Latest news with #WorldAnti-DopingAgency
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
A lightning fast ascent of Everest is rocking the mountaineering world
KATHMANDU , NEPAL : Four men left London's Heathrow Airport for Nepal on a May afternoon. Within five days, they were atop Mount Everest, the 29,000-foot peak where an ascent typically takes weeks of acclimatization and bursts of climbing punctuated by rest. Instead, the four British army veterans prepared for the world's highest peak using a new pre-acclimatization regime involving inhaling xenon gas—once used as an anesthetic but now more commonly found in rocket propellant. Their ascent is rocking the mountaineering community and Nepali authorities, with their use of a substance banned from competitive sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency provoking the criticism this amounts to cheating. Nepal's mountaineering authorities are studying the climb and its implications. On May 29, when the country marks the first recognized summit of the mountain in 1953 as Everest Day, Nepal's prime minister lamented the use of xenon. 'Dishonesty even with Mount Everest?" he said. 'If it did happen, it should be stopped." Alistair Carns, a climber in the group, said critics should take the long view. 'We have just got to accept we're at the cutting-edge of science," said Carns, Britain's veterans minister. He said using xenon was no different from using supplemental oxygen, an innovation climbers made about a century ago that gained wide use. Xenon gas was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2014 after Russian athletes acknowledged using it for Winter Olympics contests. Mountain climbing is a largely unregulated endeavor, though climbing Everest requires permission from Nepal if climbing from the south face, and from China if climbing from the north. Himal Gautam, director at Nepal's tourism department, said the government hasn't certified the expedition as a successful ascent or verified it as a record. The government gives certificates for successful ascents based on photos, videos and climber accounts, but doesn't verify all record claims. The climbers believe they set a record for the fastest round-trip Everest expedition, less than seven days including the return to London. A Ukrainian man said he made it from his home in New York City to the summit of Everest in four days, reaching the peak on May 19, just ahead of the British group. That claim hasn't been verified either. Austrian mountaineer Lukas Furtenbach, who organized the xenon-assisted ascent, said it wasn't just about speed. He described it as a scientifically planned effort to explore the future of high-altitude mountain-climbing—and make it safer. 'We use xenon to protect the body from altitude sickness, not to hasten the ascent," said Furtenbach. 'I don't believe that anyone is against increasing safety on Everest, when the whole world is every year reporting about the many deaths on Everest." Climbing times for the most experienced mountaineers have steadily lowered since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved the first recognized ascent of the world's tallest peak. That historic climb began in Kathmandu on March 10, 1953, reaching the summit on May 29. In 2019, nutrition scientist Roxanne Vogel summited Everest in two weeks, door-to-door, from her home in California. The fastest climb from base camp to Everest, meanwhile, was by Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa in just under 11 hours in 2003. But for more typical climbers—even when aided by the best gear, experienced Sherpas, climbing ropes and oxygen—Everest is an endeavor that typically spans six to eight weeks. That includes more than a week to trek to base camp, days spent acclimatizing there, and circuits to higher camps often followed by a descent to allow the body to adjust. Failure to acclimatize properly can mean headaches and dizziness in milder cases, and in the worst instances, fatal mountain sickness. Carns said his work as a government minister and personal commitments—he has young children—didn't permit him weeks away from home. Another reason to make news was to raise money for Scotty's Little Soldiers, a British charity focused on the children of fallen soldiers. His fellow climbers were Kevin Godlington, Anthony Stazicker and Garth Miller. Furtenbach had the four British climbers prepare for weeks at their homes in the U.K. by sleeping for a total of over 500 hours each in tents that simulate the low-oxygen conditions on Everest. That has long been part of Furtenbach's expeditions offering a 'flash" ascent of Everest in about three weeks. The men also worked out using masks that simulated thin mountain air. Their regime included a new feature—a roughly 20-minute, one-time hit of a mix of xenon and oxygen some weeks before the men began their climb in Nepal. The formulation was developed and administered to the men in Germany by Dr. Michael Fries, head of anesthesia and intensive-care medicine at St. Vincenz Hospital in the German town of Limburg an der Lahn. After hearing Furtenbach speak on the radio in 2018 about his efforts to help climbers pre-acclimatize, Fries said he contacted him to propose his idea: breathe in xenon gas before a challenging climb. The gas, said Fries, appears to have neuroprotective properties and prompts the production of a hormone that triggers red blood cell production, improving the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Furtenbach and at least a dozen other climbers experimented with the gas in their climbs in the following years, said Fries, and their experiences convinced them it helped prevent altitude-related symptoms. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation said in January that scientific literature didn't support the idea that breathing in xenon improves performance in the mountains. Given how swiftly it can work—putting people to sleep in a minute—highly experienced medical supervision is vital, said Fries. Furtenbach on his Instagram account has warned climbers against trying to copy their example, noting his group used the gas under medical supervision—and not on the mountain itself. Several mountaineers, while crediting the British climbers achievement and the preparations of Furtenbach's outfit, expressed concern that less experienced climbers or unethical expedition outfits could try to replicate the experiment with dangerous results. 