VeloNews Reports David Clinger Positive, 2009 Road Nationals

Interesting circumstances too. I doesn’t sound like he acted flagrantly just stupidly. If you know you should file a TUE then do so before you race. After reading the article about his drug use last year, I really hope he can get it together and live out his days in peace.

to me how synthetic T and Mondafinil are valid medical treatments for cyclists? Hearing the issue above is him not turning in the TUE as the problem, not the doc prescribing them, only aids in pointing to how some get away with it.

If a rider needs such measures to recover or heal from something, maybe they need to take a year off of the sport to do so. To take such things and compete is just wrong in my eyes and I haven’t heard much of a defense on how this should be okay.

it seems, from the couple things i’ve read on the subject, that david hasn’t had the easiest time dealing with things. sad story.

I would have suspected maybe Col. Flagg or Hawkeye…

I found the story interesting for a few reasons:

1. He declared on the doping form that he was taking the drugs and he knew he didn’t have an exemption. To me this means, he knew they were on the banned and that he needed an exemption. Sorta like he said, hey, just to let you know, I’m breaking the rules.

2. I don’t know if this means he didn’t understand the rules or if he wanted a reason to dispute a possible positive result. Since he had been a pro for years, one would think he was rather familiar with the rules.

3. It appears that Matthew Busche was 5th in both the Elite and Pro road races last year. I guess he was both one of the best amateurs and pro riders last year. The elite race was on July 30th and the pro race was on August 30th.

They had the expert witness, some doctor, say that the blood test that first allowed Clinger to be prescribed testosterone was not interpreted right and he should not have been given it. Either way, it is his fault for not filling out a TUE but it is a shame since he is a recovering drug addict.

He rides for very small Utah based squad that may not be fully up on all the ins and outs of TUE’s and such. No justification, just a possibility. By local I mean LBS local.