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Djokovic on Armstrong, cycling, doping etc

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#1 ·
That's a lot of questions. Don't know if it has been posted yet. Waiting for the doping nerds to opine.

Q. Radek was talking about one of the big sports stories of the day is Lance Armstrong admitting he used steroids. The interview was happening during your match and he wanted to se it.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, really? I just heard the news. I haven't seen the interview, but I heard he was admitting that.

Q. Is that the kind of thing you'd definitely want to see for yourself?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, you know, I think everybody was expecting him to do that. I mean, it would be ridiculous for him to decline and refuse all the charges because it has been proven. They have like a thousand proofs that he's positive. I think it's a disgrace for the sport to have an athlete like this.
He cheated the sport. He cheated many people around the world with his career, with his life story. I think they should take all his titles away because it's not fair towards any sportsman, any athlete. It's just not the way to be successful. So I think he should suffer for his lies all these years.

Q. How comfortable are you that drug testing in tennis is rigorous enough?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, in tennis, you know, at least from my perspective, it's really good. Anti doping regulations a little bit maybe more strict in sense that you have to fill the whereabouts documents and you have to basically give an hour or two in every day of your life in a whole year, where you are.
But on the other hand, it gives them an opportunity to test you. And you know it is the same for the other players. At least from that point of view it's fair. And I have nothing against, you know, the anti doping federation, association, testing me 10, 20, 30 times a year.
I think as long as I know as many numbers of testing for the other players, I'll be happy.

Q. How about blood testing? The ITF records tell us in the whole of 2011 there was only 18 blood tests taken of the top players. How often would you or Andy or Roger or Rafa be blood tested?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I wasn't tested with blood for last six, seven months. It was more regularly in last two, three years ago. I don't know the reason why they stopped it.
As I said, I mean, as long as it's fair, it's clean, we're trying to protect the identity of this sport. I believe tennis players are one of the most cleanest athletes in the world and one of the most competitive sports.
So as long as we keep it that way, I have no complaints about testing.

Q. Would you disagree with Darren Cahill who said today that he believes the Anti Doping Program in tennis is inadequate and it's been going backwards in recent years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What is the reason for that?

Q. That's his opinion.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, I don't know. There has to be a reason why he said that, backstory.
I know Darren. He's a great guy, somebody that knows tennis really well, so must be something why he said that.
But in my opinion, yeah, there has been a complaints from players in few years, last few years, about this whereabouts system. Why do we need to write where we are every single day of our 365 days when most of the time we're spending on the courts and so forth.
Maybe that is something that is, you know, questionable. But on the other hand as many urine, as many blood sample tests they take, the better. Then you're aware that it's a clean sport and everybody has the same treatment.

Q. I think part of the issue is out of competition blood testing is expensive to carry out. Do you think the ITF should make it more of a priority to spend more money on that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, it's a question for them, I guess. From my point, I mean, I was more than clear. I have nothing against the blood tests, you know.
Even though I prefer urine more. I don't like the needles too much. But, of course, I mean, you know, the money in that direction should be invested because, you know, it's always let's say a safeguard for our sport that they're investing money in our sport that is going to protect our sport and players.

Q. A lot of cycling fans have lost a lot of faith in that sport now. Do you think tennis fans should be confidant that nothing like this...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I lost a lot of faith in cycling. I used to watch it. All the big champions that were there, Marco Pantani, now Lance Armstrong. Yeah, I don't want to say all. I really don't know. There has been so much controversy about that sport.
I'm sure that there are many cyclists in the world who are training very hard and trying to not use any enhancing drugs for their competition.
But I think it's not acceptable that they have physically so much races in short period of the time. I think basically every single day, day and a half, they have to go through 200 miles. Uphill, downhill in Giro D'Italia, Tour de France, that's inhuman effort. As you can see, Lance Armstrong, many other big champions, had to use something to succeed.

