U.S. Slider Zach Lund Banned From Olympic Games

http://www.comcast.net/sports/ ^ | 2 10 06 | TIM REYNOLDS

[freepatriot32]

CESANA, Italy - Zach Lund, the top slider on the U.S. skeleton team, was banned from the Turin Olympics on Friday for taking a common hair-restoration pill that can be used to mask steroids.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Lund should serve a one-year suspension, retroactive to Nov. 10 and enforced immediately.

Lund told CAS that he was misled by the Web site for the governing body of his sport, which listed finasteride both as a "prohibited substance" and a "specified substance." Lund told CAS he failed to check the prohibited list in 2005.

The CAS panel believed Lund and wrote in its ruling that "it was entirely satisfied that Mr. Lund was not a cheat."

"But, unfortunately, in 2005, he made a mistake," CAS wrote.

Last month, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency decided Lund deserved only a public warning for ingesting finasteride and should forfeit his second-place finish from the season's opening World Cup event in Calgary, where he tested positive.

But the World Anti-Doping Agency wanted a tougher sanction and appealed to CAS, which partially agreed. WADA asked for a two-year ban. Lund will be able to compete again on Nov. 9, but will not have to forfeit any other results from this season aside from Calgary.

The decision _ issued hours before Lund was to participate in the Olympic opening ceremony _ is another blow to the reeling U.S. skeleton program, which has endured recent scandals prompting the departure of both coach Tim Nardiello and now its top slider in Lund, who led the World Cup standings at one point this season.

The U.S. still should be able to have three sliders in the men's skeleton event on Feb. 17. Eric Bernotas and Kevin Ellis will now likely be joined by Chris Soule, who was seventh at the Salt Lake Olympics four years ago.

Skeleton racers slide headfirst on a thin sled down the same track used for bobsled and luge, at speeds exceeding 70 mph.

CAS heard WADA's appeal on Thursday afternoon at a Turin hotel. Lund attended with his attorney, Howard Jacobs. WADA participated in the hearing via a conference call.

WADA has authorization to appeal any doping-related sanction that it finds too lenient or incorrect.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation now finds itself dealing with more drama.

Last year's World Cup champion Noelle Pikus-Pace missed the first half of this season after breaking her leg in Calgary when an out-of-control U.S. bobsled smashed into her.

On Dec. 31, Nardiello was suspended over sexual harassment allegations; he was later reinstated but ultimately fired after ignoring orders to stay away from the American team during its final Olympic preparations in St. Moritz, Switzerland last week.

And Lund's saga began on Dec. 15 in Sigulda, Latvia, when he learned of the positive test. He was later barred from two races by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (FIBT) over the test, which the USBSF did not promptly report to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Finasteride has been on the banned list since 2005; Lund has said he last checked the list in 2004 because the product was legal for the first four years of his usage. Two athletes, Argentine tennis player Mariano Hood and German soccer player Nemanja Vucicevic, were banned for taking the same drug last year.

[freepatriot32]

Zach Lund, of the United States, jumps onto his sled during the men's World Cup skeleton in Calgary, in this Nov. 10, 2005 file photo. Lund has been banned from the Turin Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport decided Friday Feb. 10, 2006 that the American team's top slider should serve a one-year suspension because he ingested a common hair-restoration product that can also be used to mask steroids.The ban goes into effect immediately, and Lund will sit out the Winter Games. AP Photo/Jeff McIntosh, CP)

[pikachu]

Great, now we'll get all the 'Comb Over Charlies' claiming they are just taking all those pills to mask their steroids.

[freepatriot32]

ping

[D-Chivas]

Yep, he's goin' bald:

[relictele]

The popularity of the televised Olympics and all the to-and-fro that goes on with individuals sports, sanctioning bodies, athletes and coaches seems to be a chicken-and-egg situation.

It speaks to the conceit of all concerned that they would target a guy riding a sled as opposed to a skater or skier.

Perhaps they should test ski-jumpers for alcohol and/or psychosis since only a drunk or a madman would jump off the end of that ramp!

Italy doesn't seem bothered if the Olympics are there or not. I kind of admire that attitude. You can bet, however, that most events will be accompanied by a transportation nightmare.

[trubluolyguy]

I almost got really upset about this news. Then I remembered it was the olympics. Holds as much appeal as curling or women's professional softball.

[MineralMan]

"2 KINGS 2
23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou BALD head; go up, thou BALD head. "

Too bad this didn't happen in Old Testament days. He could have called up some bears to tear the officials to shreds.

[theDentist]

Lund told CAS he failed to check the prohibited list in 2005.

How can you be a competitive athlete and not check the list at least once per year? I'd be checking it weekly!!

[Paradox]

He's balding pretty badly, I tend to believe him, but that makes him an idiot for not checking the list all the time, knowing that Finasteride (Proscar) is a questionable substance..

Actually, this medicine was developed to treat Prostate enlargement, recently they figured out it might help with baldness in many men. Back in the day, Proscar was actually considered rather anti-anabolic, I guess I can see how it might mask steroid use..

[ChuckShick]

Where's Sy Sperling when you need him?

[Hildy]

Really...if this were your life dream....why on Earth would you ever even chance taking a drug that was even on the website...unless...of course...you had to.

[Ditto]

Skeleton racers slide headfirst on a thin sled down the same track used for bobsled and luge, at speeds exceeding 70 mph.

I don't know about you, but I'd have to be on some kind of drug to even think about doing that.

[Shanda]

I don't care a thing for the Olympics. It has gotten too politically correct. I read an article which pointed out that they banned South Africa while allowing other countries which were in the process of carrying out genocide and other huge crimes.

[Doogle]

well, I guess we don't have to worry about the US Olympic Swim Team taking those drugs since they shave their hair

[Huck]

top slider on the U.S. skeleton team

I was gonna ask what the hell they were talkin about. thanks for the pic. sledding.

[j. earl carter]

Sled riding could be a cool sport. They should just take all of the competitors to the top of the highest ski slope, give them all identical 10 dollar plastic sleds, and let them race to the bottom. No rules. You can crash into the other competitors, take any shortcut you like, etc. Now that would be tv worth watching.

[Former Fetus]

It speaks to the conceit of all concerned that they would target a guy riding a sled as opposed to a skater or skier.

From Drudge: "The first whiff of scandal hit the Turin Olympics the day before the opening ceremony, as eight cross-country skiers _ including two Americans and a former gold medalist from Germany _ were suspended for failed blood tests."

since only a drunk or a madman would jump off the end of that ramp!

My dad was a ski jumper, and definitely not a drunk of a madman, although when I was a teenager I would have probably agreed with the "madman" bit.

If you don't like the Winter Olympics, don't watch. Even better, act like they are not taking place!

[MeanWestTexan]

It's also hard on the liver, so only an real idiot (as in, one dumber than the average steroid user) would take it in conjunction with most steroids.

The way it works is it breifly decreases endogenous testosterone levels (and thereby shrinking the prostate). This masks elevated levels of testosterone to squeek by the test.

When stopped, they got back up the next day or so.

(The things you learn as a semi-competitive power lifter.)

[TheBigB]

Seriously, why is this even an Olympic sport? Are we that hard-up for events? I'm sure it's dangerous, and I couldn't do it...but is this some result of those juvenile "X-Games" that have taken hold here? How about hacky-sack? Could that be a sport? Beer pong? Car surfing? Turnstile jumping?

[retrokitten]

I must be hungry for lunch. I swear I read this as "US Slider Sack" and thought it was weird that they had White Castle over there.