Italy’s Clostebol doping crisis across tennis, football and the Olympics
An anabolic steroid once given to East and West German athletes has resurfaced in elite Italian sport. Honest Sport investigates whether the drug is now being used similarly to testosterone creams.
honestsport.substack.com
An investigative doping journalist found systemic doping with Clostebol. In the last 4 years 38 Italian sportists have been tested positive on that substance.
Judging by this article, it's almost impossible to believe in Jannik's innocence.
First of all, it says HALF of the cases detected by WADA come from Italy, which suggests a systematic doping scheme in the country (with the help of local authorities ignoring it). The excuses of the players are always the same, cross contamination. Such claims become less and less credible when everyone uses it as their defense strategy.
Second: Clostebol-containing products come with clear warnings about their banned status in sports. For a team member of a professional athlete like Sinner, who would presumably be well-informed about anti-doping regulations, the use of such a product—even accidentally—would be almost impossible to believe. Why would a professional risk cross contamination? It makes zero sense.
The article also highlights clostebol's short detection window, which makes it perfect for athletes to use it strategically, hoping to avoid detection during testing, which could make Sinner's claim of accidental exposure seem less plausible.
The Trofodermin cream in question.
It literally has a huge red circle with the words DOPING in bright font on the packaging. It’s like labeling out of Looney Tunes. It’s comically obvious.
To say that the physio had no knowledge of this means that he’s either a) horrifically incompetent and incapable of reading or b) lying.
