to start the

next day.



If someone has a heavy flu, could/would that not result in abnormal blood

values?



* No, that possibility was ruled out. See point 33 in the full report. The

values that were found in Pechstein's blood had increased so much that the

only possible alternative for blood doping was a congenital blood disorder.

Pechstein was offered to have a medical examination to prove that she had a

congenital blood disorder and she was allowed to skate before ending that

examination. However, she refused that offer. Although the DESG-reaction

says something different (see www.desg.de)



In that case it's logical that neither Pechstein nor Mueller knew...

So EITHER Pechstein AND some medical person and possibly coach are guilty

Or the blood problem was caused by her having a flu.



* The ISU tests with a machine and knows the outcomes very soon. I think

they give the results quite soon to the skaters. Like: everything OK. As

from former doping cases, it is known suspected results are communicated

quite soon, mostly with a request to withdraw. But I don't know to whom? the

skater? the coach? the federation official? Did Pechstein know the result of

that Friday-sample before she started on Saturday? Taking the risk that

another blood sample would be taken with showed the same pattern ? And of

course, she was very upset when she found out later. It is not strange she

felt empty in the weeks after and decided not to go America. Her definite

decision not to start was on March, 5, the day that the official complaint

arrived at the DESG.



The DESG-defence seems to concentrate on juridical matters and to state that

she was never positive in the past (of course not; that is why these

Hamar-values were so strange).



It would be wiser for Pechstein to be transparant. What has she been doing

in that week before the WCh allround? Between the World Cup in Erfurt and

the WCh in Hamar (where she is living?). What happened after that first

blood sample? Who knew when? If someone else is to blame, nail him down.

Otherwise, she will be the only one who suffers.



The ISU is very transparant in its operating by putting the whole verdict on

the web. Which gives it a lot of credibility IMO. It would benefit Pechstein

if she put her version in public, with which she could take away the

suspicion that something is still hidden. That is what is happening in

cycling nowadays and that is why the mess is still not cleaned there.



Marcel

In a very neat interview on German Television (why don't we have such

quality here?) Claudia Pechstein was able to express her side of the story.

I saw a strong, self-assured woman without nerves. We know her that way. Her

expression was convincing.

She assured that she had never taken doping and she apologized for lying

about her illness for withdrawing in Hamar.



She answered some questions I had raised below.

- She knew about the friday blood test on Saturday. On Saturday evening,

team leader Helge Jasch aksed her to come and gave her the outcomes.

Together with an ISU-proposal: Or to withdraw because of illness with the

promise to settle it later out of the publicity or to have an immediate,

preventive suspension (publicly announced of course). Being so overwhelmed,

they chose for the first option.

- Between her lines, I got the impression that the team doctor checked on

hemaglobin and hematocrit, but not on the reticulocytes value.

- The DESG-president, who was also interviewed, spoke of another proposal in

the course of the process. If Pechstein would end her career, the case could

be closed.

- Pechstein declined the offer for more medical checks, as her team was

convinced they would win the case at that point of time.

- A farmacologist said that he never had seen such high values and that

looking for a medical explanation would be pointless.

- Pechstein's lawyer talked about the defense they will be using: - there

will be a medical check; is it possible to suspend someone on indices only?;

is it OK that a skater should prove his innocence, instead of the ISU having

to prove the guilt?



So, IMO, a very juridical point of view. Suppose they win that and Pechstein

is released on such a minor detail. Could we be happy about that? How would

we look at her during the Vancouver Olympics? The DESG is right behind her.

It takes the risk that the supsicion on Pechstein will be transferred to the

whole German federation. Bad as it is, a lot of parallels with cycling a

couple of years ago come into my mind....



Marcel





----- Original Message -----

From: "Marcel Warnaar" <mwarnaar@...>

To: <Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 12:04 PM

Subject: Re: [Skate] Re: Claudia Pechstein suspended 2 years for doping...





>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: "Irene Postma" <speedskating@...>

> To: "Skate" <Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com>

> Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 9:36 AM

> Subject: Re: [Skate] Re: Claudia Pechstein suspended 2 years for doping...

