Friday, September 05, 2008

Stolichnaya... The new Gatorade?


We've all heard the jokes about Russians and their Vodka, but I guess I assumed it was mostly just an inaccurate stereotype.... I might need to re-assess that after reading the sports newswire this morning. It seems that Russian high jumper, Ivan Ukhov was using an old fashioned performance enhancing drug during a recent track and field event in Lausanne, Switzerland. His drug of choice? Vodka, mixed with Red Bull.

Now I realize that Red Bull Vodkas are quite the rage on the club and bar scene but surely a world class athlete, he was the European Junior Champion in 2005, would have to understand this was a bad idea. As much as I detest the rampant steroid usage that goes on in sports, I can to some extent understand an athlete's motivation when using HgH or some other wonder drug. At least there is some evidence these products give you a boost. But consuming alcohol while trying to compete in a sporting competition that requires you to run at high speeds and then leap over a bar taller than your head? Am I the only one that doesn't see this ending well? It didn't of course. Ukhov missed every height he attempted before finally being pulled out of the competition by organizers who got wind of his boozing and he is now under investigation by the IAAF, the international organization that governs Track and Field competitions.

Proving once again that truth really is stranger than fiction.

BallHype: hype it up!

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