'I'm happy for the four climbers," said Alan Arnette, a mountaineer who chronicles Everest climbing. 'I just think we have to be very aware of unintended consequences of other people trying to take this and replicate it and not doing it safely and thinking that it's some kind of magic bullet or shortcut to the top." Stephan Keck, head of the Austria-based expedition operator Himalayan Experience, said he worried commercial impulses could encourage xenon's use to help inexperienced people summit quickly. 'I don't want to have a circus up there," he said. Some mountaineering experts said it is hard to assess the effects of xenon for a climbing group that also prepared extensively with hypoxia tents and had past physical training in the military. After arriving in Nepal on the morning of May 17, the men took a helicopter to reach base camp after noon. Pasang Tendi Sherpa, who worked with the climbers, said the group prayed at base camp before beginning. They began climbing around midnight, skipped the first camp and arrived at the second camp the next morning. The following day they climbed to Camp 3 and on May 20, made it to Camp 4, into the infamous 'death zone." The pace was relentless, said Godlington: 'We barely stopped to rest." At Camp 4, three of their Sherpas turned back because of a storm. The rest continued to climb overnight, reaching the summit at 7:15 a.m. on May 21. 'We were the only guys on the mountain," Godlington said. Carns said he had given the group a 30% chance of success. Reminders of how wrong climbing Everest can go were all around. When he turned into Camp 4 'there was a dead body just frozen to my left," said Carns. He doesn't foresee a spate of copycat climbs. 'This is one of the hardest things I've done," said Carns. 'So I don't think we're going to see a whole glut of people trying to get up in a week." Write to Krishna Pokharel at and Tripti Lahiri at
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Banka, Yang elected third time as WADA president, VP
Montreal (Canada), May 30 (UNI) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed that the third and final three-year term from 2026 to 2028 for its president Witold Banka and vice president Yang Yang. WADA's Extraordinary Foundation Board Meeting was convened online on Thursday to elect the new leadership of the international organization which is based here. "Today's result reaffirms our shared mission and values. Despite the many challenges we have faced over the past five and a half years, it has also been a period of transformation, of resilience, and of undeniable progress," said President Banka, the former sprinter-turned Minister of Sport and Tourism of Poland. "In our final term, we are committed to continue strengthening the global anti-doping system by elevating the athlete experience; expanding the impact of our science, development, compliance and intelligence work and much more," said Banka. He said WADA and its stakeholders around the world would meet the shared objectives and exceed them with the sole purpose of protecting clean sport. Yang, a former Olympic short-track speed skating champion, also expressed her gratitude for the Board's confidence and reiterated her commitment to spearheading WADA's increased emphasis on education and the role of athletes in charting the course for the future of anti-doping. "Serving as vice president has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I enter this final term determined and fully committed to continuing the meaningful work we do each and every day," said Yang, "I am grateful for the opportunity to spend another term alongside President Banka and look forward to devoting the next three and a half years to completing the work we started in 2020." WADA, established in 1999 as an international independent agency to lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport, is composed of a 38-member Foundation Board, which is the agency's highest policy-making body.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Doping-Banka re-elected for third and final term as WADA president
Witold Banka was re-elected for a third and final three-year term as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the organisation said on Thursday. The third term for Banka, a former middle-distance runner, will begin in January and run until the end of 2028. WADA vice president Yang Yang was also re-elected for a third and final three-year term. In a virtual address to the WADA Foundation Board following his re-election, Banka said he and Yang are committed to elevating the athlete experience, strengthening the global anti-doping system and expanding the impact of their science, education and intelligence work. "We are energized by innovation, collaboration, and the unwavering belief that clean sport matters," said Banka. "I can assure everyone here that we will work harder than ever to protect the integrity of sport and the dreams of the most important stakeholder of all, the athletes." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Doping-Banka re-elected for third and final term as WADA president
FILE PHOTO: World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President, Witold Banka attends the World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland, March 12, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/ File Photo (Reuters) - Witold Banka was re-elected for a third and final three-year term as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the organisation said on Thursday. The third term for Banka, a former middle-distance runner, will begin in January and run until the end of 2028. WADA vice president Yang Yang was also re-elected for a third and final three-year term. In a virtual address to the WADA Foundation Board following his re-election, Banka said he and Yang are committed to elevating the athlete experience, strengthening the global anti-doping system and expanding the impact of their science, education and intelligence work. "We are energized by innovation, collaboration, and the unwavering belief that clean sport matters," said Banka. "I can assure everyone here that we will work harder than ever to protect the integrity of sport and the dreams of the most important stakeholder of all, the athletes." (Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025?
