Darren Appleton Video: "Banned! My Story"

[Guy Manges]

I checked out the Darren Appleton's video this morning, and there are over 30,000 views at the time of this writing. The pool world is watching, and though there are mixed feelings about whether the punishment is just or not just, I think Darren has gained a whole new cadre of fans.

Pool is such a fractured industry, with only the top, maybe, 2 percent of professional pool players making a profit, in my opinion. I guess the WPA needs to spend some of that money by wealthy sponsors around the world who grease their palms for granting them WPA sanctioning. What is the worth of the WPA sanction? I remember years ago, a pool event in USA was WPA-sanctioned, and when the players did not get paid, the WPA was radio silent.

To administer a drug test while a professional competition is in progress is flat-out wrong. I am disappointed at how some in the C-suite of pool organizations have reacted to this injustice handed out by the WPA and/or its independent contractors who do the tests. If drug tests need to be done, do it before or after the tournament, not while the tournament is in progress.

I never thought I'd contemplate this thought after the UPA debacle, but the professional pool players need a union, an organization to represent them to handle situations like this when the WPA believes they're The Wizard of Oz. Pull back the curtain and see what they really do for pool as a sport. I've been in the pool racket for literally decades, and I see pool as a sport barely treading water.

I am 100 percent a huge fan of Barry Hearn and would love to learn his thoughts on this Darren Appleton suspension and fine and additional punishment. Darren isn't on drugs. He didn't dump or fix a match. He showed emotion. I'd like to know who the WPA test person is. I'd like to learn about their experience and background. No seasoned professional would have carried out a drug test in this manner.

This is the kind of comment that will make major changes in this testing to come... Thank you , Guy

 

[Oze147]

My complaint is very few sports apply WADA and use sport specific testing instead.

Very few sports?
I can't name a federation, which doesn't use the WADC....I don't think that there is a sport out there that doesn't apply the international anti doping rules.

 

[rexus31]

It is realistic to think that a cheater who was tested 7 days before a tournament would think he wouldn't be tested again in the short term; therefore, he might be more likely to get dirty after the first test.

The tests are ramdom so he had no idea he was going to get tested the first time. If he was using a PED he would have failed the first test. A PED user most likely will not pick and choose events they plan to dope.

I'm okay with the testing but they have to be more strategic about it. Testing a guy right after he lost a hill-hill match to an opponent that possibly had him on tilt is a recipe for disaster. There should be an hour cooling off period after a match to avoid circumstances like this. Any PED in someone's system will still be there an hour after a match.

 

[kling&allen]

Very few sports?
I can't name a federation, which doesn't use the WADC....I don't think that there is a sport out there that doesn't apply the international anti doping rules.

Almost every pro sport does not apply WADA to routine pro events. Not a single US pro sport does. Most use WADA for Olympic competition only. It's pool's strange setup via the WPA that causes Matchroom to apply WADA to its pro events. Take a look at pro golf (PGA), American football, MMA, or NBA basketball to see how sports apply drug testing to accommodate the specific requirements of their pro sports.

Many of the modern Olympic sports.(skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX, etc) don't apply any testing to their pro events.

 

[Black-Balled]

The tests are ramdom so he had no idea he was going to get tested the first time. If he was using a PED he would have failed the first test. A PED user most likely will not pick and choose events they plan to dope.

I'm okay with the testing but they have to be more strategic about it. Testing a guy right after he lost a hill-hill match to an opponent that possibly had him on tilt is a recipe for disaster. There should be an hour cooling off period after a match to avoid circumstances like this. Any PED in someone's system will still be there an hour after a match.

First paragraph is not necessarily correct and I'd bet both premises therein are likely incorrect a majority of the time. Remember, these PEDs aren't growth hormones or steroids....and the boost from these PEDs is absolutely on an as-neesed basis. This means a cheater absolutely DOES dose with a specific event in mind.

Second paragraph: spot on. Athletes subject to testing should be notified when it is their turn to test and be given a small window of time to provide testing sample to an accredited party.

I do NOT consider somebody wandering around a pool tournament with a cup to be inappropriate party for something as potentially damning as this.

What if a dirty test causes a major sponsor to revoke its backing of a player and that player files a lawsuit, alleging the sample's chain of custody was actually cooked spaghetti and therefore, any subsequent actions based on testing results should be null/void?

I'll answer the above: the defendants are going to go broke trying to defend themselves.

 

[rexus31]

First paragraph is not necessarily correct and I'd bet both premises therein are likely incorrect a majority of the time. Remember, these PEDs aren't growth hormones or steroids....and the boost from these PEDs is absolutely on an as-neesed basis. This means a cheater absolutely DOES dose with a specific event in mind.

That being said, once the substance has been ingested, the effects of said substance subsided, the substance is still detectable in urine, blood and saliva for hours after ingestion. Adderall for example, is detectable in urine for 72-96 hours after last use, in blood for up to 46 hours, in saliva for 20-50 hours, and in hair for up to 3 months. Suffice to say strategic use will still be detected in a test and Appleton would have most certainly tested positive in his first test had he doped.

 

[Oze147]

Almost every pro sport does not apply WADA to routine pro events.

