For those that think their sport is clean and cycling is full of cheats with minimal controls. Front page from the Sports section of today's paper shows players wheeling an altitude tent into their room. Sleeping or resting in this simulates high altitude and raises ones red blood cell count thus elevating one hematocrit level. You can get the same effects through EPO or blood doping. Pro cycling has a maximum allowable hematocric level and tests for it in competion and out. The NFL does not have a test or test for it.
4 comments:
The tent can even fit Michael Jackson and Bubbles comfortably. If food is a drug, I could see how some O'Linemen could be addicts.
Umm, dude, unless the caption is wrong, that's a hyperbaric chamber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy
which similates *low* altitude. So yeah, in effect an altitude chamber, but the opposite of what most endurance athletes would use.
- KA
It looks like they are using the tent seen on this site:
http://www.hypertc.com/athletic_sports_enhancement.htm
and yes, it appears to simulate *low* alitutude, which aides in recovery for swollen muscles, not greater oxygen carrying capacity. Is that still fair?
I remember Steve Yzerman using one for the Red Wings in the NHL playoffs one year. All the wings fans were glad he had a chance to recover from his injuries and for sure didn't look at the hyperbaric tent as doping. Maybe cyclists should use one instead of a needle full of testosterone.
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