Anti-Doping Framework for Ultrarunning with Gabe Baida #223
Episode overview:
Gabe Baida is a 15 year antidoping professional. He formerly was at USADA where he served at the director of UFC and Premiere Sport. He now is the Executive Director of InnoVero.
Episode highlights:
(25:52) No fault period: a period with no consequence, athletes need to have the opportunity to learn the rules, six months of no fault for education
(37:25) Solving anti-doping in ultrarunning: putting aside businesses and funding, it’s not rocket science, ultrarunning is missing a unifying entity but mapping an anti-doping plan is not hard
(1:07:27) When to get USADA involved: UFC and cycling examples, the sooner the better, stay ahead of the ball, crossover athletes and organizations help to spur action in ultra-trail
Our conversation:
(0:00) Introduction: the final episode in a 4-part series on drugs in ultrarunning, introducing Gabe, his role in booting up USADA’s anti-doping program for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
(2:29) Sochi Olympics: Russian doping, presence in media, swapping out contaminated urine samples
(5:16) InnoVero: birth from the Sochi scandal, athletes need to be able to trust the system, developing secure sample collection equipment
(7:15) Innovation in anti-doping: entrepreneurship, innovating upon a simple process, bringing integrity back by staying up to date
(9:50) The UFC: contracting USADA to develop an anti-doping program, Gabe’s experience through all parts of the process, legitimizing the UFC by bringing in anti-doping
(12:20) Kickstarting anti-doping in the UFC: building an understanding between USADA and the UFC, Gabe stepping onto the program
(14:17) UFC anti-doping pre-USADA: a fractured framework, slightly different rulesets between state athletic commissions, consistent rules make athlete education easier
(17:08) International standardization: language, stakeholder influence, communication challenges, traveling to encourage education amongst athlete and athlete support personnel
(20:49) Pushback: athlete questions and concerns, the whereabouts program
(24:24) Off-grid training: examples of athletes who train where there is no street address
(25:52) No fault period: a period with no consequence, athletes need to have the opportunity to learn the rules, six months of no fault for education
(27:55) Looking back on introducing anti-doping: sufficient education, a stair-stepping approach, close to 18 months of run-up to work out kinks
(30:53) Why anti-doping is so complicated: balancing a tight system with athlete fairness, <1% of athletes test positive
(32:52) Public criticism: not catching many athletes doping, giving athletes the opportunity to change their behavior, taking an athlete-friendly approach
(35:17) Anti-doping from a long term viewpoint: it takes many years to establish a fair system and weed out bad culture, solutions are never perfect, continual improvement
(37:25) Solving anti-doping in ultrarunning: putting aside businesses and funding, it’s not rocket science, ultrarunning is missing a unifying entity but mapping an anti-doping plan is not hard
(39:42) Creating an anti-doping implementation framework: finding a service provider is not hard, total funding is viable but multi-year commitment is a small challenge
(41:13) Coordinating anti-doping: hard to find a leader, effectively volunteering for poorly paid or unpaid, controversial, thankless work that is tremendously important
(43:57) Solving anti-doping organization: differences between ultrarunning and the UFC example, determining the testing pool, starting small and building
(46:01) Can races helm doping control: examples, determining the athlete pool
(48:05) Private contractors and athlete pools: USADA’s risk assessment tools, following non-positive but unusual test results, frequency of competition, liability and bodily harm in the UFC, private contractors determine the pool but USADA determines how to allocate tests
(50:52) Allocating tests: competition schedule, test data with strange biological markers, example of hematocrit and hemoglobin as flags for potential EPO doping
(53:45) Anonymous tips: competition between gyms and individuals, all tips are investigated, there is a lot of noise to filter through but it is a valuable line of defense for anti-doping
(55:23) Pride in anti-doping: wearing tests as a badge of honor, examples in fighting and French ultra-trail, a symbol of “making it”
(57:28) Counseling athletes who get tripped up: the first step is to avoid a positive test, fairness and arbitration, high cost of arbitration and agreement with the UFC
(1:00:39) Arbitration and the public eye: high profile cases, public opinion and experts often disagree, a lengthy investigation process is required for a fair trial, athlete excuses
(1:04:40) Takeaways: balancing fairness and strictness, find a realistic starting point and build from there
(1:07:27) When to get USADA involved: UFC and cycling examples, the sooner the better, stay ahead of the ball, crossover athletes and organizations help to spur action in ultra-trail
(1:10:27) Solving the fractured landscape: the need for an organizing body, galvanizing stakeholders, starting the conversation, you are only as strong as your weakest link
(1:12:57) Surveying anti-doping rules: there is no cohesion, some races ban NSAIDs, some adhere to the WADA list, some also ban the WADA watchlist, the athletes just want to know the rules, they will push the sport in the right direction
(1:15:24) Wrap-up: giving thanks, setting ultra-trail up for future success
(1:16:15) Outro: learning lessons from Gabe’s experiences, all the elements exist in ultra-trail to get a start on anti-doping, it is all of our responsibilities to push this forward, a free edition of Research Essentials is available on anti-doping, no strings attached, just get the information out there
Additional resources:
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Buy Training Essentials for Ultrarunning on Amazon or Audible
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