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Source: Cultural Nuances: Doping, Cycling and the Tour de France

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Source: Cultural Nuances: Doping, Cycling and the Tour de France

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Tour de France, an annual long-distance road cycling competition, challenges contestants to push themselves mentally and physically to the limits of human performance. The core values of long-distance cycling: “endurance, perseverance, willpower, competitiveness, survival instinct, loneliness, frustration capacity, [and] overcoming struggles” align with the benefits of doping (Schneider 213). This alignment helps justify the doping in cycling. Professional cyclers who depend on their success in the sport for financial support often resort to doping to maintain their competitiveness as cyclers. Many spectators even support doping, believing that the courage to dope makes the road cyclist “the only true hero in the sports world – pure will power” (Schneider 213). Heroizing the cyclers and further glorifying doping increases the societal and peer pressure to dope. However, not everyone agrees with the current state of the sport. Doping scandals have “threatened a sense of honour that some riders, officials and physicians take very seriously, so seriously they have left the sport” (Schneider 214). The media coverage of these scandals has tarnished the image of cycling as a transparent sport and the use of drugs twists the aim to push human capabilities. While doping continues to be an important issue in cycling, the health risks, mistrust, and peer pressure linked with doping make it an unsustainable solution to the sport’s goals.

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Cultural Nuances Doping Cycling and the Tour de France.pdf

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In this paper, Dickerson explores the intersection of sports, Blackness, marijuana usage and masculinity through different methods. He argues for the existence of a trope referred to as "Chronic Black male sporting-hood"(Dickerson 217) in which sports are used as a mechanism to control Black male athletes and deprive them of their humanity. He refers to a series of Above the Influence ads run to prove this idea, highlighting the differences between them. In Shadow a young Black boy is seen as leaving behind basketball for a joint, which presents a false dilemma of sports or marijuana, and when contrasted with the ads Shoulders and Pete's Couch, shows how he has been deprived of the autonomy to make the decision as compared to White teenagers (Dickerson 218-220). Additionally, using a unique annotation of athlete testimonials of marijuana usage, he advocates for the legalization of marijuana, highlighting instances of athletes using marijuana to help with injuries, sleeping, social connections, and other things they are going through (Dickerson 222-232). Through the uses of these sources, along with comparisons with white athletes who use marijuana, and analysis of systemic racism, he is able to successfully demonstrate the double standards that occur relating to Black male athletes who use marijuana.

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In the Podcast, Micheal Lewis discusses the increasing tension between players and referees and the process of improving fairness in refereeing. The tension results in confronting behaviors toward the referees due to their dissatisfaction with their calls, even though the referees have improved their accuracy. Especially when famous players who are exemplars of other players and fans are pushing the issue, raging and abusive behavior towards referees has increased in the past four years. Since most calls are made subjectively, players intend to trick the referee with optical illusions to make bad calls. To maintain fairness in the court and correct referee’s mistakes, Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner created the NBA Replay Center. Referees may send signals to the Replay Center if they cannot make a correct judgment, then the Replay Center referees could review the tape in slow-motion and at better angles and allow the referees on the court to change their calls (Lewis). The mistakes the referees made are also published at the end of the game to reduce the ref’s racial bias and calls inclining towards home players. With the technology in the Replay Center and the transparency enforcement that eliminates biased calls, the accuracy in refereeing increased and made the game more fair.

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Ref, You Suck! — Against the Rules with Michael Lewis — Overcast

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This article shares information about a newer technology being introduced to MLB called PitchCom. Baseball and technology haven’t always been a match made in heaven and players have very different opinions on the matter. The increase of technology use in sports has started new conversations over what the future of baseball should look like.

PitchCom is a device used by the catcher and pitcher; one has a speaker device in their hat while the other wears a wristband looking device with buttons. This allows the catcher and speaker to communicate about pitches without the use of hand signals. In addition to preventing teams from sign-stealing during games, PitchCom is also supposed to cut down the length of games.