>

>

> What I recall:

>

> There was a flu that had affected e.g. Daniela Ansch?tz. Then Claudia

> started and skated the first day, but it was not as good as expected!

> (with doping you would expect she would be better).

> That evening I saw her mother in the hall of the hotel, who told me that

> Claudia had a fever and that it looked like she was not going to start the

> next day.

>

> If someone has a heavy flu, could/would that not result in abnormal blood

> values?

>

> * No, that possibility was ruled out. See point 33 in the full report. The

> values that were found in Pechstein's blood had increased so much that the

> only possible alternative for blood doping was a congenital blood

> disorder.

> Pechstein was offered to have a medical examination to prove that she had

> a

> congenital blood disorder and she was allowed to skate before ending that

> examination. However, she refused that offer. Although the DESG-reaction

> says something different (see www.desg.de)

>

> In that case it's logical that neither Pechstein nor Mueller knew...

> So EITHER Pechstein AND some medical person and possibly coach are guilty

> Or the blood problem was caused by her having a flu.

>

> * The ISU tests with a machine and knows the outcomes very soon. I think

> they give the results quite soon to the skaters. Like: everything OK. As

> from former doping cases, it is known suspected results are communicated

> quite soon, mostly with a request to withdraw. But I don't know to whom?

> the

> skater? the coach? the federation official? Did Pechstein know the result

> of

> that Friday-sample before she started on Saturday? Taking the risk that

> another blood sample would be taken with showed the same pattern ? And of

> course, she was very upset when she found out later. It is not strange she

> felt empty in the weeks after and decided not to go America. Her definite

> decision not to start was on March, 5, the day that the official complaint

> arrived at the DESG.

>

> The DESG-defence seems to concentrate on juridical matters and to state

> that

> she was never positive in the past (of course not; that is why these

> Hamar-values were so strange).

>

> It would be wiser for Pechstein to be transparant. What has she been doing

> in that week before the WCh allround? Between the World Cup in Erfurt and

> the WCh in Hamar (where she is living?). What happened after that first

> blood sample? Who knew when? If someone else is to blame, nail him down.

> Otherwise, she will be the only one who suffers.

>

> The ISU is very transparant in its operating by putting the whole verdict

> on

> the web. Which gives it a lot of credibility IMO. It would benefit

> Pechstein

> if she put her version in public, with which she could take away the

> suspicion that something is still hidden. That is what is happening in

> cycling nowadays and that is why the mess is still not cleaned there.

>

> Marcel

>

>

I read a lot of dope accused sporters trying to defend themselves, but

reading her website post (in german), following her 15 years on tele,



The Germans vs dope relation,







My "onderbuik gevoel" says NOT guilty at least not deliberately











Regards



Tim,











[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com, "Marcel Warnaar" <mwarnaar@...> wrote:





> She assured that she had never taken doping and she apologized for lying

> about her illness for withdrawing in Hamar.

>



> - She knew about the friday blood test on Saturday. On Saturday evening,

> team leader Helge Jasch aksed her to come and gave her the outcomes.

> Together with an ISU-proposal: Or to withdraw because of illness with the

> promise to settle it later out of the publicity or to have an immediate,

> preventive suspension (publicly announced of course). Being so overwhelmed,

> they chose for the first option.



> - The DESG-president, who was also interviewed, spoke of another proposal in

> the course of the process. If Pechstein would end her career, the case could

> be closed.





    Considering what has obviously happened in this case - how it has all been

handled, I simply can't avoid asking myself the following question: What is

REALLY going on in the corridors and behind closed doors in general. What is

there that the public never gets to know anything about? To what extent can

explanations from skaters, federations or medical personnel as to withdrawals -

or retirements for that matter - be trusted?

    At first it may seem that "offering" Claudia the opportunity to withdraw "due

to illness" was an initiative taken to protect HER. However, I would say that

the ISU, DESG and the Hamar arrangement committee had their own interests to

take care of - business interests. It would not be good for the sport - neither

the business part of it nor the general publicity - having cases of doping or

doping suspicions revaled in front of crowded stands and during TV-coverage from

a major event. There IS indeed a parallell to the Anzhelika Kotyuga case some

years ago - as to the way things were done. Her positive test was from a world

cup event in Heerenveen. But the announcement and verdict from the ISU weren't

presented until about half a year later. Is it a deliberate strategy to publish

information on doping cases in speed skating in summer simply to minimize the

general attention to it from the public?

