Olympic Musings

[Hemsky83]

An exerp from Faceoff.com

Asthma Hardly a Rarity in the NHL

Tom Poti, who uses a puffer for his asthma, will need a medical certificate and examination to show it's needed before the Olympics. "Tommy's going to have a pulmonary test here to show why he has to use it. The IOC wants to see where his lung capacity is, using the inhaler. Dr. (David) Reid will test him (and sign an avadavit that's it's not performance enhancing,'' said Oiler trainer Ken Lowe, who'll be working with Team Canada. Poti's playing for the Yanks. Asthma's hardly a rarity in the NHL. "There may be one guy on every team using an inhaler,'' said Lowe.

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Rigours of Drug Tests Not Lost on Players

NHLers can expect to have to pee in a bottle after every game in Salt Lake City. Going in, the players know they can't take sudafed; can't take antihistimanes for colds (Seldane is what Lowe is prescribing for his Olympic guys because it's not on the banned list); can't take any cortisone orally but can through injection, for pain. Food supplements have to be carefully monitored for ingredients like herbs that aren't standardized. If you drink eight, 10 cups of coffee before a game, you might test positive for too much caffeine (banned) too, but football players get a buzz on more than hockey guys because you have to hold a stick. It's a concern, and guys will be tested, for sure. "I remember at the worlds in Italy (several years ago) Luke Richardson was really worried about getting tested after a game because he'd taken his supplements and wasn't sure if they were OK. When he didn't get called for a test, he was so excited. He was more excited about that, than us winning the game,'' said Ken Lowe. "Usually, they test the stars, though. When we won the gold, they tested (goalie) Bill Ranford. Not Luke.''

What in the world are the Olympics coming to? Everything players take seem to be banned.

Comments???????

[P.J Stock]

Not really on Topic at all but,

Did you hear anything about Tom Poti comming to the Rangers?

[Hemsky83]

No I didn't. A poster on another message board mentioned that Larry Brooks mentioned Poti to the Islanders for Isbister trade rumour. Nothing else.