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Sunday, August 11, 2024

Entire doping ecosystem formed in US under government indulgence: investigation report

 

While the US has ramped up efforts to discredit Chinese athletes with doping allegations, a media investigation report revealed on Saturday that a deeply entrenched doping industry has taken root in the US over recent decades, from athletes to coaches and agents, and from pharmaceutical companies to government bodies.
 
With the US indulging doping practices meanwhile struggling with domestic drug abuse, Chinese experts said Washington is throwing mud at others with its “polluted culture,” warning that global sport industry should remain vigilant against its ill intentions particularly in the next Olympics to be held on its soil.
 
The revelation by Yuyuantantian, a media arm of China Media Group, comes from a comprehensive review of US doping scandals in the past 20 years. 
 
From the outset, most US professional leagues and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have not signed the World Anti-Doping Code, leaving them beyond its control and creating a foundation for internal doping cover-up in the country. And thus from a young age, American athletes are exposed to the allure of doping, often encouraged by their coaches, agents, and sports institutions, Yuyuantantian said in the report.   
 
Coaches play a crucial role in this area, particularly in youth swimming teams, where they have been known to secretly administer painkillers and other prescription drugs under the guise of treating injuries. Many of these drugs are banned by WADA, alongside performance-enhancing steroids, the investigation report said. 
 
An earlier study by the AP found that among 61,000 US college athletes, thousands exhibited unnatural weight gain — an indication of steroid use, the report noted. “The widespread doping practices are sustained by collusion between coaches and pharmaceutical companies, forming a critical link in the doping ecosystem,” it said.
 
By the time American athletes reach the international stage, many are already addicted, the investigation has noted. The report cited American cyclist Lance Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France champion, as a prime example. 
 
He admitted that doping helped him for each of his seven Tour de France wins, by using EPO, human growth hormone, and diuretics. He also admitted to falsifying documents saying he passed drug tests, according to media reports. 
 
The Yuyuantantian report disclosed that his team manager and doctor were complicit in the scheme, and team doctors fabricated his illnesses to justify the “legal” use of drugs.
 
The US government is the most influential manipulator behind the scenes, the investigation report said.  
 
On the global stage, it leveraged its power to protect US athletes, often ensuring they avoid testing to gain an unfair advantage. In addition, the US Olympic Committee frequently “overlooks” such actions, leading to widespread abuse of substances like testosterone, it revealed. 
 
According to media reports, US athletes applied for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) at a rate more than ten times that of other countries. 
 
As international anti-doping efforts expanded, countries established independent agencies outside the IOC. In response, the US government enacted legislation granting its anti-doping agencies "long-arm jurisdiction," enabling them to investigate and harass athletes from other nations – in this case, the Chinese swimmers, the report said.  
 
“This stems from an arrogant sense of exceptionalism of the US, which regards itself unique and superior to others. Thus, it tries to disrupt international norms by imposing its domestic rules on the global stage, not only in sports but in almost all arenas,” Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday.
 
Industry insiders have revealed that in the lead-up to the Paris Olympic Games, the US deliberately sought to stir up controversy around Chinese doping allegation by rehashing unsubstantiated reports from three years ago. This move is intended to disrupt Chinese team’s preparations for the Paris Games and even attempt to disqualify Chinese athletes.
 
The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Friday that related reports from the US have led to the excessive anti-doping tests on the Chinese Olympic swimming team.
 
The smearing of Chinese athletes is also a result of jealousy, as the US cannot bear to see their traditionally-dominant sports like swimming being surpassed by China, observers noted. This approach again mirrors the zero-sum logic that characterizes US policy in other areas.
 
What’s more, Li noted that as the US struggles with widespread issues like marijuana, doping, and prescription drug abuse, it is exporting this same “polluted culture” to the global stage. “This is an attempt to throw mud at the whole world,” Li said. 
 
Sports also are, in the mind-set of US politicians, a geopolitical tool to undermine its rivals’ soft power, the expert added, warning that the world should be vigilant against the weaponization of sports in the Paris Games as well as the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
 
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Friday called on the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to respect the supreme authority of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), while emphasized the IOC's full confidence in WADA.