With $4.54 million in tournament winnings, Aryna Sabalenka is this year's leader in tennis prize money through May 23. The women's world No. 1 lost the Australian Open final in January, but has since won the Miami Open and the Madrid Open, earning more than $1 million for each victory. Carlos Alcaraz ranks second with $3.98 million in year-to-date on-court winnings. The four-time Grand Slam champion won two clay court Masters 1000 tournaments in Monte Carlo and Rome, banking more than $1 million at each event. Just 22 years old, Alcaraz is already eighth all-time in ATP career prize money, with a total of more than $40 million. Advertisement More from The two Australian Open singles winners are lower on the list. American Madison Keys won her first major in Melbourne, good for a $2.2 million payday, but has not reached the final of any tournament since. Jannik Sinner won the same amount for his Australian Open win but accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that put his season on pause from February through April. Heading into the French Open, women occupy six of the top 10 spots on the prize money rankings. The tournament's total purse of roughly $63 million is divided equally between men and women, just like the other three Grand Slam events, which award the largest sums on the calendar aside from the tours' finals. How does prize money work in tennis? When tennis players participate in tournaments, they are compensated based on the round in which they lose, with payouts escalating somewhat exponentially as the player continues to win. A first-round loser at the 2025 Miami Open received $23,760, while the tournament runner-up won $598,000 and the champion $1.12 million. Advertisement Singles draws generally pay out more money than doubles draws, but singles players also pad their earnings by participating in doubles at events that feature both formats. The money at stake in different tournaments varies greatly. Throughout the year, there are 250-level, 500-level and 1000-level events; the number refers to how many ranking points winners receive. Tournaments with more points on the line generally pay more money. Which tennis tournament has the highest prize money? The four majors—the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open—award 2,000 ranking points. They also have larger purses. Advertisement For instance, the 2024 U.S. Open allocated $3.6 million to each singles winner, while the 2024 Winston-Salem Open, an ATP 250 event, dished out $107,000 to its champion the prior week. Many pros also compete on the Challenger Tour, where players typically take home low five figures for winning an event. Although the ATP Finals and WTA Finals at the end of the calendar draw much less public attention than the majors, they are extremely lucrative for the exclusive group of eight participants. In fact, the $4.9 million that Sinner earned for winning the 2024 ATP Finals is nearly the total he made for winning the 2024 Australian Open ($2 million) and the 2024 U.S. Open ($3.6 million) combined. Do men make more than women in tennis? Last year, 15 women and 28 men earned at least $2 million. The four majors have all paid both genders equally since 2007, but many marquee events in which men and women both play simultaneously still pay men far more. For instance, the Cincinnati Open paid out approximately $6.8 million to male players in 2024 and just $3.2 million to female players, while prize money disparities at lower-level tournaments are even worse. Advertisement In 2022, Iga Świątek was so dominant on the court that she nearly became the first woman to be the highest-paid tennis player in a single season since 2003, when Kim Clijsters ($4.47 million) out-earned Roger Federer ($4 million). In 2024, however, the gender pay gap at the top of the sport was still as large as it had been a decade prior. The top 10 male players collectively earned $80.7 million in 2024, 41% more than the $57.4 million earned by the top 10 female players. In the global professional sports landscape, tennis still offers the most earning potential for women, as six of the 10 highest-paid female athletes in 2024 played tennis. Many tournaments have committed to offering equal pay in the future, but there is still much work to be done to close the gap overall. Male tennis stars also benefit significantly from ATP bonus pools, which share additional profits with the game's top players, with payouts are predicated on year-end ranking and participation in a certain number of 1000-level tournaments. The pool ballooned to $21.3 million in 2023, where it remained for 2024. Which tennis player has the most prize money? For both genders, tennis is dominated financially by the elites. Last year, Sinner earned nearly five times that of the 10th highest-paid man, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Sabalenka earned more than three times that of the 10th highest-paid woman, Emma Navarro. Advertisement The ATP Finals and WTA Finals both had purses exceeding $14 million last year. These tournaments only include the top eight players in the rankings, which contributes to the top-heavy prize money distribution in tennis. They are essentially 'rich get richer' events to end the season. Novak Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slams along with seven ATP Tour Finals, with inflation giving him an additional boost over older players. He holds four of the top 10 prize money seasons of all time and has a $50 million lead over Rafael Nadal for the most career winnings. Djokovic's lifetime prize money totals $187 million. Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