Many players argue that PitchCom and technology are unnecessary additions to the game. One player claimed, “it’s part of baseball, trying to crack someone’s signs…does it have its desired intent that it cleans up the game a little bit? Yes. But I also feel like it takes away part of the game” (Miller 2). Technology is more integrated into sports/baseball every year. Despite the strong opinions of the players, the future of baseball is still uncertain.

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MLB’s PitchCom System Draws Mixed Reactions - The New York Times.pdf

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Brennan, Christine. “Russian Skater Kamila Valieva Banned Four Years over Doping, Ending 2022 Olympic Drama.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 29 Jan. 2024, www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/01/29/kamila-valieva-russian-skater-banned-four-years-doping-beijing-olympics/72393824007/.

Dickerson, Nik. "Under the Influence: Marijuana, the Black Male Athlete, and Alternative Understandings of Humanity." Sociology of Sport Journal, 2023, pp. 213-236.

Lewis, Micheal, host. "Ref, You Suck!" Against the Rules with Michael Lewis: The Trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, 2 April 2019.

Miller, Scott. "Baseball Buys In on the Digital Age. But at What Cost?" The New York Times, 7 August 2022.

Potts, Michael. “Wimbledon Hawk-Eye: Is It Accurate? How It Works: Radio Times.” Radio Times, 2 July 2023, www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/tennis/wimbledon-hawk-eye/.

Schneider, Angela J. "Cultural Nuances: Doping, Cycling

and the Tour de France." Sport in Society, Vol. 9, No. 2, April 2006, pp. 212–226.

Stef. “Tour de France : The Real Numbers of Doping.” Cyclisme, www.cyclisme-dopage.com/chiffres/tdf-vraischiffres-en.htm. Accessed 3 Feb. 2024.

Wladyslaw. "Spectators' banner during the Tour de France 2006." Wikipedia, 1 July 2006, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doping_at_the_Tour_de_France#/media/File:Tour_de_Doping.jpg. Accessed 3 February 2024.

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At the highly anticipated Tour de France in 2006, tourists lined the race course to watch the cyclists bike by. However, a group of people expressed their disdain for the heavy doping culture of cycling with a banner that read "Tour de Doping". Media coverage of doping scandals in cycling has publicized the issue, making the public aware of its presence in the popular sport.

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Doping, the use of substances to enhance performance in sports, has become a serious issue in cycling competitions. With the Tour de France giving rise to worldwide awareness of substance use, the anti-doping rule was established to prohibit illegal doping. The graph shows a significant decrease in the percentage of cycling riders who violate anti-doping rules from 52.8% in 2000 to 3.8% in 2021.

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Summary: It was recently ruled that Kamila Valieva, a Russian figure skater, violated an anti-doping rule while competing in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. With Russia's results disqualified from the Games, this ruling has shifted the placement of Olympic teams in figure skating pushing Team USA to gold, Japan to silver, and Canada to bronze. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee believes the decision is not only significant for Team USA athletes but also for athletes worldwide who practice fair play and advocate for clean sport.

Research Question:

Doping -> Doping's effect on competitors -> How does doping in international competitions such as the Olympics affect international relationships?

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In a stunning rebuke of Russia's notorious doping system, the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned Russian Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva Monday morning for four years and said her 2022 Olympic results were disqualified, ending an unprecedented and protracted international sports drama that has dragged on for nearly two years.

The CAS ruling means that the International Skating Union, the worldwide governing body for figure skating, will now be called upon to decide the results of the 2022 team figure skating competition based on the arbitration panel's decision. If Valieva's results are disallowed and/or the Russian team is disqualified, the ISU is likely to move the United States up to the gold medal, followed by Japan with the silver medal and fourth-place finisher Canada moving up to win the bronze medal.

An ISU spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports in an email that the federation will issue a statement on the situation Tuesday.