Bach made the remarks during a press conference while responding to a controversy that stems from allegations by WADA that USADA allowed athletes who violated anti-doping rules to continue competing without sanctions. In exchange for their cooperation in providing information on other doping violations, these athletes were reportedly shielded from public exposure and penalties.
 
WADA recently came under US attack, as the agency confirmed China was blameless after US media hyped a 2021 incident in which 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) due to inadvertent contamination.

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Medal Table

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The final Olympic medal tally puts US on top in Paris, China ...

U.S. again beats China in Olympic medals table after they tie for gold; France exceeds expectations


PARIS (AP) — The contest for most gold medals at the Paris Olympics ended in a 40-40 tie between China and the United States.

But the U.S. topped the medals table with a whopping 126 overall, compared to 91 for China. At the Tokyo Games, the U.S. also edged China in the medal count, finishing with 113 overall and 39 golds, compared to 89 medals with 38 gold for China.

Who was supposed to lead the medal count at the Paris Games?

According to Nielsen’s Gracenote virtual medal-table forecast, which collected results data from big competitions since the Tokyo Games, the top five for overall medals in Paris was going to be as follows: The U.S. (112 overall medals); China (86); Britain (63); France (60) and Australia (54).

The U.S. did top the medals table. However, the U.S. and China both upped their gold and overall medal counts.

Japan proved the virtual predictors wrong by sneaking into third place with 20 golds among its 45 medals.

France and Australia were in the top five as predicted, but the other way around.

Skateboard star Keegan Palmer helped Australia go fourth with 18 golds among 53 medals, while fifth-place France tallied 16 golds among its 64 medals.

Britain got more medals than in Tokyo — 65 to 64 — but had less golds and was seventh overall behind the Netherlands.

Here’s a closer look at the some of the nations:

Great haul of China, as team dominates diving

When Cao Yuan defended his title in the men’s 10-meter platform on Saturday, it gave his nation an unprecedented sweep of the diving gold medals.

China won all eight golds handed out at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.

China won five golds in each of shooting, table tennis and weightlifting, with China’s victory in the team event in table tennis giving the country its 300th gold in Olympic history.

Golds galore for USA on track, but no medal in women’s water polo

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles as the U.S. won 14 golds in track and field.

Noah Lyles won a historically close men’s 100-meter race, and Gabrielle Thomas took the women’s 200. Quincy Hall won the men’s 400 at a Stade de France, which grew accustomed to hearing the American national anthem.




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No banking on hacked phones

 


PETALING JAYA: Customers with compromised devices will be temporarily restricted from accessing banking apps as banks in Malaysia roll out a feature that detects high-risk malware and suspicious remote access.

In a statement yesterday, the Association of Banks Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (Aibim) said the feature, called malware shielding, will be embedded within the banks’ native mobile banking apps.

Both organisations stated that the feature is designed to prevent unauthorised transactions, protect customers’ funds, and shield them from malware scams.

“It will essentially alert or block customers from conducting banking activities on compromised devices,” said the statement. 

Banks that have enabled the feature on their mobile banking apps include Alliance Bank, AmBank, Bank Muamalat, Bank Simpanan Nasional, CIMB Bank, HSBC Bank, Maybank, MBSB Bank, OCBC Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Standard Chartered, and UOB Bank.

“Emphasising customer privacy, malware shielding is only activated upon the customer launching the mobile banking app and does not run in the background 24/7,” said ABM chairman Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli in the statement.

He added that customers’ banking information and personal data will remain confidential.

Bank Negara governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the fight against online scams is a shared responsibility, welcoming the move by banks to enhance online banking apps with added security features.

“This helps to create a more secure banking environment for all Malaysians. We also urge members of the public to remain vigilant against requests to download apps from unofficial sources,” he added.

Customers are advised to reach out to their banks’ 24/7 fraud hotline for assistance should they encounter a temporary restriction.

When contacted, National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said the measure is well-suited to address specific challenges faced by users in Malaysia as cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and prevalent.

“In 2023, 40% of the total incidents monitored by the National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4) were malware-related. In 2024, up until June, the NC4 handled 34% of incidents related to malware,” Megat Zuhairy said.

While the temporary restriction is regarded as an important preventive step, Megat Zuhairy said its effectiveness is also dependent on users.

