It is now final that Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis-player and grand-slam winner isn’t allowed to play at the Australian Open and neither been granted visa to the nation. This has been a long time coming and plenty of hurdles. However, I don’t feel sorry for him or his cause. No, this was a selfish and a risky act, which he outplayed himself.
His confidence and hubris, that he would be above rules and regulations is astonishing. That a man who is a anti-vaxxer can be that in his own homestead and domain. However, when you go out of that comfort-zone and into someone else’s. The questions are opened up and you have to follow the rules there.
If its fine in Serbia, that’s his unvaccinated and without additional protection against the coronavirus. That’s fine by me, but he travelled across the world. Left the Balkans and Europe behind to participate and play in a competition. Where he knew and his team would know the rules of which was put in place. Not only for the safety of him as a player and a contender, but for everyone involved.
Any sovereign nation is allowed to have mandates, passports and rules for entry. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your role in the world. As an individual, you have to comply to set rules and guidances before entering. Everyone who has travelled or applied for visa for somewhere knows this. It is fees involved, paperwork and additional certificates of yellow-fever or whatnot before your deemed fit to enter.
So, I don’t feel any sorrow for the Tennis Superstar who outplayed himself. He lied apparently on the visa-form, which for ordinary fellows would be a huge no-no. An ordinary citizens of the world would be in deep trouble from the on-set and wouldn’t have second chances. However, because of the pivotal role in sport and tennis champion, Djokovic got second and a third chance. As he lied about having previously Covid-19 and not taken vaccines.
Ordinary citizens and people related to Australians has to get vaccinated before entering the nation. So, it would only be fair that Djokovic had done the same. Why should ordinary people have to do it and he doesn’t? What is fair about that? Because, his good at hitting the ball at a tennis court. So, he should be above the regulations of any given nation? Who is he kidding here?
That just shows his arrogance and his ego. He didn’t’ consider the implications nor the impact of his move. He has spoken out against others and told them to comply with rules. However, he himself thinks he stands above it all. The mighty has fallen and disgraced himself. All because he doesn’t have the heart or the moral ambiguity to take a jab. A jab other would gladly take in his stead and heck would be lucky to even get in this here world.
Djokovic isn’t a hero in this. He outplayed himself and lost terribly. I feel no sorrow for the man, as he and his team could have prevented this easily. However, by his own free will and choice he didn’t do it. Therefore, he has to face the consequences.
The Australian authorities has only shown fair judgement here, as he, Novak Djokovic should comply to the same rules as anyone else entering the nation. That is the lesson here… as a no-name and average Joe have to do what the forms and the regulations states. This being jabbed or not. The same is apparently to hard for the star and the big-man himself. He thought he could be above it and be allowed to enter, because of his stature and his prominence in sports. Which was wrong and righteously so. Peace.
I wonder, as I read today that Janet Museveni, the Minister for Education and Sports was honoured with the dutiful award from the Buganda Leaders Caucus? I wonder at what rate and has she done?
Other than pissing off Stella Nyanzi, not being able to mediate in the sex-for-marks saga at Makerere, neither being there when the students was protesting the added fees. Neither being vocal when the husband was saying that public schools and the Universal Primary Education was crap. Still, with all of that in mind, the BLC still saw it fit to give her the honour. I think the name and her ties to the President is more important, than her actual achievements. Because, there is little or mediocre performance, also thin-skinned person who expected to be praised. Just like the BLC have done now.
If the minister was serious, why isn’t there any follow-up on the promises of building stadiums and others. Like the Gold Medalists and the Olympic winners are supposed to get patronage and salaries by the state, because of the glory they have done on behalf of the state. But, nah, that is just wishful thinking and lack of allocations.
To give her an award is nonsense, it is because of patronage, not because of her services, that is lie. A giant lie, the big giant elephant in the room and it is farting all over the place. We all know that and to say otherwise is to be foolish. We know and they know.
Janet Museveni the best Minister in the Cabinet? Really? Not because of her relation and her ties to the President. Get out of here. What real impact has she done? Other than telling parents to pack the kids with good food before going to school and secure the roads for the kids? What has she done that is profound and significant?
Because there aren’t really any impact or change, the lack of transparency and accountability is clear, as Up-Country the schools are depleted and falling apart. Even a little wind and the walls would shake, the lack of planning and resources are staggering, the lack of salaries and double-jobs for teachers are a huge problem. So to give her the award by the BLC is proper nonsense and waste of time.
Therefore, I will not write anymore, I don’t care about the leopards anus or his wife, but she doesn’t deserve this award. She don’t, not that the bar is high in the NRM government, but this is just foolish. It’s the UPDF that does the work when needed, so if there was any who deliver anything. It’s the Ministry of Defence, not that, it is something I want to say loud, but hey, at least they do something. They act upon their mandate and deliver, even if it is cruel and is insane. They still deliver within the SACCOs, Operation Wealth Creation, Delivering Mosquito nets, fighting army-worms and whatnot. They have results of some kind. The Ministry of Education and Sports, not so much. Peace.