    Andrew Jennings, long time IOC critic, has claimed that the committee isn't

really interested in fighing against doping - simply because actual cases would

destroy the image of the Olympic Games and of a "pure, ideal and clean" sport.

In one of his books Jennings even says that the IOC didn't really want to

publish the positive test result of Ben Johnson back in -88. But, allegedly, a

laboratory assistant had given the information to the press, so there was no way

it could be held back.





> - Pechstein's lawyer talked about the defense they will be using: - there

> will be a medical check; is it possible to suspend someone on indices only?;

> is it OK that a skater should prove his innocence, instead of the ISU having

> to prove the guilt?

>

> So, IMO, a very juridical point of view. Suppose they win that and Pechstein

> is released on such a minor detail. Could we be happy about that? How would

> we look at her during the Vancouver Olympics? The DESG is right behind her.

> It takes the risk that the supsicion on Pechstein will be transferred to the

> whole German federation. Bad as it is, a lot of parallels with cycling a

> couple of years ago come into my mind....

>

> Marcel

>

>





    What I would like to say is that any doping case - alleged or confirmed - is

casting long shadows, both backwards and sideways. Unfortunately.









                        Greetings

                        Sveinung.

--- In Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com, Irene Postma <speedskating@...> wrote:

>

> What I recall:

>

> That evening I saw her mother in the hall of the hotel, who told me that

> Claudia had a fever and that it looked like she was not going to start the

> next day.

>



> So EITHER Pechstein AND some medical person and possibly coach are guilty

> Or the blood problem was caused by her having a flu.

>



>

> Irene P.

>







    Claudia now states herself on her own website that her withdrawal from the

second day of the WCh was NOT due to illness.





     http://www.claudiapechstein.de/index2.shtml







    Claudia, hast Du Dir wirklich nichts vorzuwerfen? Diese Frage muss ich mir

nat�rlich jetzt h�ufig stellen lassen. Und ja, ich habe mir tats�chlich etwas

vorzuwerfen. Und zwar, dass ich mich auf den �Kuhhandel" der ISU eingelassen

habe, der mir zur Halbzeit der Mehrkampf-WM in Hamar unterbreitet wurde. �Wenn

Du dich krank meldest, dann werden wir die �ffentlichkeit nicht informieren. Und

die ganze Angelegenheit kann in aller Ruhe gekl�rt werden" wurde mir

vorgeschlagen, als mir in der Nacht zum 8. Februar 2009 die Nachricht der

gemessenen erh�hten Retikulozytenwerte �berbracht wurde. Meine Angst, �ffentlich

des Dopings beschuldigt zu werden und die Hoffnung, die Angelegenheit ohne

Aufsehen kl�ren zu k�nnen, waren st�rker als mein Verlangen es heraus zu

schreien, unschuldig des Dopings bezichtigt zu werden. Heute wei� ich, dass dies

ein Fehler war. Ein Fehler vor allem deshalb, weil ich die �ffentlichkeit und

meine Fans belogen habe. Daf�r m�chte ich mich entschuldigen. Erst musste eine

angebliche Erk�ltung herhalten, um mein Fehlen bei der WM zu entschuldigen.

Anschlie�end waren ein hartn�ckiger Virus und zu guter Letzt der daraus

angeblich resultierende Trainingsr�ckstand die Ausreden f�r das Auslassen der

restlichen Saisonwettk�mpfe. Das alles hat weh getan. Nicht nur mir, sondern

auch den anderen, die Bescheid wussten und gegen�ber der Presse immer wieder auf

eine unserer Ausfl�chte zur�ckgriffen. F�r uns alle waren es Notl�gen, verbunden

mit der Hoffnung, vor einem objektiven ISU-Gericht, die �ffentliche,

unbegr�ndete Dopingdiskussion abwenden zu k�nnen. Und wie hei�t es so sch�n: Die

Hoffnung stirbt zu letzt. Jetzt ist sie tats�chlich gestorben und mit ihr mein

guter Ruf. Beides hat mir die ISU genommen. Meine Ehre k�nnen sie mir allerdings

nicht stehlen.