“They need to adhere to recommended cyber hygiene practices such as to only download apps from official platforms and avoid performing online activities through unsecured WiFi networks,” he said.

Malaysia Cybersecurity Community rawSEC chairman Ts Tahrizi Tahreb said the malware shielding technology could potentially prevent several types of banking malware that are used by hackers to infiltrate devices and perform unauthorised financial transactions.

“Some of them include Cerberus which can mimic legitimate banking app interfaces to capture user credentials and one-time passwords through overlays and screenshots,” he said.

Tahrizi added that another type of malware called Gustuff has been known to target over 100 banking apps and can automate bank transactions on compromised devices.

“These malware types often exploit vulnerabilities in mobile banking applications, making them prime targets for shielding technologies,” he said.

Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) said the initiative represents a proactive approach to addressing the growing threat of cyberattacks on financial systems.

“However, MCCA also emphasises the importance of implementing this feature with caution, transparency, and a strong focus on user education,” its chairman Siraj Jalil said.

He added that the criteria used to define a “compromised device” must be transparent and precise.

“The effectiveness of such a solution hinges on its ability to accurately identify compromised devices without generating false positives. A significant number of false positives could lead to legitimate users being locked out of their banking apps, causing unnecessary frustration and potential financial disruption.

“If users find themselves frequently locked out of their apps, they might resort to using web-based banking solutions, which may not be as secure as the mobile apps, or they could turn to unofficial methods to bypass the restrictions, further exposing themselves to risks,” said Siraj.

Tahrizi said banks can further enhance security and customer protection by implementing some additional measures.

“Banks should regularly test their apps through application security testing (AST) and infrastructure security testing (IST). All identified issues should be tracked, with priority given to remediating critical and high vulnerabilities,” he added.

Customers also need to be constantly reminded of the latest potential online scam attempts.

“Ongoing education and awareness of safe mobile banking practices, such as recognising phishing attempts and avoiding suspicious downloads, can empower customers to protect themselves, and this is a very effective first line of defence,” he said.

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Saturday, August 10, 2024

A journey filled with cultural riches

Model student: Goh delivering a speech at her graduation ceremony in 2022, where she received the award for outstanding doctoral graduate. — Photo courtesy of Goh


Scholar says her five-year stay in China nothing short or unforgettable


PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian’s academic journey in China has been enriched with unique opportunities to advance personal growth and experience the country’s rich culture.

Dr Goh Chye Poh said her most fascinating experience was attending the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Winter Games and contributing to the production of its theme song music video “Together for a Shared Future” for the Beijing TV station covering the event.

“It was truly a privilege for me and my coursemates to be part of such a significant and unforgettable experience.

“I was honoured to contribute creatively to the representation of the Paralympics through music,” she told The Star in a recent interview. 

Goh, 35, from Taiping, Perak, pursued her doctorate in Chinese International Education at Beijing Language and Culture University on a Chinese government scholarship after completing her master’s degree at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Since arriving in China in 2019, she has embraced the country’s diverse experiences.

“Each season brings its own unique beauty, from spring blooms to winter snow. 

“Adapting to the changing seasons requires adjusting not just my clothing and activities but also my mindset.

“Over time, I’ve learnt to fully embrace the rhythms of the four seasons,” she said.

Goh’s academic journey has been marked by achievements, including winning prizes in essay and speech competitions for Asean international students.

“These achievements led to more opportunities to participate in international events,” she said.

Goh also had the opportunity to deliver a speech at her 2022 graduation ceremony after successfully defending her thesis on comparative lexical knowledge systems between Malaysia and China.

To stay updated on industry developments, Goh said she frequently attended or hosted forums.

“Earlier this year, I had the honour of participating in exchange activities in Xinjiang, a crucial Silk Road hub with a rich and diverse culture that left a lasting impression.

“The most rewarding aspect was immersing myself in the daily lives of local residents.

“Seeing the unique cultural charm of each city I visited is so endearing,” she said.

Now living in the central business district of Chaoyang in Beijing, Goh’s passion for learning and experiencing new adventures remains a driving force in her academic and personal pursuits.