You mean besides Tennis, Football, Cycling, Ice Hockey, Skiing, Formula 1...and nearly every other sport.
Someone like Roger Federer has to do 25-30 doping tests per year.

Not a single US pro sport does

See, and that is the problem, you mistake US leagues as sports federations.
Basketball, American Football, Ice Hockey they all signed the WADC.
Not to mention, that most athletes, maybe beside the ones who play in an US league, fall under the control of their national anti doping agencies, so they get tested not only during competition, but during training camps, practice time, at home, during their holidays, anytime anywhere.

Many of the modern Olympic sports.(skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX, etc) don't apply any testing to their pro events.

I don`t know about skateboarding or BMX, but since snowboarding is part of the skiing federation, I assure you, that there are doping tests during every pro event.

 

[kling&allen]

You mean besides Tennis, Football, Cycling, Ice Hockey, Skiing, Formula 1...and nearly every other sport.
Someone like Roger Federer has to do 25-30 doping tests per year.


See, and that is the problem, you mistake US leagues as sports federations.
Basketball, American Football, Ice Hockey they all signed the WADC.
Not to mention, that most athletes, maybe beside the ones who play in an US league, fall under the control of their national anti doping agencies, so they get tested not only during competition, but during training camps, practice time, at home, during their holidays, anytime anywhere.


I don`t know about skateboarding or BMX, but since snowboarding is part of the skiing federation, I assure you, that there are doping tests during every pro event.

I think we are saying the same thing. Allmost all sports do doping tests. The question is whether they are done under WADA or sport specific rules. For tennis, ITF had it's own testing protocol so players don't get pulled for testing between sets. Or so they don't miss warmups
Google "TADP" to see for yourself.

All I'm saying is pool should do the same as these other sports and have rules that dont interfere with play. That would eliminate blowups like we see with Appleton and Thorpe. Tennis (and all the other sports you mentioned) figured this out years ago.

 

[kling&allen]

You mean besides Tennis, Football, Cycling, Ice Hockey, Skiing, Formula 1...and nearly every other sport.
Someone like Roger Federer has to do 25-30 doping tests per year.


See, and that is the problem, you mistake US leagues as sports federations.
Basketball, American Football, Ice Hockey they all signed the WADC.
Not to mention, that most athletes, maybe beside the ones who play in an US league, fall under the control of their national anti doping agencies, so they get tested not only during competition, but during training camps, practice time, at home, during their holidays, anytime anywhere.


I don`t know about skateboarding or BMX, but since snowboarding is part of the skiing federation, I assure you, that there are doping tests during every pro event.

Here are some of the tennis doping rules. If pool has these it would have prevented Appleton's blowup because the player is allowed to warm down after an event before testing.

https://antidoping.itftennis.com/media/220468/220468.pdf

And 50 pages of tennis's rules for when and how testing can happen. For example the player has up to 2 hours after a finals match.

https://antidoping.itftennis.com/media/323014/323014.pdf

 

[Black-Balled]

That being said, once the substance has been ingested, the effects of said substance subsided, the substance is still detectable in urine, blood and saliva for hours after ingestion. Adderall for example, is detectable in urine for 72-96 hours after last use, in blood for up to 46 hours, in saliva for 20-50 hours, and in hair for up to 3 months. Suffice to say strategic use will still be detected in a test and Appleton would have most certainly tested positive in his first test had he doped.

That doesn't make sense.

Why would a cheater- let's not attach it to a specific participant- take something like that the week before a competition?

 

[Black-Balled]

I think we are saying the same thing. Allmost all sports do doping tests. The question is whether they are done under WADA or sport specific rules. For tennis, ITF had it's own testing protocol so players don't get pulled for testing between sets. Or so they don't miss warmups
Google "TADP" to see for yourself.

All I'm saying is pool should do the same as these other sports and have rules that dont interfere with play. That would eliminate blowups like we see with Appleton and Thorpe. Tennis (and all the other sports you mentioned) figured this out years ago.

Agreed. Testing must SUPPORT the sport, not detract from it.

 

[rexus31]

That doesn't make sense.

Why would a cheater- let's not attach it to a specific participant- take something like that the week before a competition?

They wouldn't. I think you missed my point. If they took it for a particular match to increase focus, there's plenty of time to test after the match. There is no need to test directly after a match. There is no need to rush to a test unless the player in question requests it be done immediately. The player should have a one hour window (at least) in the event they are selected to test.

 

[Black-Balled]

They wouldn't. I think you missed my point. If they took it for a particular match to increase focus, there's plenty of time to test after the match. There is no need to test directly after a match. There is no need to rush to a test unless the player in question requests it be done immediately. The player should have a one hour window (at least) in the event they are selected to test.

Agreed!

 

[Black-Balled]

And did we forget Daz made noise about a players' Org/ union in the recent past?

Timing of testing (and retesting) has the appearance of potential retaliation.

 

[rexus31]

And did we forget Daz made noise about a players' Org/ union in the recent past?

Timing of testing (and retesting) has the appearance of potential retaliation.

Agreed! LOL!