"It is now imperative for the ISU to effectuate the technical decision of her disqualification from the Games and redistribute the medals to the right winners," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart told USA TODAY Sports immediately after the CAS decision was announced.

In response to the CAS decision, Tygart said: "It's the right outcome and let's hope the clean athletes who competed in the Games can finally have some joy and satisfaction for their long wait for some justice despite their moment never being replaced. At the same time, our hearts hurt for yet another Russian athlete who the system failed, this one a young 15-year old girl. The system has to fix itself."

The decision comes 720 days after Valieva, then 15, led Russia to the gold medal in the Olympic team event in Beijing on Feb. 7, 2022. The United States finished second and Japan was third.

But the next day, the medal ceremony for the event was canceled and the results were thrown into disarray after Valieva was found to have tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine six weeks earlier at the Russian championships.

CAS ruled that Valieva's four-year suspension begins on the date she took that test, Dec. 25, 2021.

Once the ISU rules on who wins the medals, how the skaters will actually receive their medals is anyone's guess. One idea that has been floated is to honor the medal winners with a ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games this summer.

There certainly is no playbook for this. Never before has an Olympic medal ceremony been canceled, so never before have athletes had to wait what will actually end up being more than two years to receive their medals.

After the Beijing Olympics ended, the sole organization charged with beginning the Valieva investigation was the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, which itself was suspended from 2015-2018 for helping Russian athletes cheat. Not surprisingly, RUSADA dithered and delayed through most of the rest of 2022, setting the process back by months.

Valieva's hearing in front of a three-member CAS panel was held in late September 2023 in Lausanne, Switzerland, but was further delayed when the arbitrators ordered "the production of further documentation," necessitating another meeting in early November before the arbitrators' deliberations began.

Outrage on behalf of the athletes from the United States and Japan has accompanied this controversy from the moment Valieva's positive drug test forced the cancellation of the medal ceremony.

"Justice hasn't just been denied for the athletes who have been waiting nearly two years now for their medals," Tygart told USA TODAY Sports in November. "Justice has been defeated. The athletes will never be able to replace the moment they would have had on the Olympic medal podium."

The World Anti-Doping Agency said in a statement that it "welcomes" the CAS decision, adding, "WADA took this appeal to CAS in the interests of fairness for athletes and clean sport and we believe that has been delivered through this decision."

The statement also addressed the lengthy process to get to Monday's decision. "WADA understands the frustration of the affected parties in relation to the time it took to complete this case. Indeed, WADA shared those frustrations, which is why, at every stage of the process, including during the first instance proceedings in Russia, WADA pushed hard for a timely resolution."

In a statement from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, CEO Sarah Hirshland praised the decision. "Today is a day we have been eagerly awaiting for two years, as it is a significant win not only for Team USA athletes but also for athletes worldwide who practice fair play and advocate for clean sport.

"The incredible athletes of Team USA, including Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou have displayed remarkable fortitude. Their outstanding performances in Beijing will forever symbolize their commitment to clean competition.

"We now anticipate the day when we can wholeheartedly celebrate these athletes, along with their peers from around the world. Their moment is approaching, and when it arrives, it will serve as a testament to the justice and recognition they truly deserve."

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Russian skater Kamila Valieva banned four years over doping, ending 2022 Olympic drama

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Monday's ruling means the International Skating Union will now be called upon to decide the results of the 2022 team figure skating competition.

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Summary:

The latest tennis technology, Hawk-Eye, can make split-second decisions about whether a ball is in or out of the court. Despite reports that have suggested the Hawk-Eye can be up to 10mm off, the Hawk-Eye's calls are still much more accurate than human umpires. The network of 10 cameras that capture 60 images per second and a team of specialists who repeatedly calibrate the cameras make the Hawk-Eye a costly but powerful tool in judging tennis games.

Research Question:

Technology -> accessibility/cost -> How will implementation of expensive technology affect the accessibility and culture of competitive sports.