Q. Do you think tennis fans should have faith that that won't happen the same way?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The results are showing that. In last few years there maybe has been one or two cases, but those players were more or less outside of the hundred. We are keeping this sport clean. We are working towards it. There is awareness with the players and with the officials. As long as is like that, we are in a good road.

Q. Would you be in favor of like a biological passport program that they're instituting in cycling for tennis?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, you know, we can discuss about the options for a while. But generally I believe that the present regulations about anti doping tests in tennis are good, in my views. I don't think there should be any major changes because, as you know, it's official. We have to write where we are every day of our lives so they have an opportunity to test us every day of 365 days in a year.
I think that doesn't give anybody a chance to do something that is unsportsmanlike.
 
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#151 ·
Indeed - I thought it was inappropriate to dwell on Armstrong immediately after he finished a tennis match.

This stuff should be asked, but at in the press conference where there is enough time to meander into other subjects.
 
#5 ·
Why don't the reporters ask him something relevant? Donkey cheese for example.
 
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#6 ·
He's 100% right about Armstrong. That guy went from a legend and a role model to a pathetic junkie. I wish that you could somehow take away his money. I hope he bankrupts. And I'm saying this as I guy who thinks that doping should be legalized in some sports (like basketball) bcs professional sport is entertainment and people would enjoy more if you would be allowed to 'improve' yourself through doping and the main priority would be to make as less unhealthy doping as possible. I would risk my health for 10/20/50 M bucks. But until then, if everybody else is playing by the rules, you play by the rules also. And this is the worst case bcs of his 'I beat cancer, I live so healthy' shit. Many people looked up to him and now he disappointed.
 
#7 ·
I think enhancing drugs may finish the sport in general this Century. I'm talking about a hypothetical situation 15-20 years from now, when enhancing drugs may be in daily usage - it may create a paradoxical situation that amateurs will be better than athletes. Today it sounds ridiculously but the situation may look different around 2030 if current assumptions considering development of biotechnology and nanotechnology are correct.
 
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#10 ·
Not even a little bit worried there are some doping problems in tennis... Yeah right.... Even if you don't dope, you got to be worried that the next puerta will defeat you just when you have a chance to win the calender year GS where you worked very hard for. Or just a little afraid that like in cycling some people can get by these doping tests, at least for a while like 7 tour victories...

This is not Djokovic speaking what is on his mind, just what is best to say at the moment for him/atp I guess.
 
#14 ·
Q. How about blood testing? The ITF records tell us in the whole of 2011 there was only 18 blood tests taken of the top players. How often would you or Andy or Roger or Rafa be blood tested?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I wasn't tested with blood for last six, seven months. It was more regularly in last two, three years ago. I don't know the reason why they stopped it.
As I said, I mean, as long as it's fair, it's clean, we're trying to protect the identity of this sport. I believe tennis players are one of the most cleanest athletes in the world and one of the most competitive sports.
So as long as we keep it that way, I have no complaints about testing.

Q. Would you disagree with Darren Cahill who said today that he believes the Anti Doping Program in tennis is inadequate and it's been going backwards in recent years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What is the reason for that?

Back into your egg Djokovic. Clearly no idea what he is talking about.
 
#15 ·
But surely Djokovic knows that the doping controls in tennis are a joke, much worse than the ones in cycling? The absolute best we can say about him is that he's an idiot or a lapdog of the ATP line and has his head buried far in the sand as to not see things in the locker room or hear things. If he had just kept his comments about Armstrong it would be fine, but I believe the lady doth protest too much.
 
#36 · (Edited)
But surely Djokovic knows that the doping controls in tennis are a joke, much worse than the ones in cycling?
You know, I don't think so. From the players' perspectives, they get 10ish tests a year in competition, and have to give location data 365 days a year. That would be a major pain in the ass to comply with.


The problem of course is that the dopers have easy ways to avoid the tests. As Armstrong said last night, they have no fear of in-competition testing because they know they've flushed everything out of their system.