 

[dquarasr]

I think it could be reasonably argued that telling someone they need to wipe the smile off their face is an implied threat. I think it could also be reasonably argued that throwing things out of anger like bottles and cue cases full of cues is a threatening or menacing type behavior.

The type of person that has that little control over their behavior and reactions is the same type of person that would assault somebody or that would come back to work the next day and shoot the place up. People are wanting to make excuses for Darren's behavior but it sounds like it very well could have been the type of behavior that needs to be taken pretty seriously.

Totally disagree. I could see myself getting angry enough to throw something.

But there is absolutely no way I’d assault anyone, via any means, unless I was defending myself or my family from physical harm.

 

[jason]

Great! Now by the page 2, we'll all be arguing over whether or not YouTube should have banned Darren.

Wait...what? YouTube banned Darren? I hate Twitter! Unbelievable! Putin must be stopped before Darren and Jason join NATO. And Zuckerberg...don't even, I mean like if. What? Damn. Time for a Rick Roll or something. Where's Trump? He did it. I need a hamburger with cheese. Now back to ... where were we?

 

[vapoolplayer]

Ok…..I leave for 10 years, come back and find out they are piss testing pool players now??

El oh El

 

[lorider]

Most businesses only place legal restrictions on their employees. Ever been singled out for a urine test at McDzzz? I don't think even Customs will drug test individuals unless they have cause.

Think so ?

Drug tests are used all the time to get rid of people due to personal vendettas or when they don't have just cause to out right fire some one.

I used to be a supervisor for a pretty large utility contractor. One day i get a call from our regional manager telling me that i have to take a drug test the next day but not to worry about the results. I told him i was not worried because i have never failed one.

The next day i found out that we had another supervisor that had to take a drug test also. He failed and was fired. I found out later that he was suspected of taking kick backs from sub contractors but it could not be proven so they had an employee invite this supervisor to a party where people were smoking weed and he joined in .

Another example.

I was supervisor for another company a few years after the above incident. They hired a saftey inspector and lets just say he and i butted heads quite a few times. I was told by several employees that he was asking questions about me and it was evident to them he was trying to dig up dirt on me.

One monday he pops in and names off 3 guys who have to go take a drug test that morning. One of them was my son . one of the three named came up to me and said he knew he was going to fail and if there was anything i could do about it. I told him there was nothing i could do.

So two days later the safety inspector comes into my office and informs me my son failed his drug test and wanted to know what i was going to do about it. The guy who came to me before the drug twsts were taken somehow passed . I call my son into my office and fired him on the spot.

That evening i ask my son what the hell was he doing failing a drug test.? Well short story is he went and spent the weekend with a family who also worked for me. A husband ...wife and son crew. They all smoked pot over that weekend. A blind man could see that this family was tight with the saftey inspector and my son had been set up.

I had this family workimg on a out of town bid job with a couple of other crews and it took me a few weeks of driving my personal vehicle out and watching this crew but i caught them padding their time sheets. I fired the whole crew. The saftey director came complaing to me about i apparently singled them out and not my other crews on the same job. I said yea like you singled my son out. I said you keep fucking with me and you will be next down the road.

Well i wound up quitting and going into bussiness for myself and i learned later that this safety director was fired .

 

[lorider]

Think so ?

Drug tests are used all the time to get rid of people due to personal vendettas or when they don't have just cause to out right fire some one.

I used to be a supervisor for a pretty large utility contractor. One day i get a call from our regional manager telling me that i have to take a drug test the next day but not to worry about the results. I told him i was not worried because i have never failed one.

The next day i found out that we had another supervisor that had to take a drug test also. He failed and was fired. I found out later that he was suspected of taking kick backs from sub contractors but it could not be proven so they had an employee invite this supervisor to a party where people were smoking weed and he joined in .

Another example.

I was supervisor for another company a few years after the above incident. They hired a saftey inspector and lets just say he and i butted heads quite a few times. I was told by several employees that he was asking questions about me and it was evident to them he was trying to dig up dirt on me.

One monday he pops in and names off 3 guys who have to go take a drug test that morning. One of them was my son . one of the three named came up to me and said he knew he was going to fail and if there was anything i could do about it. I told him there was nothing i could do.

So two days later the safety inspector comes into my office and informs me my son failed his drug test and wanted to know what i was going to do about it. The guy who came to me before the drug twsts were taken somehow passed . I call my son into my office and fired him on the spot.

That evening i ask my son what the hell was he doing failing a drug test.? Well short story is he went and spent the weekend with a family who also worked for me. A husband ...wife and son crew. They all smoked pot over that weekend. A blind man could see that this family was tight with the saftey inspector and my son had been set up.

I had this family workimg on a out of town bid job with a couple of other crews and it took me a few weeks of driving my personal vehicle out and watching this crew but i caught them padding their time sheets. I fired the whole crew. The saftey director came complaing to me about i apparently singled them out and not my other crews on the same job. I said yea like you singled my son out. I said you keep fucking with me and you will be next down the road.

Well i wound up quitting and going into bussiness for myself and i learned later that this safety director was fired .

Edited to add that in the first situation i was asked to have a test also so that it would not appear that the other supervisor was being singled out.