“I hope I will visit more cities in China. My time here has been both enriching and fulfilling.

“The country has provided countless opportunities for my career advancement and personal growth,” she said.

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Friday, August 9, 2024

WADA statement on Reuters story exposing USADA scheme in contravention of World Anti-Doping Code

WADA Exposes USADA's Prolonged Doping Scheme ...


WADA Exposes USADA's Prolonged Doping Scheme ...


The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responds to a Reuters story of 7 August 2024 exposing a scheme whereby the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) allowed athletes who had doped, to compete for years, in at least one case without ever publishing or sanctioning their anti-doping rule violations, in direct contravention of the World Anti-Doping Code and USADA’s own rules. 

This USADA scheme threatened the integrity of sporting competition, which the Code seeks to protect. By operating it, USADA was in clear breach of the rules. Contrary to the claims made by USADA, WADA did not sign off on this practice of permitting drug cheats to compete for years on the promise that they would try to obtain incriminating evidence against others. 

Within the Code there is a provision whereby an athlete who provides substantial assistance can subsequently apply to have a proportion of their period of ineligibility suspended. However, there is a clear process for that, which does not involve allowing those who have cheated to continue to compete while they may or may not gather incriminating evidence against others and while they could retain a performance-enhancement effect from the substances they took. When WADA eventually found out about this non-compliant practice in 2021, many years after it had started, it immediately instructed USADA to desist. 

WADA is now aware of at least three cases where athletes who had committed serious anti-doping rule violations were allowed to continue to compete for years while they acted as undercover agents for USADA, without it notifying WADA and without there being any provision allowing such a practice under the Code or USADA’s own rules. 

In one case, an elite level athlete, who competed at Olympic qualifier and international events in the United States, admitted to taking steroids and EPO yet was permitted to continue competing all the way up to retirement. Their case was never published, results never disqualified, prize money never returned, and no suspension ever served. The athlete was allowed to line up against their unknowing competitors as if they had never cheated. In that case, when USADA eventually admitted to WADA what had been going on, it advised that any publication of consequences or disqualification of results would put the athlete’s security at risk and asked WADA to agree to non-publication. Being put in this impossible position, WADA had no choice but to agree (after verifying with its Intelligence and Investigations Department that the security threat was credible). The athlete’s doping was therefore never made public. 

In another case of a high-level athlete, USADA never notified WADA of its decision to lift an athlete’s provisional suspension, which is an appealable decision, despite being required to do so under the Code. Had WADA been notified, it would never have allowed this. 

How must other athletes feel knowing they were competing in good faith against those who were known by USADA to have cheated? It is ironic and hypocritical that USADA cries foul when it suspects other Anti-Doping Organizations are not following the rules to the letter while it did not announce doping cases for years and allowed cheats to carry on competing, on the off chance they might help them catch other possible violators. WADA wonders if the USADA Board of Directors, which governs USADA, or U.S. Congress, which funds it, knew about this non-compliant practice that not only undermined the integrity of sporting competition but also put the co-operating athletes’ security at risk.  

WADA statement following comments by CEO of United ...

WADA statement following comments by CEO of United States Anti-Doping Agency

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is astonished by the outrageous, completely false and defamatory remarks made by the CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Travis Tygart, who has made very serious accusations against WADA in connection with the case of 23 swimmers from China that was reported upon by the media earlier today.

Mr. Tygart’s allegations are politically motivated and delivered with the intention of undermining WADA’s work to protect clean sport around the world. WADA notes that the damaging comments have been delivered without any supporting evidence whatsoever.

The truth of this matter is that according to all available scientific evidence and intelligence, thoroughly gathered, assessed and tested by leading anti-doping experts, WADA had no basis to challenge the explanation of environmental contamination. At all times, WADA acted in good faith, according to due process and following advice from external counsel when it decided not to appeal this case. In the absence of any other evidence WADA, still today, stands by the results of its rigorous scientific investigation as well as the approach of its Intelligence and Investigations Department. WADA’s statement of 20 April outlines the Agency’s position on this file in more detail.

It is implicit in his statement that Mr. Tygart does not accept the finding of environmental contamination in this case although he cannot say why. Yet, it is true that in the United States, WADA has also accepted USADA’s similar conclusions of contamination involving a number of U.S. athletes. Mr. Tygart should realize that it is not only American athletes who can fall victim to situations of no-fault contamination.

