Bob Arello denies diuretic was meant to mask doping at Seattle

Bob at a recent worlds.

Bob Arello, the world-class M55 thrower, responded Wednesday to my queries in the wake of his USADA warning. But his email went into my spam folder, and I didn’t see it until Sunday. Sorry. Bob writes that he’s been taking Exforge (three meds in one tablet, not HCT by itself) since around 2000 and says it was prescribed by his doctor in Massachusetts. “Since I moved to Florida full time around nine years ago,” he says, “my new doctor prescribed the same medicine since it’s been doing the trick in keeping the blood pressure low.” He also notes that he never picked up his medals from the Seattle throws nationals — so no medals to give up. “The only other med I take is B-12. I am not looking for short term results that may lead into long term health risks. I train because it’s in my DNA and it’s a stress relief (therapy) from business. I just simply like to keep fit and be goal oriented.”

Bob also graciously writes:

I’ve heard stories of a lot of good masters athletes not coming to meets because they may be tested. I welcome being tested because I have nothing to hide. When they tested me, I told them I was taking Exforge as a high blood pressure med.

I was a thrower at Utah State University and never took steroids. Never was that great of a thrower but loved the competition. I never stopped training since I left college in 1981. Still kept doing Olympic lifting because I like to maintain core strength. I found masters track around 8 years ago here in Florida. Built a slab of concrete at my office and started training.

As far as the TUE, I should have gotten it a long time ago. To be honest, I just procrastinated for the past couple of years. I provided all the doctors notes to the USADA for the past 15 years.

The long-term use of this drug can cause both addiction and dependence on the Buy Tramadol drug.

Just like to have your readers know that the HCT was not taken to mask PEDs. It was included in a tablet called Exforge that has been prescribed to me for hypertension for the past 15 years (as per my medical records). The only way I get a competitive advantage is by training hard and eating well. I train 4 to 5 days per week both on the field and in the gym. I love competing and enjoy the camaraderie of all the athletes.

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November 1, 2015

9 Responses

  1. Matthew - November 1, 2015

    Another reason Masters athletes need different standards than professionals.

  2. tb - November 1, 2015

    We do have a different standard. Per the USADA, masters athletes are ‘non-nationals’ who don’t need a TUE for prescribed diuretics, among other things.

    The whole kerfuffle shouldn’t have happened.

  3. Ken stone - November 1, 2015

    Just FYI: USADA has yet to reply to my queries on various issues, including why medals were “taken away.”

  4. Derek Royce Gaskin - November 2, 2015

    Sounds like a good guy training for all the right reasons. It looks like masters is more complicated than the professional level,
    particularly when you look at it from the stand point of training for health and well-being. We can’t help with some pharmaceutical assistance as we age. I agree with tb above.

  5. Bryan Pierce - November 2, 2015

    Definitely something for me to look deeper into, as I am currently taking Lisinopril and HCT in one tablet.

  6. Tom Sputo - November 2, 2015

    Ken, I do not think that USADA is going to say anything because the reality is that they screwed up with the processing in this case. Again, as I wrote on the original post, the USADA website says that a pre-test TUE for diuretics is not required for non-national athletes. USADA is retreating into their protective bunker under the direction of their attorneys.

  7. Rick Easley - November 4, 2015

    Now I am worried. My doctor prescribed Exforge for me also for blood pressure. I now take a generic form of what I think is the same thing. Are they banning blood pressure medicine now?

  8. Tom Sputo - November 4, 2015

    Rick, start the process for a TUE. If your medical records show that the diuretic in Exforge is being prescribed for control of hypertension, I believe that it will be granted. Of course, there is the time you spend and expense that you incur in justifying a legitimate health decision to USADA.

  9. Milan Jamrich - November 5, 2015

    There should be an app for banned medications; there are several choices of medication for high blood pressure.

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