DOPING RAMPANT

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1908, Page 1

DOPING RAMPANT

Doping is said to be rampant amongst racing- cracks, both in Europe and America this year. A wellknown English rider and ex-world's champion, when recently interviewed, confessed that he always resorted to artificial methods before starting on a biff race, but, he added, "I dope my.self I know what suits me. In the six days' race at New York I was doped by the attendants, and, of course, I was absolutely at sea, as they gave me something that completely upset ma, and I couldn't ride for nuts. What the racing man aims at," he went on, "in these big encounters is just that little stimulant in the shape of artificial feelpj. that make* all the difference, victory and defeat." In reply to a query as to what kind of doping? materials were used, the ex-champion stated that cocaine wis one of the favourite drugs, strychnine was • another, and some Continental cracks went in for a mild pre paration of something akin to nitroglycerine, which acted like magic, but left permanent effects. He also stated th°.t he had known racing men who, after a time, could hardly walk across the street without taking- some of the:e drugs. In his own case he was extremely careful. Experience had taught him to use only a special tonic pretared by himself, which had all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of dope, and N so popular had this preparation become that he now supplied it to some of the fastest racing men in France. In ijroof of this state ment he showed a letter received that mcining from a rider of world-wide repute, in which he requested him to scad on some of the stuff "that makes you go so fasti" This Hoping business will come as a surprise to most Austialian racing cyclists (says a Sydney paper), and it is to be sin- j ceiely hoped that the practice will not . snreao. to this country, for besides travelling outside the domain of sport altogether, the effect of drug-taking leayes behind horrible traces •on the nerve» and health of the poor victims* and begets a craze like opium-eatine-and other pernicious habits.