As the big ones like Chris Froome, Serena Williams and others has been credited by major papers as they has to come out with statement on their use of questionable medication to might bolster their achievements as athletes in professional sport. This has been scrutinized over time and trying to stop doping happing as the doped athlete has an advantage, but also cheats themselves to victory over the ones who doesn’t do it to stimulate better results.
First: Cameron Van Der Burgh, the South African swimmer we’re authorised by the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) by Cornel Marculescu on the 8th July 2008. The Swimmer was accepted to take Salbutamol with an inhaler. That would be effective from 23rd June 2009 and expire on the 23rd June 2013. His biggest victory as a Swimmer was winning a Silver Medal on 100 meters breast under the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
The WADA regulation says this:
“ All beta-2 agonists, including all optical isomers, e.g. d- and l- where relevant, are prohibited.
Except:
Inhaled salbutamol (maximum 1600 micrograms over 24 hours);
Inhaled formoterol (maximum delivered dose 54 micrograms over 24 hours); and
Inhaled salmeterol in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommended therapeutic regimen.
The presence in urine of salbutamol in excess of 1000 ng/mL or formoterol in excess of 40 ng/mL is presumed not to be an intended therapeutic use of the substance and will be considered as an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) unless the Athlete proves, through a controlled pharmacokinetic study, that the abnormal result was the consequence of the use of the therapeutic inhaled dose up to the maximum indicated above” (http://list.wada-ama.org/list/s3-beta-2-agonists/).
Cameron Van Der Burgh – Silver Medal Rio 2016
Even if it is okay on the list, the question remains why these are okay by their regulation to open up windows for enhancing body functions.
To tell what they found out of a test with the medical use of this for non-asthmatics athletes got this:
“after administering a single oral therapeutic dose (4 mg) of the β2-adrenergic agonist salbutamol to healthy, elite endurance trained male athletes, acute ergogenic effects were shown in terms of a reduced extent of EIAH as well as an increment in time to exhaustion during a constant-load test, which indicated a meaningful performance-enhancing effect in a race situation” (Andersen, Kim F. & Kanstrup, Inge-Lis, 01.02.2009 in ‘Official Research Journal of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP)’ ). So the drug has effect in a race situation, that means the effects of it will help when it means the most for the individual using it. So if there is a swimming race the ones taking it will gain advantage for the reaction the body has to the stimuli of the beta-2 agonists.
This was also written about the concerning drug:
“Many athletes use the Beta-2 agonists to increase the oxygen intake. Beta-2 agonists such as salbutamol have become a concern in sports because the high doses of this drug can act as an anabolic agent to promote gain in weight, mainly in the form of muscle in the body. However, this increased strength and the increased oxygen intake comes with a risk of health damage. Beta-2-adrenoreceptor (beta-2) agonists are drugs that act as bronchodilators. The drugs stimulate the airways in the lungs to open wider, permitting maximum air to pass. Before coming to be misused in sports as well as certain beta-2 agonists were used illegally in intensive livestock farming. When administered in high doses, these substances promote protein synthesis, which in the case of animals resulted in an increase in the proportion of muscle mass to fat mass. Athletes using these substances for doping anticipate similar effects, as well as a short-term enhancement of performance due to the dilation of bronchial passages. Scientific research has not substantiated these expectations, however. Some beta-2 agonists are prohibited in sports. In some cases therapy for medical reasons must be approved by applying for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). The drugs are especially helpful to asthmatics athletes, who can suffer from insufficient air supply to the lungs due to narrowing of the bronchi. Athletes who take beta-2 agonists can also improve their athletic performance, because of the increased infusion of air. However, this type of athletic enhancement is illegal” (PET, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya-Butana, Distt-Sonepat, Haryana (India) – ‘Beta 2 Agonist: Therapeutic Use Exemption, Misuse in Sports and its Adverse Effect on Health’ (December 2013) – International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR))
So if this was legal by the WADA and their laws to enhance the race of single individual athletes. We all have rights to question this loophole for using asthma medication to get better results when the person involved isn’t asthmatic, which is insulting to the ones who actual need the medication to breath more normally. As these are supposed to be better trained and life-long goal orientated people who shouldn’t need to cheat to gain a medal at any bigger tournament or series. This is two different studies shows that the drug enhances the Athlete for their performance.
Even if WADA allows this one and this drug, why shouldn’t’ they allow the other ones who are similar with the same effects? I am sure there will be reports that counters it, even read one funded by WADA claiming it didn’t and that make me more sceptical as there are so many studies surfaced online that are showing positive results for Athletes without Asthma; which means that the athlete use it can get better results with this. So the individual who does this has to question their own ethics as they are using medication for a chronic disease who many people all over the world has. That athlete’s use it to cheat is insulting to the supporters and the other ones they compete with unless all of them are using it. Then the competition would be the same.
Francine Niyonsaba – Silver Medal Rio 2016
Second: Francine Niyonsaba, the Burundian runner has been authorised by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on 15th June and it was effective from the same date by Pierre-Yves Garnier, the allowed the Athlete to take Tibolone (Livial) taking it oral, once a day until 15th June 2017. Francine Niyonsaba won a silver medal at the 800 meters at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Francine is controversial because of the ruling of CAS and IAAF before the Rio Olympics that faced scrutiny as the court gave way for Francine Niyonsaba, Caster Semenya and Margareth Wambui to run as Woman in the Rio Olympics. I will not go into that, but just so that isn’t forgotten as the Tibolone and doping is my key aspect to matter in the same regard as the previous athlete.
The Tibolone (Livial) is a: “Livial is different from other HRT. Instead of actual hormones (such as oestrogen and progestogen) it contains tibolone. Your body breaks down tibolone to make hormones. Its effects and benefits are similar to combined HRT” (Livial 2.5mg tablets – 04.04.2016, link: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/2391).
In 1999 BBC wrote an article about the drug:
“However, Dr Morris says this too can be an advantage since many post-menopausal women have very dry, thin skin. “Replacing hormone levels with Livial can thicken the skin and have the effect of reducing wrinkles,” he said. He added that, besides side effects like bleeding and worries about breast cancer, the reason many women come off HRT is because they expect miracle results from it because of media hype. “HRT just restores hormonal levels to what they were before the menopause. It does improve a person’s sense of energy, relieve hot flushes and protect against osteoporosis, but it is not a miracle tonic,” he said” (BBC.co.uk – ‘HRT treatment ‘can increase libido’, 08.08.1999, link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/388675.stm).
So the menopause and osteoporosis can be “cured” with this drug. The strengthening of bones with added hormones and improves energy for a person. That most seem like a perfect remedy for a runner and Athlete. This is giving an advantage to Francine Niyonsaba towards the other ones she is competing against. That she has hormones used to stop Menopause and osteoporosis, I hope that Francine has the first as woman, but she uses hormones that most likely have enhanced her performance; that is not righteous towards the competitors. Give her strength to compete and energy to achieve more. That the IAAF accepts and acknowledges that the Athletes can do so, apparently!
After just these two cases that Cameron Van Der Burgh and Francine Niyonsaba uses medicine and drugs that enhance their performance and therefor can perform better in competition.
So if the WADA together with the FINA and IAAF accept the athletes to go on like this is proving if we really should believe that professional sports and tournaments are filled with drugged athletes who compete for the first price. But what is the value of the sports if some get rights to use drugs while others get suspended for doing same? Either all of them are using enhancing drugs or none of them. But if WADA together with other International Sports Organizations contributing to the factor that the athletes are not clean; that is on the accord between them and therefore they are not stopping this behaviour. The Sports enthusiasts should complain to their organizations and sports bodies to make sure they stop these kind acts from them doesn’t reoccur if they want honest sports. If the enthusiasts don’t care about the drugs and enhancement of performance, than you can just let slide.
Still, these cases are far from alone as mentioned in the beginning. There are many more questionable cases and athletes who have gotten away with taking enhancement drugs to perform better. While others been sanctioned and been banned from continued to perform on international stage as athletes in Olympics and such. There is a double standard somewhere… and hope somebody catch it. If not I am sure FIFA can help out with their accountability executive? Peace.
“1. 00:00 SOUNDBITE: (English) Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete: “The thing that I will never forget, the stadium, the opening ceremony. I remember it was so nice, so wonderful because I remember when we enter as the refugees, we were really cheered by many people.”
2. 00:04 Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete, doing the laundry.
3. 00:13 SOUNDBITE: (English) Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete: “I will continue with sport and at least I have to make my future bright when I work hard, because right now I am looking forward to supporting my family and my siblings.”
4. 00:19 Angelina Nada Lohalith, South Sudan refugee athlete, doing the laundry.
5. 00:26 SOUNDBITE: (English) Yiech Pur Biel, South Sudan refugee athlete: “Like now I have passion in running because although I was not running for a long time I get something which can change my life. Because this one is not only for my family because I left them a long time ago, almost twelve years now, but now this one it gives whereby I can continue to achieve or to leave a legacy, to leave legacy to other people.”
6. 00:29 Athletes training.
7. 00:35 Yiech Pur Biel, South Sudan refugee athlete, talking to his friend about the 2016 Rio Olympic games and sharing photos” (SNTV, 2016)
MinBane 