The Americans are the undisputed leaders of world athletics. In recent years, they have won the medal standings by a wide margin over all other teams. But the victories of many athletes from the United States raise questions. After all, as open drug testing statistics show, Americans simply aren’t tested for illegal drugs. Based on the results of the World Championship in Budapest, even more questions may arise for the American team.
Anti-doping control statistics before the last World Cup in Eugene
The Athletics Integrity Unit website has published curious facts about the doping tests carried out on all participants in the 2022 World Championships in Athletics. For the first time in history, the world championships were held in the United States, for what the Americans were motivated to show the best possible result.
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According to published information, of the 142 people in the US team, 18% did not undergo anti-doping tests in the 10 months prior to the start of the World Cup. But even more interesting is that out of 59 people who made it to the top 8 in their disciplines, there were 6 athletes who were not tested for illegal drugs the entire season before the world championships. In total, the Americans won 33 medals of various denominations, including 13 gold medals.
Among the top five in the medal table, the statistics of the doping tests carried out on athletes out of competition before the World Championships in Eugene are as follows:
In the Jamaican team of 59 people, 36% failed the tests. Of the first 8, all passed. In Ethiopia and Kenya, all athletes passed out-of-competition doping tests. In the UK team of 73 people, 21% failed the tests; in 21 athletes, one athlete managed to avoid a doping test. Of the first 6, all athletes were tested.
These data clearly show that Americans are allowed much more than others. Once again they are not disturbed, allowing them to calmly prepare for the main start of the season. A similar situation occurs with the teams from Jamaica and the United Kingdom. But athletes who play for African countries are constantly monitored.
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Why are out-of-competition events so important?
Modern pharmacology works wonders. An athlete can face the main competition of the season at the top of his form, using various drugs that will be eliminated from the body before the start. And this is done in such a way that nobody notices anything. Therefore, spot checks are needed throughout the season to rule out the possibility of doping fraud. If the athlete does not undergo out-of-competition testing, he gains an advantage over his rivals.
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It turns out that Americans and Brits are allowed to “cheat” in athletics. And this has been happening since the first days of participation of athletes from the United States and Great Britain in international competitions. And athletes from most other countries are in an inherently losing position. After all, as soon as out-of-competition doping control was introduced in the early 2000s, they began regularly undergoing such tests.
Now the next World Championships in Athletics have started in Budapest. The American team once again leads the medal table with a wide difference compared to their pursuers. I wonder what the data from the out-of-competition controls will be at the end of this championship. Will American athletes be ahead of the entire planet again without doping control?