USADA contacted WADA in early 2023 based on a tip it had received about an alleged cover-up involving these cases but unfortunately was unable to provide any evidence whatsoever.

It should be noted that following Mr. Tygart’s false allegations, WADA has no choice but to refer this matter to its legal counsel for further action

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Medal Table

 

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Thursday, August 8, 2024

Fly-by-night architects on the prowl

LAM: Services have now proliferated. especially on social media sites.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The activities of fly-by-night architects and illegal practices by unregistered companies offering architectural and interior design services have evolved rapidly with technological advancement, says the Malaysian Board of Architects (LAM).

In the past, these services were advertised in newspapers and on websites.

They have now proliferated, especially on social media sites like TikTok and ecommerce platforms.

“We were surprised by such advertisements. That is alarming, because we never expected it to go this far in Malaysia. So, is this practice wrong? Yes, it is,” LAM president Datuk Azman Md Hashim (pic) told Bernama. 

According to a random survey by the LAM Surveillance and Enforcement Committee, out of hundreds of advertisements offering such services, only one firm was registered under the agency.

Azman said that based on the Architects Act 1967 (Act 117), only those registered with LAM are eligible to offer and provide architectural services, including design and building plan services.

He said registered architects or interior designers are professionals regulated by the Code of Conduct under the Architects Rules 1996.

He added that one of the benefits of hiring a professional architect is to control or monitor payments and claims to contractors based on performance, quality standards and project progress, preventing clients from being cheated.

These professionals also act as project consultants to oversee the project from the planning stage to completion and the issuance of the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC).

“This practice involves public safety. Therefore, only registered individuals are eligible to provide these services to avoid substandard designs, failure to obtain approval from local authorities, safety weaknesses such as structural design flaws, legal liabilities, abandoned projects and financial losses,” he said.

Azman said that according to the existing code of conduct, there are specific procedures for advertising a professional architect’s services.

“Architects registered with LAM typically do not advertise on social media. We are not saying it is not allowed, but we do not encourage it. Professionally, they also refrain from doing so because our LAM portal allows public access to our services.”

Since 2016 to date, LAM has received 94 complaints involving illegal practices by companies and individuals through physical advertisements and direct appointments by clients, as well as five complaints related to advertising on social media.

The professions registered with LAM, which comes under the Works Ministry, include architects, architect graduates, building draughtsmen, interior designers, interior designer graduates, inspectors of works, and architectural technologists.

Azman explained that the work of fly-by-night architects is usually carried out by unregistered architect graduates and interior designer graduates who are not qualified to apply for planning and building plans.

“Their involvement usually occurs in two ways: either the contractors hire them or the clients appoint them directly. Both scenarios aim to ensure the fees or charges for these fly-by-night architects are kept to a minimum,” he said.

However, there are also instances where fly-by-night architects collude with professional architects to gain “credibility”.

“What are the consequences if our house project becomes illegal? The effects are that the house cannot be insured, the quality of completion cannot be assured, and it can endanger the safety of the occupants. Additionally, the CCC cannot be issued because the proper procedures were not followed.”

He said any professional architect registered with LAM can face disciplinary action or fines if they violate the Architects Act 1967, including collaborating with fly-by-night architects.

“One of our main roles is to protect the public. If anything happens, we will take action against our members because we safeguard the public. This is enshrined in Act 117,” he said.

Fly-by-night architects, according to Azman, are in a different situation because they are not subject to any agreements or regulatory bodies, making it impossible to take legal action against them.

However, he said LAM has a Surveillance and Enforcement Committee, which is also represented by police officers, to monitor these irresponsible activities if they are advertised on social media.

Admitting there are gaps that allow fly-by-night architects to thrive, Azman said stricter measures need to be introduced.

Educating the public about the correct methods and procedures for building houses on their land must be ongoing to prevent more people from falling victim, he said.

To achieve this, LAM is developing a system in collaboration with the Malaysian Institute of Architects and the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers to provide guidelines for members of the public on the proper procedures for building or renovating their homes.

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