Unicon XIII and anti-doping measures

[Tjorning]

I thought this was a late April fools day joke at first.

This is kind of depressing news, I'd unrealistically hoped that unicycling would stay laid-back forever.

[kington99]

wait, people are surprised that Unicon does not condone illegal activity?

and if your weed use is to the extent that you actually wouldn't go and compete in Unicon because of it, I think you have problems.

[StephenH]

"and if your weed use is to the extent that you actually wouldn't go and compete in Unicon because of it, I think you have problems.'

Don't know about pot smokers in general, but for the former roommate I had long ago that smoked it, it was very definitely the most important thing in his life.

[forrestunifreak]

Originally Posted by pedrotejada

Cool Unicon is getting into a professional way! It's good to know that the Unicycle World Championship is a serious championship!

I agree. Good for them.

I daresay, anyone who does drugs at a competition deserves to be embarrassed.





And I almost left out the "competition" part.

[tholub]

Originally Posted by kington99

wait, people are surprised that Unicon does not condone illegal activity?

Will they throw people out for jaywalking, or failing to declare the havarti they have in their suitcase, or stopping at an Amsterdam brothel on the way to Unicon? How would any of this be any of Unicon's business?

[lpounds]

Originally Posted by forrestunifreak

I agree. Good for them.

I daresay, anyone who does drugs at a competition deserves to be embarrassed.





And I almost left out the "competition" part.

I think that's a little broad. Deserves to be embarrassed, maybe if they are intentionally taking performance enhancing drugs to beat you out in a comp... but marijuana would in no way do this, why is it included in this list? Why is not tobbacco and alcohol?

I don't think that drug testing is at all necessary. If people want to use performance enhancing drugs, all the better for me and my trials video watching habits.

[XCcrev]

Well I hope no one gets caught

It would leave a bad first impression of unicyclists on a lot of people.

That is definitely not what the sport needs right now being relatively small

[unicyclist.ca]

Originally Posted by lpounds

Why is not tobbacco and alcohol?

concur, if your banning one "substance" you might as well get rid of them all. Drinking or tobacco is just as "performance enhancing" as weed.

[Brian O.]

Originally Posted by unicyclist.ca

concur, if your banning one "substance" you might as well get rid of them all. Drinking or tobacco is just as "performance enhancing" as weed.

Someone will always argue that.

[unicyclist.ca]

Originally Posted by Brian O.

Someone will always argue that.

I know, personally I think it should be free rein. If people want to do damage to their bodies then have at er.

for the record I have a no drinking/drug/medication policy but I think everyone should be able to make their own choice.

[wobbling bear]

the big question is what "competition" means?
the happiness of being together? (good thing in unicycling) or something else ? ....

(good news: "salbutamol" -for people with asthma- is explicitly out of the list, it will be funny for me to arrive the last in the 10km "competition" and being tested positive to it!)

[kington99]

tobacco and alcohol aren't illegal. Weed is. There's no such thing as being unfairly caught breaking the law. People seem to somehow personally moralise using weed, I don't care what your position is on whether it should be legal or not, it currently isn't, so if you do it then you can expect people to try and catch you for it, and you really don't have any grounds to complain when they do.

[Jerrick]

I find it fun to watch the ones who do do drugs, get upset at things like this.

Anyways, I like the decision.

[ivan]

Originally Posted by kington99

tobacco and alcohol aren't illegal. Weed is. There's no such thing as being unfairly caught breaking the law. People seem to somehow personally moralise using weed, I don't care what your position is on whether it should be legal or not, it currently isn't, so if you do it then you can expect people to try and catch you for it, and you really don't have any grounds to complain when they do.

Weed isn't illegal world-wide. There are countries where it's perfectly legal. Unicon is an international event that lasts around 10 days. Weed can be detected in your system after about 21 days of use(as mentioned before). If you come to Unicon from a country where weed is legal and you smoked some there, you'd still get disqualified for use. Even though you didn't break any laws.

But even that is beside the point, really. The point is, weed doesn't enhance your sports ability. Therefore, testing for it in a sports competition would be a) irrelevant b) invasion of privacy.

[unicycle6869]

Originally Posted by ivan

Weed isn't illegal world-wide. There are countries where it's perfectly legal. Unicon is an international event that lasts around 10 days. Weed can be detected in your system after about 21 days of use(as mentioned before). If you come to Unicon from a country where weed is legal and you smoked some there, you'd still get disqualified for use. Even though you didn't break any laws.

But even that is beside the point, really. The point is, weed doesn't enhance your sports ability. Therefore, testing for it in a sports competition would be a) irrelevant b) invasion of privacy.

I second you ivan! My friends and I plan to fly into Amsterdam before Unicon for a couple days and as many of you know, weed is legal there. So if we want to relax and do it we shouldn't be punished later when we are at Unicon. I'm guessing that they stated this as their guidelines/rules because they had to for some reason or another but I really doubt that they are going to enforce it as it would cost a fortune to test a bunch of people, especially all 1,300 and some competitors. Because if I get tested I'm going to want EVERYONE to get tested, as it's only fair. I think they won't be worried about weed, but more so the actual drugs that enhance performance (if any). My 2 cents.