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A slow, building clap has become part of the Wimbledon soundtrack since its institution at The Championships, turning it into as much a tradition as queuing for tickets or chomping on strawberries and cream.

But how does it all work? The split-second decision about whether a ball is in or out comes down to the tiniest of margins, yet the camera-led system is expected to offer precise judgements at great speed with points, prestige, money, careers and more on the line.

RadioTimes.com brings you everything you need to know about the impressive Hawk-Eye system at Wimbledon 2023.

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How does Hawk-Eye work?

Despite its name, this piece of umpiring sadly doesn't have anything to do with actual hawks (although the All England Club does rely on Rufus the Harris hawk to deter pigeons!).

Hawk-Eye is built from a network of 10 cameras around the court that capture 60 high-resolution images per second. At least five cameras cover every bounce of the ball.

A centralised computer system rapidly processes the images, triangulates the position of the ball and calculates a flight path - the yellow streak you see behind the ball in the Hawk-eye graphics.

Hawk-Eye collects data for every shot taken in the match, not just the close calls.

This is to make sure all 10 cameras are doing their job, as well as providing plenty of talking points for analysts and pundits.

Hawk-Eye technicians check their ball detection systems

The 26-strong Hawk-Eye team ensures the cameras are calibrated to the court lines, and must do this again when faded lines are repainted throughout the tournament.

During games, a team of four work from a commentary booth: two Hawk-Eye team members, one big-screen operator and one review official (a certified umpire).

A technician prepares the Hawk-Eye system prior to play

How many times can players use Hawk-Eye?

Players are given unlimited opportunities to challenge a call in each set at Wimbledon.

However, once three incorrect challenges are made, that player can't challenge again until the next set.

If the set goes to a tiebreak, an extra challenge is awarded to each player.

It rarely happens, but the umpire can reject a challenge if it is an "unreasonable request or... not made in a timely manner", according to the International Tennis Federation rules.
For more Wimbledon features, check out: Wimbledon FAQs, facts and figures | Who has won Wimbledon the most times?
When was Hawk-Eye introduced to Wimbledon?

After it was first tested in 2004, the system was implemented on Centre Court and Court 1 in 2007.

It is now used across Centre Court plus courts one, two, three, 12 and 18.

Players on courts without Hawk-Eye must solely rely on line umpires to make the right calls.

How accurate is Hawk-Eye?

The Hawk-Eye system has a 2.2mm margin of error, with research reports claiming the system can be as much as 10mm off.

Why? The ball may move too quickly to be properly captured on camera as all cameras have a finite frame-speed.

As one University of Cardiff paper says, "If the frame-speed is, say, 100 frames per second, and the ball is moving at about 100 mph it will travel about 1.5 feet between frames."

This margin of error can cause controversy during big points.

During the 2007 Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, a ball that appeared to be out was called in by 1mm.

There are other occasional problems with the system. During a 2017 match between Rafael Nadal and Borna Coric, the Hawk-Eye graphic failed to show on screen, with Nadal seeming sceptical about the final call.

But despite the problems with Hawk-Eye, it's a lot more reliable than human line judges.

Studies have suggested 8.2% of all line calls involving balls within 100mm of a court line will be called incorrectly by line judges.

This means you can expect line judges to make four errors per set, and Hawk-Eye will happily mop up the mistakes as long as the technology is present on court.

Caroline Wozniacki's third round defeat to Zhang Shuai in 2019 was shrouded in controversy after three calls went against the Danish player due to Hawk-Eye, though she insisted the system was inaccurate in furious outbursts at the umpire.
Check out our live tennis on TV today page for all the major tournaments taking place this week and in 2023. Read more about this year's Wimbledon in the special latest issue of Radio Times magazine - out now. If you're looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home - subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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How does Hawk-Eye work at Wimbledon 2023?

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How does Hawk-Eye work at the Wimbledon 2023 tennis championships? All the information you need, including how accurate Hawk-Eye is.