    Meaning:





    Claudia, is there really nothing that you are to be blamed for? Of course I

ask myself this question quite often. And yes, I really do have something to

blame myself for - the fact that I agreed on a "horse trade" with ISU, presented

to me after the first day of the Hamar allround world championships: "If you

report to be ill, we won't inform the public. And the whole thing can be cleared

up in silence." This was suggested to me as I was brought the news the night

before February 8th concerning the high reticulocytes value measured. My fear of

being accused of doping in public and the hope of having this affair solved

without making any sensation out of it were stronger than my urge to scream out

my innocence as to the doping accusations. Now I know I made a mistake. A

mistake most of all because I have lied in public and to my fans. For this I

want to beg for forgivness. First allegedly having caught a cold had to serve as

an excuse for my absence from the WCh. Then there was a heavy virus infection,

and, as a consequence of this, an alleged setback as to training was meant to

explain why I skipped the rest of the season's events. It has all been painful.

Not only for me, but also for the others who knew better and towards the press

repeatedly stuck to one of our excuses. For all of us these were white lies,

linked to the hope that we would have the opportunity to strike back against the

public, unfounded doping discussions in an objective ISU court. And as it says

so beautifully: Hope will die in the end. Now it has indeed died, and with it my

good reputation. Both taken away from me by ISU. They can't steal my honour,

though.









                      Sveinung Hem

With my personal experience with the art of medicine and blood tests, I'm the

first one to believe any dsuggestion that tests might not be neither accurate

nor definitive � and that the conclusions will differ with different views.



Let's hope this can be sorted out, and that no decisions will be taken on the

basis of dogmatics.





-----------

TBH

No certified lab?  No certified results...wtf!



On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Paul Hanlin Jr.<speedsk8fan@...> wrote:

>

>

> We have her side from Agence-France Presse:

>

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iZk32lny_yJzux9ZkLvifjIxXEHA

>

> Paging Robert L. Ripley - believe this, or not.

>

> ---

>

> German speedskate star Claudia Pechstein on Friday hotly proclaimed

> her innocence after the International Skating Union handed her a

> two-year ban for blood doping which would force her to miss next year's

> Winter Games in Vancouver.

> The blood profile of the multiple

> Olympic and world champion showed abnormal variations in tests, the ISU

> found following a two-day hearing.

> The variations showed up in

> particular following the World Allround Championships in February and

> Pechstein, 37, will now be banned until February 9, 2011 - but through

> her lawyer she said she will appeal against the suspension to the Court

> of Arbitration for Sport."Pechstein rejects the accusation of

> blood doping," her lawyer, Marius Breucker, said in a joint statement

> with German Speedskating Federation chairman Gerd Heinze.

> "She

> has been tested intensively in competition and in training these past

> years without any doping substance being found," the statement added.

> "During

> the procedure before the ISU experts judged the data unreliable owing

> to patent errors" and, during the tests, "only the reticulocyte

> (immature red blood cells) levels were abnormally high. The other blood

> parametres, such as haemoglobin and the hematocritic levels were

> normal," the statement maintained.

> "Illness or blood

> abnormalities are possible explanations for an abnormally high

> reticulocyte reading. Pechstein proposes to submit herself to tests for

> these possible anomalies."Breucker and Heinze added she would

> also agree to "several weeks of surveillance with blood and EPO testing

> in order to prove her innocence."

> And the statement concluded:

> "This is as far as we are aware the first time there has been a

> suspension founded on indirect proof, that of a sole blood value. No

> banned substance has been found."

> Paul

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

Much as I stay out of the yahoo group's lime light.� I find it unfair to cast a

shadow on an athlete about doping.� Personally I feel that everyone Hemoglobin

and hematocrit� should be advertised.� Since it is genetic, whats the harm of

publicizing the each persons genetic blood signature. Let people judge for

themselves.� I don't think science lies, but big jumps are not a normal under a

load of training. I know if you are dehydrated, this can influence a higher

number.� My coaches always had me drink tons of water so my hematocrit was

lower.� When I came though the magic number was "55", I was always 53-55

anything over that we were not allowed to race.� I can only remember one time a

Russian skater was over this magic number, and he was not allowed to race that

particular world cup.



