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Starry Skier Miller Rips Into Strict Drug Policy
Pubdate: Sat, 26 Nov 2005
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Eric Francis, Calgary Sun
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
STARRY SKIER MILLER RIPS INTO STRICT DRUG POLICY
LAKE LOUISE -- Unable to wait until today's season opening downhill,
Bode Miller exploded out of the gates yesterday with scathing comments
directed at the World Cup circuit he dominates.
Calling the International Ski Federation's strict drug policy
nonsensical and humiliating, the defending all around champion said
he'll continue to work behind the scenes to help start a rival tour
for fed-up skiers like himself.
''There's a huge need for it and a competing circuit against the World
Cup tour is absolutely going to happen - it's just a matter of when,''
said the disgruntled American on the eve of today's World Cup downhill.
''I would stand behind it and endorse it if something came out, as
long as it's well thought out and a well-designed tour. I'm still
working with a few people on it. That's probably the catalyst that's
required to make something change (at the World Cup level.)''
What Miller would like to see changed on the World Cup tour is the
lengthy list of banned substances. FIS officials refuse to address his
suggestion that outlawed substances should only be those that pose
health risks. Miller said he's since been targeted by drug testers
because of his outspokenness.
''I don't think there's any question about it,'' said Miller,
28.
''They claim it's a random test, but a bunch of years ago I got tested
eight times in five months and the most anyone else on the team got
tested was twice. I hired a lawyer and called them and told them I was
going to take action against them and I didn't get tested again for
two years.''
TESTED ALMOST WEEKLY
However, as a podium regular the last few seasons, the two-time
Olympic silver medalist has been tested almost weekly since.
''Whether you believe it or not it's incredibly insulting to be drug
tested over and over and over again,'' said Miller, adding that he
must report his whereabouts at all times.
''I can tell you this, since I started talking out about it I've been
randomly tested three times and no one else on my team has been tested
more than once. You're guilty until proven innocent. When people can
just come up to you and tell you you have to pull down your pants to
your knees and piss in a cup any time they want to - as often as they
want - it's insulting.
''After 100 times, which is probably how many times I've been tested,
it's like, 'guys, get over it. I'm not doing anything.' We're not
trying to cheat. We're dealing with a broken system.''
It's a system he slammed as being illogical and rife with hypocrisy
for allowing cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and Creatine,
while banning marijuana, which is available via prescription.
LOTS OF OTHER PROBLEMS
''(Cigarette smoking) straight up kills you - everybody knows it - and
(alcohol) creates all kinds of other problems like birth defects,
traffic accidents and abuse,'' said Miller.
''The lunacy is that there's a lot of stuff like EPO that's already in
your body that's banned. Then there's Creatine, which nobody even
knows if it's safe or not. It's clearly a performance-enhancing drug
yet there's no regulation on it.
''What is banned is something like an asthma inhaler or a million
other drugs on the list that have no health risks whatsoever. I don't
really care what's banned and what's not, I just think there has to be
a more logical system in place. The system now is just insane.''
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin