Martyn Irvine won a world title and won medals three times at the Worlds. He said it was time to draw a line in the sand with dopers.
By Shane Stokes
Martyn Irvine believes there should be a lifetime ban from sport for those who have been convicted of a serious doping offence.
Irvine, the 2013 world scratch race champion, took a no-nonsense approach when speaking to RTE presenter Joanne Cantwell as part of the analysis after the road races and TTs.
The subject arose as the rider who won silver in the women’s TT, Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia, had previously served a lengthy ban.
She took bronze medals four years ago in the road race and time trial in the London Olympics. In the spring of 2014 she tested positive for octopamine and was handed an 18 month ban.
Advertisement
“She shouldn’t be there in my eyes,” said Irvine. “There is no clear black and white [currently in sport]. Are people banned, are they allowed in or not.
“They need to set a line in the sand that every federation and sporting body should stick to. There has been so much discrepancy in who is doing what. It is wrong.
“Anyone who has served a ban for hardcore doping, actual doping products, should not be allowed back in the sport in my eyes.”
Related News
"It's your belly holding your back not your ability" @Martyn_Irvine on @rte
So true, cycling & weight vital pic.twitter.com/69RXDwlxZI— Eoghan Connolly (@EoghanCon11) August 10, 2016
Irvine’s stance will be applauded by many, not least because it is refreshing to hear a high profile rider advocate such a strong approach.
If adopted it would be a considerable increase on the current WADA Code, which lays out a maximum four year ban for a serious first offence.
Cantwell pointed out that octopamine is a fat burner and asked Irvine if he considered this hardcore doping.
“Yes,” he answered. “It’s as simple as if you are a regimented, healthy-living person you will keep weight [under control]; if you want to lose it faster, you cheat and you take these fat burning substances. It is a cheat.
“Any cyclist knows your worst enemy is the weight and going uphill. It is just all the kgs [kilogrammes], it’s your belly that’s holding you back. It is not your ability.
“That is proper cheating and I don’t think there is any place for people like that in any sort of sport.”
Irvine noted that he had to pay attention to weight during his career, with his musculature making it difficult to climb well.
“It’s just gravity,” he explained. “I have said it [before]… gravity hates me and it has cursed my career uphill. Anyone carrying weight, you can’t climb as fast. That is all it is.”
Irvine retired from racing earlier this year but told stickybottle in May that he is interested in returning to international competition providing he gets a decent offer.
He has been linked to a possible move to the planned Aquablue Pro Continental squad. Providing things go to plan, the team will make its debut in 2017.
Topics