�Having said this,� random test should be done on teams not individuals, because

the sport is moving in that direction anyway.�



I think for each athlete that gets caught dropping or accused of doping, it

brings an embarrassment on them, country and team.If ISU holds accountable the

team as a whole, then don't you think that there would be less to monitor from

the ISU. With each team member watching another, I think everyone would police

their own team. Instead when an athlete gets caught, they have to fly solo and

anyone that stands next to them becomes tarnished too. Atleast if it is a team

problem, she would have some others fighting it with her.�



�Rather Pechstein is Innocent or Guilty, she won't be the same type of athlete

after this violation. That type of speculation is tarnishing and even if she

wins another metal, that being found innocent, that speculation will still be

there.



I hope she is innocent, though I know she will have a tough road after this

ordeal.� I always admired her as an athlete. I hate seeing that any type of

blood doping case made it into this beautiful sport.



-Chris Callis



--- On Sun, 7/5/09, Sveinung Hem <svehem@...> wrote:



From: Sveinung Hem <svehem@...>

Subject: [Skate] Re: Claudia Pechstein suspended 2 years for doping...

To: Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com

Date: Sunday, July 5, 2009, 11:35 AM



































       --- In Speed_skating@ yahoogroups. com, "Marcel Warnaar" <mwarnaar@.. .>

wrote:







> She assured that she had never taken doping and she apologized for lying



> about her illness for withdrawing in Hamar.



>







> - She knew about the friday blood test on Saturday. On Saturday evening,



> team leader Helge Jasch aksed her to come and gave her the outcomes.



> Together with an ISU-proposal: Or to withdraw because of illness with the



> promise to settle it later out of the publicity or to have an immediate,



> preventive suspension (publicly announced of course). Being so overwhelmed,



> they chose for the first option.







> - The DESG-president, who was also interviewed, spoke of another proposal in



> the course of the process. If Pechstein would end her career, the case could



> be closed.







Considering what has obviously happened in this case - how it has all been

handled, I simply can't avoid asking myself the following question: What is

REALLY going on in the corridors and behind closed doors in general. What is

there that the public never gets to know anything about? To what extent can

explanations from skaters, federations or medical personnel as to withdrawals -

or retirements for that matter - be trusted?



    At first it may seem that "offering" Claudia the opportunity to withdraw "due

to illness" was an initiative taken to protect HER. However, I would say that

the ISU, DESG and the Hamar arrangement committee had their own interests to

take care of - business interests. It would not be good for the sport - neither

the business part of it nor the general publicity - having cases of doping or

doping suspicions revaled in front of crowded stands and during TV-coverage from

a major event. There IS indeed a parallell to the Anzhelika Kotyuga case some

years ago - as to the way things were done. Her positive test was from a world

cup event in Heerenveen. But the announcement and verdict from the ISU weren't

presented until about half a year later. Is it a deliberate strategy to publish

information on doping cases in speed skating in summer simply to minimize the

general attention to it from the public?



    Andrew Jennings, long time IOC critic, has claimed that the committee isn't

really interested in fighing against doping - simply because actual cases would

destroy the image of the Olympic Games and of a "pure, ideal and clean" sport.

In one of his books Jennings even says that the IOC didn't really want to

publish the positive test result of Ben Johnson back in -88. But, allegedly, a

laboratory assistant had given the information to the press, so there was no way

it could be held back.











> - Pechstein's lawyer talked about the defense they will be using: - there



> will be a medical check; is it possible to suspend someone on indices only?;



> is it OK that a skater should prove his innocence, instead of the ISU having



> to prove the guilt?



>



> So, IMO, a very juridical point of view. Suppose they win that and Pechstein



> is released on such a minor detail. Could we be happy about that? How would



> we look at her during the Vancouver Olympics? The DESG is right behind her.



> It takes the risk that the supsicion on Pechstein will be transferred to the



> whole German federation. Bad as it is, a lot of parallels with cycling a



> couple of years ago come into my mind....