Armstrong also said blood passports work against doping (tennis doesn't use them), as does out of competition testing (tennis does such a microscopic number there's zero chance of catching anyone).


Is there doping in tennis? With basically no anti-doping system to speak of? Of course there is. Fuentes worked with hundreds of world class athletes, and said in 2006 that 20% of his clients were tennis players - he said that if he talked, Spain would lose the World Cup, and strangely enough the Spanish authorities buried the list of his clients :devil:



It's the dilemma of any governing body:

1) test properly, you will catch lots, and the sport's image will get ruined.

2) give up on testing, the dopers will take over.


Cycling chose number 1 - they do mammoth numbers of tests. Tennis chose 2.
 
#18 ·
what the fuck do you on MTF know about doping huh?You know it is widespread in tennis?You know shit you can only speculate.....I was on juice for years and I will use that stuff again in a few months and trust me it cant turn a mediocre player into a Grand Slam champion.......Armstrong was better than everyone with or without it.....Like Barry Bonds.........sure they shouldn't have used it but still steroids enhance your performance they dont create it out of nothing
 
#20 ·
Good interview. I don't think Djokovic is doping. And I like what he said about Armstrong. Absolute disgrace that guy. One of the heros of 'Clay Death' of course. I saw an interview with Dennis Miller where he says Armstrong bullied people into not saying anything about his doping by threatening them. Sounds a lot like that bully Clay Death and of course we all know who else that poster worshiped. Connect the dots.
 
#38 ·
:p
 
#29 ·
Limitless has very little with body EP, it's all about mind EP.
 
#30 ·
Saying EPO and blood doping gives no huge effect is //("(/!/(" retarded.


Best example I've seen is in cross country skiing where the finish team shot up EPO and blood transfusions doing a world cup and all results sky rocketed. Even have the actual blood values but then it gets too nerdy here but trust me the effect was sick. Also a spanish athlete (Mühlegg) did it during Olympics in Salt Lake City (that was on high altitude) and no other skiier, not even the world's very best and technically superior, stood a chance.

After those debacles they ruled that red blood cell count has to be measured and any skiier above a certain value was prohibited from taking part in competition. This affected those who had high blood cell counts genitically but what can you do.


Obviously it's more straightforward in sports like long distance running, cross-country skiing or cycling where they compete over long distances.


In tennis you need the skill to actually stay in rallies to benefit much from blood doping. But those who are defensivly gifted, like say Nadal, Ferrer etc. would benefit greatly from blood doping
 
#120 ·
Saberg is a moron.
Just because he used PED he thought he's an expert.

an example: chinese female swimmers during Rome 1994 world championships had really awful techniques, and yet they swept almost all gold medals if it had been not for van ALmsick and Sam Riley. PED helps. A LOT.
 
#33 ·
A Dutch reporter recently took EPO for a week and his performance increased 10% in 10 days without training.
 
#34 ·
Perhaps the reason it appears so clean is because they don't fucking test for seven months at a time. Anyone with any common sense knows it's an epidemic in tennis like it was in cycling ten years ago for the same reasons- Players ahead of the programs in terms of doping technology and the authorities helping cover up positive tests and suspicious test avoidance
 
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#40 ·
As far as Armstrong goes, is it really cheating everyone in the sport was all taking the same stuff? That's like saying I scored a 78 but the teacher curved that letter grade from a C+ to a be B+...it's not cheating because everyone was graded on the same curve. Lance Armstrong is a hero and also one of the greatest athletes of our generation. He was the best cyclist the world has ever seen, even if he and athletes he competed against took substances deemed "illegal" by the sport.
I don't know about Djokovic,Federer,Nadal & Murray(guys that concern us the most), but I'll tell you something about your hero Armstrong:

you can take all his trophies, his 125+ millions and all the misery of people he used to bully throughout his career and shove up your arse!
 
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