>



> Marcel



>



>







What I would like to say is that any doping case - alleged or confirmed - is

casting long shadows, both backwards and sideways. Unfortunately.







Greetings



                        Sveinung.































































[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Hanlin Jr." <speedsk8fan@...> wrote:

>

>

> Say it ain't so, Claudia...

>

> ------

>

> For immediate Release

> Lausanne, July 3, 2009

>

>  

> German Speed Skater Ms. Claudia Pechstein found guilty of Anti-Doping Rules

violation

>  

>

> On July 1, 2009, the ISU Disciplinary Commission found Ms. Claudia

> Pechstein of Germany guilty of violation of rule 2.2 of the ISU

> Anti-Doping Rules “Use or Attempted Use by a Skater of a Prohibited

Substance or a Prohibited Method”,  and has taken the following Decision. The

full opinion and decision is published on the ISU website www.isu.org.

>  

> 1. Claudia Pechstein is declared responsible for an Anti-Doping violation

> under Article 2.2 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules by using the prohibited

> method of blood doping.

>

>

> 2. The results obtained by Claudia Pechstein in the 500 m and 3'000 m

> races at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships on February 7,

> 2009, are disqualified and her points, prices and medals forfeited.

>

> 3. A two years ineligibility, beginning on February 9, 2009, is imposed on

Claudia Pechstein.

>

> 4. The Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft e.V. shall pay to the ISU the

costs to be determined.

>

> 5. Each Party bears its own costs of proceedings and expenses. The present

decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne,

Switzerland, within 21 days upon receipt of the decision, in accordance with

Article 24, paragraph 12 and Article 25 of the ISU Constitution and Rule 13.2.1

and 13.6 of the ISU Anti-Doping Rules.

>  

> The International Skating Union (ISU) had for many years a comprehensive

> Anti-Doping Program in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code. This

> program incorporates both urine and blood testing to identify prohibited

substances and also blood screening for hematological “passport”.

>  

> The ISU blood screening program began in 1999 and uses a specific program

> called SAFE (Safe and Fair Event Testing) to monitor the Skaters blood

> parameters. Over the years, the ISU has performed more than 11’000

> blood tests on approx. 1650 speed skaters and has created a hematological

passport for each which details blood parameters over time. Long term monitoring

allows the ISU Medical Commission to better detect anomalies or specific changes

over time. In case of anomalies further targeted testing follows.

>  

> According to the WADA Comment to Rule 3.2 of the WADA Code in force since

January 1, 2009 (and adopted by the ISU - see ISU Communication 1546),

> conclusions drawn from the Skaters blood profile created from a series

> of tests may be used for establishing a violation of the ISU Anti-Doping

Rules.

>  

> Based on the evidence of Ms. Pechstein's profile which included abnormal

> values and abnormal changes of values in a series of tests (in particular in

the tests conducted during the Essent ISU World Allround Championships held in

Hamar on February 7-8, 2009) and in compliance with it’s responsibilities in

the fight against doping, the ISU, on March 5, 2009 filed charges of anti-doping

rules violation against Ms. Pechstein with the ISU Disciplinary Commission.

After written submissions of evidence, written expert opinions and arguments by

both parties and by the German Federation (Deutsche Eisschnelllauf-Gemeinschaft

e.V.), a two-day hearing was held by the ISU Disciplinary Commission in Bern,

SWI on June 29-30, 2009. Witnesses and five experts gave testimony and

thereafter, the ISU Disciplinary Commission rendered the above-mentioned

Decision.  

>  

> The Decision is subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

> (CAS) in Lausanne, and accordingly, the ISU will not provide additional

> comment.

>  

> The ISU remains committed to fight doping in order to ensure the respect of

its rules and the ideals of the Olympic movement. 

>

> ------------

>

> Wow.

>

> Paul

>





Pechstein is gone and she can forget going for her sixth Olympic Winter Games

unless she appeals to the CAS. As a matter of fact she can retire right now,

rather than fight the doping charges.



It's up to Sablikova, Friesinger and/or Wust or anyone else to pickup the

enormous load Pechstein left behind only if she retires, or has her doping

charge upheld.